In 2025, the global gambling market was worth $574.6bn, but this is expected to rise to $600.1bn this year, which represents a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.6% - thanks to the expanding interest and legalization of online casinos.
Looking even further forward, by 2030, this figure is expected to reach nearly $730bn, signifying how quickly the industry is continuing to grow year-on-year (YoY).
Fastest growing regions
According to the report, Asia-Pacific was the leading region in terms of growth across 2025, while Eastern Europe is expected to be the fastest-grower in 2026 and beyond.
In the UK, the number of adults engaging in gambling continues to rise. In 2024, 48% of adults engaged in at least one form of gambling, with this likely to increase between 2026 and 2030.
It is in North America, particularly the US, however, that the increasing demand for legal gambling across more states, the prediction market boom and a surge in online and land-based casinos, means the industry has grown exponentially over the previous 12 months.
Online casinos are on the rise in the US
The North America gaming market size in 2026 has been estimated at $80.1bn , which is a rise from the $74.5bn from last year.
In the US alone, online casino revenue stood at $8.41bn across the legal states, representing a 28.7% growth.
This comes despite only seven states legalizing online casinos: Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and West Virginia.
Slot games, video poker and live dealer games are continually on the rise across hundreds of online gaming apps and with the need for tax revenue set to increase, more states could legalize online casinos - with Maine looking most likely to be next.
Plenty of states have land-based casinos such as Florida and Louisiana, with an increasing number of states beginning to legalize sports betting, including Colorado, Missouri and North Carolina.
By 2030, the online gambling and betting market is expected to hit $145.6bn, which is a CAGR rise of 12%.
Major industry players in the online gambling market in the US include Flutter Entertainment, DraftKings, FanDuel, PokerStars and MGM Resorts International among a handful of others.
While online casinos are playing a huge part in the growth of the US gambling market, sports betting is also continually on the rise, with more and more states beginning to legalize it heading into 2026.
Sports betting is on the up
Sports betting has only become a major player in the US gambling industry in recent years. Between 2018 and 2023, the revenue generated in this area rose from $400m to nearly $11bn, a remarkable rise across just five years.
Although just seven states have legalized online casinos, this increases to 38 when it comes to legal sports betting.
Missouri became the latest state to legalize online and in-person sports betting towards the end of December, although it remains to be seen which state will be next to follow.
Specific events tend to make up the bulk of the revenue generated from sports betting: NBA Playoffs, MLB World Series and the Kentucky Derby all play their part, but it is the Super Bowl in which Americans bet most heavily.
Indeed, it is the single biggest betting day of the year and the most recent edition, Super Bowl LX, saw a record amount wagered on the game between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.
Prior to the match, the American Gaming Association predicted that around $1.76bn would be wagered on the game, which represented an increase of 26.6% compared to the $1.39bn staked in 2025. It turns out that Kalshi received over $1.2bn on Super Bowl LX bets.
The NFL leads the way in terms of most popular sports to bet on, but the NBA, MLB and NHL aren't far behind.
While sports betting is growing increasingly popular, there are some recent trends which are beginning to shape the market in the USA…
Could recent trends signify diversification?
Online casinos and sports betting are clearly the two biggest contributors towards the US gambling market, but what does the future hold?
By 2028, revenue generated from betting on eSports is estimated to reach $1.1bn, with the average American wagering around $55 annually on this specific area.
Elsewhere, the increasing popularity of blockchain for sports betting transactions could potentially change the landscape of sports betting across the next few years.
With around one in seven Americans betting on live sports, avoiding paying a third party, users can be confident in secure transactions. As such, blockchain could eventually transform the industry and make sports betting a safer space for all.
While regions such as Eastern Europe, Asia-Pacific and the United Kingdom are continuing to grow, North America, with particular focus on the US, is going to be where the biggest innovations and progression will be seen this year and beyond.
With online casinos and sports betting making up the bulk of gambling revenue in this region, the rise of latest trends will see revenue increase year-on-year in the US.
What's in store for the future of US betting?
Between now and 2030, Texas, South Carolina, and Oklahoma could be the next states to legalize online sports betting, with all three being under review at the moment.
Should this occur in the near future, those three states could contribute millions of dollars towards USA's annual gambling revenue.
Increased internet access, innovative technology spearheading the market and an increasing demand for immersive experiences across the board shows that the global gambling market is currently at an all-time record level of revenue.
By this time next year, expect new trends and another record year across the global gambling market.
