For the first time in recorded history, in the US, those aged between 21-28 are now spending more on gambling than those aged between 61-79. This primarily comes down to the younger generation, who have an average spend on gambling of $187 a month in the US, with the age group preferring to use online products such as placing wagers on sports betting sites and playing at sweepstakes casinos.
Meanwhile, Boomers spend an average of $142, which means Gen Z are spending around 32% more, on average, per month comparatively.
Research by SweepsPulse, who are an independent online resource covering the US sweepstakes casino gaming sector, have revealed that aged between 21-28, commonly referred to as 'Gen Z', gambling spend grew 34% from 2025-2026; meanwhile Boomers' spend declined 3% year-over-year (YoY).
The new increase in Gen Z's gambling interest has led to the age group taking up 22% of all USD spent on gambling, compared to Boomers' 19% share of the market.
Online dominating the US gambling sphere
In the report it revealed that Gen Z adults are four times more likely to use sweepstakes platforms than Boomers. That is in stark contrast to boomers who primarily still enjoy buying local, or national, lottery tickets, or preferring to visit land-based casinos over online products.
However, these retail locations face a decline across the country, with the younger generation preferring to bet on the go via their mobile devices.
In fact, 61% of Gen Z's gambling activities are placed via mobile devices - compared to Boomers' rate of 29%. Research also showed that adults under 30 make more than 85% of all adult sports wagers using their phones.
This is as opposed to playing on desktop devices or visiting the sportsbooks/casinos in person, which has helped fuel notable YoY growth in online gambling verticals.
At the other end of the scale, the land-based casino sector has declined 4% whilst lotteries have shrunk at an alarming 9% over the same period.
Age group demographics deciding online marketing push
With this year being the first time that Gen Z are spending more than Boomers, there's a clear correlation between the markets that Gen Z are betting on and their growth, whilst the complete opposite can be said about those that traditionally appeal to older generations.
Those aged between 61-79 still make up around 50% of all lottery ticket sales in the US. This research has allowed companies to better understand their audiences, and what markets and age groups are best to target with what products.
Gaming companies are now moving to advertise products on podcasts or social media sites, like TikTok, which is where they are best able to attract Gen Z customers. This marketing method is allowing companies to create products that are specifically tailored for the younger generations, causing the Gen Z demographic to have a rise in interest within the gambling world.
