- New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan online gambling combined for over $1.5 billion in revenue in the first half of 2021.
- The mobile sports betting boom of 2020 continued into 2021.
- The success of these online markets could persuade other markets to launch.
TRENTON, N.J. – Online gambling has continued to surge in the US with the top three markets in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Michigan combining for more than $1.5 billion in the first half of 2021.
The spike began in 2020 when COVID-19 lockdowns forced casinos to closed for months. Local players embraced online gambling as a legitimate option as mobile casinos and sportsbooks saw heavy traffic.
Despite casinos reopening and accepting players at full capacity, iGaming remains popular. This is evident by the record-breaking revenue seen in multiple markets.
Online Gambling Boom
Online gambling in New Jersey saw nearly $100 million in monthly revenue at the end of 2020, allowing the Garden State to go into 2021 at an all-time high.
This continued over into the New Year as to date, New Jersey has collected the most in gross gaming revenue from its internet operations as of June 2021. The success continued in July as New Jersey set the US record for monthly iGaming revenue with $118,638,577 in a single month.
Pennsylvania’s online gambling market collected $88,681,607 in iGaming revenue and has continued to dominate alongside New Jersey. Multiple iGaming platforms have seen major success in these two markets including BetMGM, FanDuel Casino, and DraftKings Casino.
The big story is the online casinos in Michigan. With Michigan’s online gambling market only launching in January 2021, they missed out on the boom during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
Despite this, however, $435 million in annual revenue has been collected in the Great Lakes State as of June 2021.
Other Market Success
West Virginia and Delaware are also at the forefront of the online casino market in the US and have thrived so far in the year. iGaming has proven to be a major option for players in these states.
There are only five total states that offer online casino options. With the success of these five markets, however, it is possible that iGaming can launch in other markets as they recognize the financial benefits.
New York, for example, was initially opposed to online sports betting but has since changed its tune. Who’s to say the same cannot happen for online casinos as well.
Online gambling is a proven trend and with the success continuing in markets with active retail operations, there is enough evidence to prove the benefits of having a thriving market.