Gambling is one of the most popular and addictive pastimes worldwide, and these gambling statistics show it. It’s been around for ages, with opportunities for the gambling industry growing with the rise of technology.
With flashy machines, catchy tunes, easily-accessible apps, and constant ads – who can resist gambling? Even if you prefer the trusty old card games and blackjack tables, the allure is the same.
Attitudes towards gambling are different around the world, but the user demographics are pretty similar. Where you live and how old you are will definitely influence your decision to start or avoid gambling for good. That being said, we’re still all constantly exposed and vulnerable to gambling. It’s up to you to make the right choice and stay off the betting path.
Top Ten Gambling Statistics for 2022:
- 30% of people said they thought gambling could be trusted and is fair.
- 60% of gamblers stated the best odds as one of their top three factors for selecting a new operator.
- Macau is a number one gambling revenue based on visitors, with 1354 dollars per person.
- Problem gamblers statistics reveal that 6% of US college students can be classified as problem gamblers.
- The average adult lost just over 400 dollars gambling in the US in 2016.
- Stats on gambling worldwide: 26% of the world population gambles.
- 41% of people think setting a stake limit on machines is an important policy issue.
- The total number of casino games in Nevada is 5.510, making it one of the largest gambling markets in the US.
- Las Vegas also brought in the largest revenue for commercial gaming in 2018, with 6.59 billion.
- There were somewhat more tribal casinos in the US in 2018 – 514.
General Gambling Statistics
As with all addictive things, understanding the phenomenon of gambling is not easy. Its appeal seems to be unchanging. This is why we should cover the basics first and find out how prevalent it is, how people feel about it, and how it affects the lives of those who engage in it.
1. 46% of people said they gambled in the last month.
(Gambling Commission)
18% of those respondents took to online gambling while 1.5% played on machines.
2. Problem gamblers statistics reveals that 30% of people said they thought gambling could be trusted and is fair.
(Gambling Commission)
A significantly higher number of respondents (38%), though, thought that gambling was associated with crime. However, the majority of respondents believe they should be able to gamble whenever they want (62%).
3. 0.7% of respondents were classified as problem gamblers.
(Gambling Commission)
Problem gamblers are those who have the potential for losing control and who continue to gamble even with negative consequences. According to the same gambling addiction statistics, 1.1% of respondents were classified as moderate-risk gamblers, while 2.4% were classified as low-risk.
Moderate-risk gamblers can experience some problems and negative consequences, while the problems associated with low-risk gamblers are minimal, and there are no negative consequences the data can account for.
4. 71% of people believe gambling can affect family life negatively, according to the gambling addiction facts.
(Gambling Commission,)
32% of people believe that children shouldn’t be exposed to gambling and that protecting them should be the most important policy issue. On top of that, 79% of respondents said they believed there are simply too many opportunities for gambling in today’s society.
However, 36% of respondents noted that they believed most people who gamble do it sensibly.
5. Gambling facts: 41% of people think setting a stake limit on machines is an important policy issue.
(Gambling Commission)
Only 22% of people believe gambling ads should be censored in some way. A slightly higher percentage of respondents, 26%, believe there should be restrictions on the widespread gambling ads. 29% share the opinion that the timing of gambling ads on TV should be restricted, too.
6. When it comes to gambling trends, 60% of gamblers stated the best odds as one of their top three factors for selecting a new operator.
(Gambling Commission)
Problem gambling stats show that some 60% listed the reputation and trustworthiness, and 46% listed bonus offers among the top three factors for choosing a new operator.
46% listed it was important for them to choose a brand-name operator, while 27% went by the recommendations they got from others. Another 18% said the proximity was one of the most important factors.
According to gambling addiction statistics, only 14% expressed they choose new operators depending on the availability of support for gambling management.
7. Only 22% of US colleges have policies on gambling.
(University of North Carolina Wilmington)
This puts young people at a 2 or 3 times higher risk for problem gambling than adults. In comparison, almost all US colleges have policies concerning alcohol use.
In fact, not having policies could be the reason why such a high percentage of college students (75%) said they gambled during the previous year, legally or illegally.
8. Around 67% of college students are into sports betting.
(University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Even though it’s not their first choice of gambling, the majority of college students bet on sports.
9. Problem gamblers statistics reveal that 6% of US college students can be classified as problem gamblers.
(University of North Carolina Wilmington)
When it comes to how they gamble, 41% of college students choose the lottery. Card games are in second place with 38%, and 23% of students choose sports betting.
10. Students who gamble are also prone to other risk behaviors.
(University of North Carolina Wilmington)
Compared to students who don’t gamble, those who do are also more prone to using cigarettes and marijuana. Other illicit drug use is also prevalent, as well as binge drinking and unprotected sex as a result of drinking.
11. 30% of male college athletes bet on sports, according to recent sports gambling statistics.
(University of North Carolina Wilmington)
A quarter of these athletes were introduced to gambling before they even began high school. 66% gambled for the first time during their high school years. Because of their competitive personalities, athletes are generally at a higher risk of developing problems with gambling.
Other factors that contribute to this outcome are a sense of entitlement associated with athletes and their need for adrenaline. Social norms also play a huge role.
Online Gambling Statistics
Gambling has gone online just like every possible aspect of our lives lately. Coronavirus forced all industries to adapt to new circumstances, and here’s how the gambling industry dealt with it.
12. Only 3% of the US population gambles online.
(Casino.org)
This is significantly less than the online gambling population in the UK, which equals 17%. That adds up to 5.3 billion pounds of revenue for just the online market.
In comparison, the revenue for the US online gambling market was 306.5 billion in 2018. This number is a strong indicator that more than 3% of the US population has taken to online gambling in the past few years.
13. The estimated gross wins for 2020 in Europe are 24.7 billion euros.
(Statista)
Online sports betting brings Europe 42.5% of its revenue. One of the most widely known online gambling facts is that France had a turnover of 691 million euros from online sports betting in 2018.
14. The size of the global online market is worth 450 billion US dollars.
(Statista 2)
Even with online gambling being so popular, casinos are still expected to hold a 25% share of the global market. When it comes to the US casino gaming market, the revenue it holds adds up to 79.42 billion dollars.
15. 13% of Americans are familiar with online betting platforms such as Bet Online.
(Statista 2)
On top of that, 11% of Americans said they’d placed a sports bet online at some point in their lives.
Gambling Statistics in America & The Rest of The World
Different societies see gambling in different ways. Some consider it more acceptable, some have made a tourist attraction from it. Here is how countries around the world treat gambling, how much revenue is generated, and how it’s treated.
16. Macau is number one for gambling revenue based on visitors with 1354 dollars per person.
(Casino.org)
Australia is in second place, with 736 dollars of revenue per person, and Singapore is in third, with 446 dollars. The bottom of the list is reserved for Malaysia, with only 72 dollars of revenue.
17. Nevada has the highest gambling profits in the US with 11.113.830 dollars (2015)
(Casino.org)
The state that’s not doing so well is none other than the home of Atlantic City – New Jersey. The profits it made in 2015 amounted to only 2.5 million dollars. This is a significant drop from 2006 when the revenue equaled 5.2 million.
18. Stats on gambling worldwide: 26% of the world population gambles.
(Casino.org)
In other words, 1.6 billion people gamble. 4.2 billion people worldwide gamble a minimum of once per year.
19. The average adult lost just over 400 dollars gambling in the US, 2016.
(Casino.org)
Despite having many gambling opportunities, the US is only in fifth place with the amount lost per person. Australia was leading with near to 1000 dollars lost per adult in 2016, and Singapore was second with nearly 700 dollars. Ireland and Finland were not too far behind with 500 and close to 450 dollars, respectively.
20. 45 to 54-year-olds gamble the most in the UK.
(Casino.org)
According to the same gambling stats, the age group just above this one, 55 to 64, is in second place. Those aged 65 and up are in third place, while the younger generation (18 to 24) seems to gamble the least.
21. 40 to 49-year-olds gamble the most in Australia.
(Casino.org)
The situation with gambler demographics is similar in Australia, with the middle-aged group taking the first place. The second place goes to the older age group, too, but this time, it contains people between 50 and 59 years old.
20 to 29 and 30 to 39-year-olds share the third place, while Aussies aged 18 or 19 barely gamble at all.
22. France had the most casino visits in 2017: 33 million.
(Statista)
Problem gambling statistics say that Italy had the most problem gamblers in 2018, though, with 2.4% of those who gamble being classified as such. The stats for problem gamblers in Great Britain are also significant, with 1% of 16 to 24-year olds who gambled being classified as such in 2018.
23. The total number of casino games in Nevada is 5.510, making it one of the largest markets in the US.
(Statista)
The estimated win amount from poker games in Nevada was 143.14 million dollars. On top of that, Las Vegas has a 36.87% revenue share of the Baccarat table.
Las Vegas is also one of the most popular gambling destinations for Americans, with 7% stating they visit exclusively to gamble. The number of visitors to Las Vegas equaled 42.52 million in one year.
24. Las Vegas also brought in the largest revenue for commercial gaming in 2018, with 6.59 billion.
(Statista)
Gambling statistics from the United States say that Atlantic City did better in 2018, with a revenue of 2.56 billion for commercial gaming. Chicago was in third place with 1.91 billion. St. Louis was in the last place with 1.04 billion dollars.
25. Unsurprisingly, Nevada also had the most casino employees in 2018 (409.444).
(Statista)
New Jersey was in second place by the number of employees, with 38.007, and Pennsylvania was in third, with 33.171. South Dakota and Oklahoma were practically tied for the last place, with 1.175 and 1.162 casino employees, respectively.
26. Gambling industry statistics: The number of commercial casinos in the US was 465 in 2018.
(Statista)
This number has been rising and falling over the past fifteen years, with there being 455 commercial casinos in 2005. The number reached a climax in 2016, with 524 commercial casinos in the US.
27. There were somewhat more tribal casinos in the US in 2018- 514.
(Statista)
Unlike the situation with commercial casinos, the number of tribal casinos has been steadily rising since 2005. That year, there were 406 tribals around the US. The only significant drop was to 372 in 2006, but just the following year, the number rose to 424.
Conclusion
Even though some people tend to believe that gambling is a harmless fun activity, these gambling statistics indicate a different truth. Like with everything else that gives you high doses of dopamine, it’s easy to get carried away and get addicted to gambling even with negative consequences being frequent. The best cure is to never even start, and hopefully, these stats have convinced you of that.
Sources
FAQs
Can statistics be used for gambling? ›
On the contrary, casino games involve probabilities and statistics that skilled players use to guide their gambling decisions. Three basic principles underlie casino games: definite probabilities, expected value, and volatility index.
What percentage of people gamble in the UK? ›0.5% of the UK's adult population are problem gamblers. 15% of online gamblers have been gambling in the workplace in the past four weeks. 3.1% of gamblers have bet more than they can afford to lose. Gambling addiction is estimated to cost the UK between £260 million and £1.2 billion per year.
What nationality gambles the most? ›The researchers found similar patterns: Only 13.5% of gamblers ended up winning, versus 11% among Bwin customers, and the ratios of big losers to big winners were similarly large.
What kind of math is used in gambling? ›Combinatorial calculus is an important part of gambling probability applications. In games of chance, most of the gambling probability calculus in which we use the classical definition of probability reverts to counting combinations. The gaming events can be identified with sets, which often are sets of combinations.
What statistics do bookmakers use? ›Because there are always numerous variables at play at once, all of which impact the outcome of a game or contest to some degree, multiple regression analysis is the system most commonly used for sports betting.
What age group gambles the most? ›According to the survey, 48.4 percent of respondents aged 45 to 54 years old participated in gambling in 2020, making it the age bracket with the highest share of gambling participants in that year. Overall, gambling participation was highest between the age of 35 to 64 years old.
What percentage of gamblers lose? ›Eighty-nine percent of gamblers lost money in a study of 4,222 anonymous users of one online gambling network in Europe that includes games of chance like roulette, blackjack, and slots. In the small set of winners, few won more than $150. Among the heaviest gamblers, 95% lost money.
Who gambles the most in the UK? ›The older generations participated more in gambling in 2020. The age of gambling participants in Great Britain ranged between 16 and 65+, with those between the ages of 45 and 54 reporting the highest gambling participation. Wealthier Brits were also more likely to gamble during that year.
Who has lost the most money gambling? ›- MAUREEN O'CONNOR: $13 MILLION. ...
- HARRY KAKAVAS: $20.5 MILLION. ...
- CHARLES BARKLEY: $30 MILLION. ...
- ARCHIE KARAS: $40 MILLION. ...
- TERRANCE WATANABE: $127 MILLION.
Who is the best gambler in the world? ›
- Bill Benter net worth: $1 billion. ...
- Edward Thorp net worth: $800 million. ...
- Billy Walters net worth: $250 million. ...
- Phil Ivey net worth: $100 million. ...
- Chris Ferguson net worth: $80 million. ...
- Doyle Brunson net worth: $75 million. ...
- Howard Lederer net worth: $60 million.
Of people who gambled, the average gambling budget for the trip was $580.90., On average, those gamblers gamble 4 hours per day. 68% of the people who gamble play the slot machines most often. The largest percentage of visitors to Las Vegas were in the age group of 65 and older (22%).
What gambling has the best odds? ›If you're willing to put in a little work, blackjack offers the best odds. I'm talking about a . 5 percent casino edge, depending on which table you're sitting at. (Meaning for every dollar you gamble, you'll lose only half a penny on average.)
How often do pro gamblers win? ›Professional sports bettors rarely sustain a long-term winning percentage higher than 55 percent, and it's often as low as 53 or 54 percent.
Is it better to play one slot machine or move around? ›STATUS: Ultimately, it's your call – no harm, no foul either way. This is one of those things that tend to get wrapped into beliefs around slots that can encourage people to do one thing or another, but ultimately it won't matter.
Can gambling be predicted? ›With a sample of 215 late adolescents and adults, the Theory of Reasoned Action was found to significantly predict gambling frequency and problem gambling, with intentions predicting actual behaviour in both cases.
How do you win a gambling crash? ›I Tested "GUARANTEED" CRASH PROFIT (4) Strategies ... - YouTube
How do you beat the bookies in maths? ›The ONLY Way to Beat the Bookies (Using Maths) with Examples
How do you predict the odds of winning? ›Probability: divide chances of winning by the total number of chances available . For example, if you buy one ticket for a raffle with 100 tickets sold, you have one possible chance at a win, with 100 possible chances overall. Your probability of winning is 1/100.
Where do bookies get their information? ›The best bookmakers compile their own odds using their own team of odds compilers that will study ratings, form-lines, statistics, and a variety of other factors that they may use to price-up a horse race.
What is the average age of a casino gambler? ›
In terms of gender distribution, online gamblers were far more likely to be male when compared to land-based gamblers. Internet gamblers were also, on average, younger (45.7 years) than their land-based gambling counterparts (51.2 years).
Is gambling considered a mental illness? ›It is classed as an impulse-control disorder. It is included in the American Psychiatric Association (APA's) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, fifth edition (DSM-5). Problem gambling is harmful to psychological and physical health.
Is gambling a mental health problem? ›How can gambling affect my mental health? If gambling becomes a problem, it can cause low self-esteem, stress, anxiety and depression. Gambling can become an addiction, just like drugs or alcohol, if you use it compulsively or feel out of control.
What is the most profitable bet? ›- College Basketball. For me, this is a no-brainer. ...
- NBA. The NBA is Thunderdome. ...
- MLB. This is another numbers game. ...
- NFL. ...
- Soccer. ...
- College Football. ...
- Horse Racing. ...
- WNBA.
No, slot machines do not have any sort of algorithm that rewards players when they start playing and then takes the winnings and the players' bankrolls away as they continue to play.
How can I increase my luck in gambling? ›- How to Attract Luck in Gambling With Colors and Numbers. ...
- The Less Competitors Know About Your Pocket the Better It Is for You. ...
- Don't Say Things Beforehand – Just Let Them Happen. ...
- Your Mood Knows How to Attract Luck in Gambling – So, Gamble When You're Positive. ...
- Hang Magical Luck- Attracting Horseshoe Over the Door.
Among respondents who gamble (and reported their annual income), adults between the ages of 55 and 73 spend $2,913 per year, on average.
What percentage of gamblers are addicted UK? ›The percentage of people who bet more than they have is 3.1%, and 0.5% of adults in the UK have an addiction. Unfortunately, around 7% of gamblers claimed that they are doing it to earn some money.
What is the biggest win in a casino? ›Biggest Online Casino Winner – $38 million
A 20-year-old Norwegian man simply known as Peter won a jackpot of 11.7 Norwegian Krone, which is roughly about $38 million, by playing an online slot game known as 'Arabian Knights', which has a progressive jackpot.
Pre-pandemic statistics vs 2020
In 2018, the average casino earned $1.9 million per day, with $662K attributed to gaming wins, $531K to rented rooms, $302K to food served, $143K to beverages sold, and $297K to other services offered. In the 2019 fiscal year, the revenue of 169 large casinos in Las Vegas were analyzed.
Why do I always lose at the casino? ›
The answer is simple. The games are designed mathematically in such a way that the house always has a mathematical edge over the player. Any time there's risk involved, you might lose. But with casino games, the odds are set up so that you'll lose more often than you'll win.
Who is the luckiest gambler? ›| Archie Karas | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Greek |
| Residence | Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S. |
| Born | Anargyros Nicholas Karabourniotis November 1, 1950 Antypata, Cephalonia, Greece |
| World Series of Poker | |
Can gambling make you rich? Yes, it can. But remember that there is always a risk involved, whatever way you want to look at it. Many famous gamblers made millions in sports betting, poker, and casino games over the years.
Which country has the most gamblers? ›...
Countries That Gamble The Most.
| Rank | Country | Gaming Losses Per Adult |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia | $1,288.00 |
| 2 | Singapore | $1,174.00 |
| 3 | Ireland | $588.00 |
| 4 | Canada | $568.00 |
An easy way to come to your budget would be to figure out how many hours of casino play you want to do, work out your hourly losses based on the games you want to play, do a little simple math, and figure out how much money is reasonable for you to lose per hour.
Are casinos losing money? ›Numbers released this week by the state Gaming Control Board (NGCB) reveal just how severe the pandemic's impact has been. While statewide gross gaming revenue climbed 25 percent from fiscal year 2020, Nevada casinos incurred a net operating loss of $206.4 million in FY2021.
What are the luckiest slot machines? ›The Ugga Bugga slot machine game has the highest payout percentage, at 99.07%. The second highest is Mega Joker by NetEnt, with a 99% RTP. Jackpot 6000 by NetEnt and Uncharted Seas by Thunderkick come in second and third, with RTPs of 98.8% and 98.6%, respectively.
How do you win at $20 in a casino? ›So, the best way to win at the casino with $20 is to implement a stop-loss limit. This limit can make your $20 feel like $200. Basically, a stop-loss limit is an amount you predetermine that you are allowed to lose before you stop playing.
How much money do you need to be a professional gambler? ›The bare minimum you should aim for is $20,000, but it's better to have closer to $50,000. How much you make depends upon several factors, including the following: Skill level – Successful counters have between a 0.5% and 1.5% edge on casinos.
Why are statistics used to analyze data within a casino? ›Conclusion. Both online players and casinos can use analytics to help their causes. Players can use data to determine winning odds, while casino can utilize analytics to improve the user experience. Remember that the key to winning any kind of numbers game is whoever has the most information usually wins.
Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games? ›
Can gamblers ever acquire a statistical advantage over the house in casino games? Gambling can acquire an advantage over the house in casinos because if you know what you're doing and know that it takes a lot of risk you may result with lots of money in your hands.
How much money does gambling bring in a year? ›The gross gaming revenue of casinos in the United States was highest in Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey in 2021. Nevada reported a gross gaming revenue of 13.43 billion U.S. dollars in 2021. In the same year, the total gross gaming revenue of U.S. casinos amounted to approximately 53.03 billion U.S. dollars.