Legalizing online casino gaming could add $18.4 billion to US state budgets, a new study says.
The report, conducted by online casino comparison site BonusFinder.com, analyzed tax revenue generated by online casinos across the seven US states where they are already legal — Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia — to estimate the total economic impact.
Based on average per-adult spending of $262.40 in those markets, the researchers estimated how much revenue the remaining 44 jurisdictions, including Washington D.C., could generate if they adopted similar legislation.
In total, the study estimated that the states are leaving up to $62 billion in gross revenue on the table.
With a 30% tax rate — an average of the seven states with legal online casino gaming— this would translate into $18.4 billion in tax income annually. Even with a more conservative tax rate of 20%, the figures could reach $12.3 billion.
California is estimated to be missing out on the most — with the analysis showing that its adult population of approximately 31 million could generate up to $2.4 billion in annual tax revenue.
“These numbers highlight two problems,” said Luciano Passavanti, Vice President at BonusFinder.com. “States are missing out on billions in tax revenue, and consumers are being pushed to platforms that don’t offer the same safety, accountability, or responsible gaming tools as licensed operators.”
This concern is backed by a recent report from research firm Yield Sec, which found that 74% of gross gaming revenue in the US in 2023 — totaling $67.1 billion — came from unlicensed, illegal, and unregulated operators.
That means the vast majority of online gambling activity is still happening outside state oversight — costing governments billions in potential tax income and leaving players vulnerable.
“The demand for online casino gaming already exists — but right now, the money is flowing offshore,” Passavanti added. “States that act now have the chance to bring that revenue back into their own economies, and to do so responsibly.”
States where online casino gaming is already legal are directing the funds into essential public services. In Michigan, more than $400 million from iGaming taxes, which includes both online sports betting and online casinos, went to the School Aid Fund, $4 million to the First Responder Presumed Coverage Fund and $3.7 million to the state’s agricultural and equine development programs.
Beyond the financial upside, regulated online casino markets allow states to implement age verification, deposit limits, and self-exclusion tools, offering far stronger consumer protections than offshore operators.
“With over $18 billion in annual tax revenue potentially at stake, the case for legalization is becoming harder to ignore.” Passavanti said.
“As states continue to explore ways to balance budgets and modernize outdated gambling laws, regulated online casinos could offer both financial upside and meaningful consumer protections — if policymakers are ready to act.”
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