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American Gaming Association

68 Million Americans to Wager on March Madness

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Growth of Legal Market Driving Tournament Betting

A quarter of all American adults (68 million) plan to wager $15.5 billion on this year’s NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament, according to a new survey from the American Gaming Association (AGA).

31 million American adults plan to place a traditional sports wager online, at a retail sportsbook, or with a bookie.
* 21.5 million plan to bet casually with friends.
* 56.3 million plan to participate in a bracket contest.

“March Madness is one of the best traditions in American sports and America’s most wagered-on competition,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Critically, the expansion of regulated sports betting over the past five years has brought safeguards to more than half of American adults who can now bet legally in their home market.”

The growth in March Madness betting is driven by a resurgence of bracket contests as well as Americans taking advantage of the expansion of legal online wagering. Three-fourths of online bettors say this will be their first time betting on March Madness online.

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While 18 million more American adults plan to wager on March Madness compared to last month’s Super Bowl, Americans are expected to wager half a billion dollars less on the tournament than they planned to wager on the Big Game.

Since last year’s tournament, Kansas, Massachusetts and Ohio have launched retail and mobile sports betting markets, while Maryland has launched mobile wagering. This year’s March Madness, with 67 games over three weeks, will be the first to feature Las Vegas as a regional host location.

“With the excitement around March Madness, the AGA and our members want to remind anyone getting in on the action to have a game plan to bet responsibly. That means setting a budget, knowing the odds, keeping it social and always playing legally,” added Miller.

Among bettors, Kentucky is the most popular choice to win the national title (9%) followed by Texas A&M (8%) and Gonzaga, UCLA and Alabama (6%).

Background
33 states and Washington, DC currently feature live, legal sports betting markets, with three additional legal markets awaiting launch. More than half of American adults (57%, 146 million) live in a live, legal sports betting market. AGA’s Have A Game Plan Bet Responsibly campaign is bringing sports betting stakeholders together to promote responsible gaming.

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Methodology
Morning Consult conducted the online survey on behalf of the AGA between March 1 to 3 among a national sample of 2,200 adults. The data were weighted to approximate a target sample of adults based on age, race/ethnicity, gender, educational attainment and region. The margin of error is +/- 2 percent and greater among sub-groups. Bettors include those who expect to place a bet online, with a bookie, with a casino sportsbook, casually with family or friends or as part of a bracket contest.

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AGA

Americans to Wager Estimated $1.39 Billion on Super Bowl LIX

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) estimates that Americans will wager a record $1.39 billion legally on Super Bowl LIX, highlighting the continued expansion and enthusiasm around the legal sports betting market.

“No single event unites sports fans like the Super Bowl, and that excitement extends to sports betting, with this year’s record legal handle reflecting its widespread appeal,” said Bill Miller, AGA President and CEO. “This figure underscores the positive impact of the legal market—from protecting consumers to generating tax revenue that benefits communities across the country—while enhancing the game experience for all.”

Americans’ support for legal sports betting continues to grow. According to the AGA’s 2024 American Attitudes Survey, 75% of Americans support legal sports wagering in their home state, and 90% view sports betting as an acceptable form of entertainment. Since the Supreme Court struck down PASPA in 2018, 38 states and D.C. have launched legal sports betting markets, expanding consumer access to safe, regulated options.

With Super Bowl LIX marking another major milestone in the growth of the legal U.S. sports betting market, the AGA is committed to fostering a thriving legal market that promotes responsible gaming, safeguards consumers, and supports long-term economic growth. As part of this effort, the AGA is once again partnering with New Orleans Saints great, college football analyst and responsible gaming ambassador, Mark Ingram II, at Super Bowl LIX. Mark will appear on Radio Row on behalf of AGA’s Have A Game Plan.® Bet Responsibly.™ campaign. He will encourage bettors to bet legally and responsibly on Super Bowl LIX.

The post Americans to Wager Estimated $1.39 Billion on Super Bowl LIX appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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American Gaming Association

AGA Lauds President Trump’s Visit to Las Vegas

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) member Circa Resort and Casino hosted President Trump for an important event, building on the industry’s strong ties with the president.

The Association expressed its gratitude to Circa CEO Derek Stevens for hosting the event and taking the opportunity to convey to President Trump and his team the key tax priorities in the year ahead, including raising the slot tax threshold and eliminating the sports betting excise tax.

Bill Miller, president and CEO of the AGA, said: “This event is a testament to the president’s commitment to making sure that the tax code not only encourages job creation but also ensures workers keep more of their hard-earned money.

“It’s exciting for our industry that the president visited a casino property so early in his second term. This event clearly demonstrates the positive role the gaming industry plays in the U.S. economy.

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“President Trump’s tremendous support for the gaming industry during his first term was unprecedented – for the first time in history, our industry was able to obtain federal economic relief in the wake of the Covid-19 shutdowns. We look forward to further engagement with President Trump throughout this year on critical tax policy and other important industry priorities.”

The post AGA Lauds President Trump’s Visit to Las Vegas appeared first on Gaming and Gambling Industry in the Americas.

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American Gaming Association

AGA Unveils Have A Game Plan Initiative’s Fifth Pillar: “Keep Your Cool”

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The American Gaming Association (AGA) announced the expansion of its “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” public service campaign with the introduction of a fifth pillar: “Keep Your Cool”. This new pillar reinforces the campaign’s mission to promote responsible sports wagering by emphasizing athlete harassment is never appropriate.

The announcement comes as data highlights the growing effectiveness of responsible gaming programs across the country. According to recent research, 66% of Americans believe the gaming industry’s responsible gaming initiatives are effective, up from 59% in 2023. Among those who actively participate in gaming, 79% of physical casino players and 85% of sports bettors agree these programs are working, including an impressive 73% of young bettors aged 18-24.

“Responsible gaming efforts like Have A Game Plan and other proactive efforts by legal operators are resonating with consumers and making a difference. ‘Keep Your Cool’ builds on this momentum by reminding bettors that a betting result – good or bad – is not an invitation to criticize a team, official, or athlete,” said Bill Miller, President and CEO of the AGA.

Since its launch in 2019, “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly.” has educated bettors through four foundational pillars:

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• Set a Budget: Establish and stick to a financial limit.

• Keep It Social: Bet responsibly as part of a shared activity.

• Know the Odds: Know the terminology and understand risks before placing bets.

• Play Legally: Use regulated, legal betting platforms.

The new “Keep Your Cool” pillar complements these principles by promoting sportsmanship and emphasizing the social aspects of sports betting:

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Respect the Game: Winning and losing are part of sports betting, nobody is perfect; the result of a bet should not prompt negative actions – in person or online – toward athletes and officials.

Stay Focused on Having Fun: Sports betting is entertainment.

NASCAR, an early supporter of Have A Game Plan, underscored the importance of the new pillar. “At NASCAR, we believe responsible gaming enhances the overall fan experience. ‘Keep Your Cool’ reflects our shared commitment to encouraging fans to bet responsibly and maintain a respectful approach to the sport they love,” said Steve Phelps, President of NASCAR.

With responsible gaming messaging resonating stronger than ever, Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly. continues to foster a more enjoyable betting environment for fans.

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