Tuesday, April 21, 2026

Sports Betting Helps U.S. Casinos Reach Record Revenue

las_vegas_sign
Kirby Lee, USA TODAY/Design: Alex Brooks

U.S. casinos overall had their best quarter ever in Q3, winning nearly $14 billion, per the American Gaming Association. Ten out of 25 states with commercial casinos also hit revenue records for the quarter.

Sports betting and internet gambling revenue combined increased more than 200% year-over-year for the first nine months of 2021, reaching $5.36 billion.

Nevada, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania are the four highest-grossing commercial gambling states.

  • Nevada, which has had legal gambling for decades, recorded $54.2 million in sports betting revenue in September.
  • Pennsylvania recorded more than $48.1 million in sports betting revenue the same month.
  • New Jersey saw $82.4 million in sports betting revenue in October.

New York recently approved two groups — which include DraftKings and FanDuel — for the state’s online sports betting license.

This year’s winnings for the U.S. casino industry are on pace to break the annual record of $43.65 billion set in 2019.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Sign up for
The Memo Newsletter

Get the biggest stories and best analysis on the business of sports delivered to your inbox twice every weekday and twice on weekends.

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Damon Jones Will Plead Guilty in NBA Betting Case

Jones will appear at a hearing April 28 in Brooklyn.
Apr 15, 2026; Inglewood, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) drives past Los Angeles Clippers guard Kris Dunn (8) and guard Darius Garland (10) in the second half during the play-in rounds of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Intuit Dome.
exclusive

NBA Is in Talks With Kalshi and Polymarket

Discussions ramped up after the CFTC began engaging with leagues, sources say.

Pile of Famous Athletes Quietly Invested in Kalshi Months Ago

WNBA stars Diana Taurasi and Breanna Stewart are among the group.
In this photo illustration, a mobile device displays the Kalshi logo while a laptop displays the webpage of the prediction market platform in Copenhagen, Denmark, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/NurPhoto)

Court Keeps Kalshi’s Sports Contracts Live in New Jersey

An appeals court handed Kalshi a big preliminary victory.

Featured Today

The Lawyer Steering the NIL Era

In the new era of college sports, Darren Heitner is everywhere.
blake griffin
April 14, 2026

Inside Blake Griffin’s Rookie Season at Prime Video

The six-time All-Star was initially hesitant to enter the media space.
Matthew Schaefer/Front Office Sports
April 10, 2026

Matthew Schaefer Has the Hockey World in His Thrall

The teenage Islanders defenseman cannon-balled into the NHL.
April 9, 2026

College Athletes Are Ignoring NCAA Gambling Bans

“We were going to bet regardless,” says one former D-I athlete.
Jan 14, 2025; Washington, DC, USA; Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., delivers remarks during a Senate Armed Services committee hearing on the expected nomination of Pete Hegseth to be Secretary of Defense on Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2025 in Washington, DC.

‘Astonishing and Appalling’: Senator Blasts MLB-Polymarket Deal

A Connecticut senator says prediction markets are part of an “addiction conspiracy.”
The March Madness logo is pictured during a second-round game in the NCAA men's basketball tournament between Nebraska Cornhuskers and Vanderbilt Commodores at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Saturday March 21, 2026.
March 23, 2026

Coinbase Takes Heat for Pushing March Madness Markets

Viral posts showed that users feel pummeled by sports event contract promotion.
March 30, 2026

NFL Warns Prediction Markets Operators Over Vulnerable Bets

Ongoing litigation in the burgeoning industry has muddied the waters.
Sponsored

From Gold Medalist to Business Founder

Allyson Felix on investing in women’s sports and what comes next for track & LA28.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman (5) reacts with third baseman Max Muncy (13) after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in the eleventh inning for game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre.
March 23, 2026

Bipartisan Bill Wants Sports Banned on Prediction Markets

It’s the latest indicator that prediction markets have gone mainstream.
March 20, 2026

NCAA Sues DraftKings Over March Madness Trademark Infringement

NCAA president Charlie Baker has also gone after prediction markets.
In this photo illustration, a mobile device displays the Kalshi logo while a laptop displays the webpage of the prediction market platform in Copenhagen, Denmark, on February 10, 2026. (Photo by Kristian Tuxen Ladegaard Berg/NurPhoto)
March 20, 2026

Judge Temporarily Blocks Kalshi’s Sports Markets in Nevada

Nevada previously won a similar ruling in its case against Polymarket.
Oct 27, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred before game three of the 2025 MLB World Series between the Toronto Blue Jays and Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium
exclusive
March 19, 2026

MLB Makes Multiyear Prediction-Market Deal With Polymarket

The league’s stance on prediction markets has rapidly evolved.