The U.S. commercial gaming industry’s strong start to the year continued in February. According to revenue data reported by state regulators and compiled by the AGA, nationwide gaming industry win from traditional casino games, sports betting and iGaming reached $5.08 billion in February 2023. This represents the highest February revenue number in history and a 13.5 percent year-over-year increase. It also marks 24 consecutive months of growth and the sixth month in a row with gaming revenue of more than $5 billion.

Gaming revenue grew year-over-year across all verticals in February, though at a slower pace than in January. Land-based casino revenue from slot machines and table games totaled $3.97 billion, sports betting produced $636.1 million, and iGaming produced monthly revenue of $465.0 million.

Driven largely by the seasonal decline in sports betting revenue, in-person gaming revenue made up a larger share of overall revenue in February (79.1%) than it has since last August, prior to the start of football season.

At the state level, 29 of 33 commercial gaming jurisdictions that were operational one year ago and had reported at the time of writing posted year-over-year revenue growth in February. Several of the states that saw revenue declines in February were smaller, idiosyncratic sports betting markets, including Montana (-20.6%) and Delaware (-1.7%), however South Dakota (-3%) and Louisiana (-3.5%) also saw year-over-year revenue fall from last year.

Combined revenue from land-based casino slot machines and table games across the country hit $3.97 billion in February, an 8.0 percent increase from last year. Slots generated $2.86 billion in revenue, an 8.4 percent increase from the previous year, while revenue from table games increased by 9.1%, reaching $812.2 million.

February is the last month of relatively soft annual comparisons due to COVID concerns, which spiked in early 2022 before abating. March 2022 was the first month that commercial gaming revenue topped $5 billion in industry history, which it has done in all but two months since then.

Nationwide sports betting activity in February saw a significant slowdown driven by the end of the college and professional football seasons. Compared to January, sports betting handle fell 26.9 percent and revenue declined 40.3 percent. February’s sports betting handle was $8.41 billion, up 5.8 percent from February 2022.[1]

On a year-over-year basis however, sports betting revenue increased 60.8 percent in February to reach $636.1 million, driven by new markets in Ohio (retail + online), Massachusetts (retail) and Maryland (online). In February 2023, 29 commercial sports betting jurisdictions offered legal commercial sports betting, compared to 26 in February 2022. Customers in 24 jurisdictions had the option to place bets online, with three states (KS, MD, OH) launching mobile options over the past year. Excluding new sports betting markets and online expansions, sports betting revenue increased by 29.1 percent from February 2022.

Combined February revenue generated by iGaming operations in Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia increased by 20.6 percent year-over-year to $465.0 million, with all six markets reporting annual growth. February iGaming revenue did, however, decline sequentially 3.3 percent from the record high revenue seen in December 2022 and January 2023.