AMERICAN GAMING ASSOCIATION
Big Game Betting
American demand for legal wagering reaches new high as Super Bowl comes to Las Vegas for first time
BY DAVE FORMAN
Editor ’ s Note : This article was first published as a GGB News Special Report on February 9 , 2023 , two days before Super Bowl LVIII .
When Super Bowl LVIII kicked off in Las Vegas , not only was the spectacle a testament to sports leagues ’ embrace of a city they used to shun , but it also spotlighted the continued mainstreaming of gaming in America .
The matchup was played in Allegiant Stadium , home of the NFL ’ s Las Vegas Raiders . Twenty-four hours later , the NHL ’ s Las Vegas Golden Knights played in their home arena just across the Strip . It ’ s no coincidence that at the same time as legal sports betting has expanded to 39 jurisdictions across the country , sports leagues and events have flocked to Las Vegas .
Accordingly , the first-ever Super Bowl in Las Vegas coincided with Americans ’ highest-ever interest in wagering on the big game . According to a new American Gaming Association ( AGA ) survey , a record 67.8 million American adults ( 26 percent ) were expected to bet on this year ’ s game , up 35 percent from 2023 . In total , bettors wagered an estimated $ 23.1 billion on the matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers .
Here are three big takeaways from AGA ’ s big game betting survey .
1 . With the expansion of legal sports betting , traditional Super Bowl bettors were expected to outnumber casual bettors for a second consecutive year . 42.7 million American adults planned to place a traditional sports wager online , at a retail sportsbook or with a bookie , up 41 percent from 2023 . Meanwhile , 36.5 million Americans planned to bet casually with friends or as part of a pool or squares contest , up 32 percent from 2023 .
2 . The expansion of legal sports betting is migrating Americans to the regulated market . During this year ’ s Super Bowl , twothirds of American adults were able to place a legal bet on the game in their state of residence . With legal mobile wagering available in 30 U . S . jurisdictions , AGA survey data shows that 28.7 million adults , or 11 percent , intended to place wagers using a regulated online sportsbook .
3 . As Americans continue to move to the legal market , industry investments in responsible gambling are resonating . Driven by campaigns from the legal sports betting ecosystem , the majority of traditional Super Bowl bettors ( 75 percent ) report seeing a responsible gambling message in the last year , up from 71 percent in 2023 . Meanwhile , 47 percent of all American adults recall hearing or seeing a responsible gambling message in the past year , up from 40 percent last year .
While Super Bowl LVIII marked a fullcircle moment for the legal U . S . gaming industry , it also provided a reminder that all stakeholders must work together to build a safe , sustainable sports betting marketplace . It is incumbent on operators , leagues , teams and media to ensure we are providing the educational resources , tools and safeguards to equip consumers to bet responsibly .
We ’ ve already made significant progress on each of these pillars in a still-nascent market , and the AGA is committed to continuing to lead these efforts as we work to get U . S . sports betting right .
Dave Forman is vice president , research for the American Gaming Association .
10 Global Gaming Business MARCH 2024