Association Projects that American Adults Will Bet $35 Billion with Legal Sportsbooks During the NFL Season

Just before the beginning of the 2024 NFL season, the American Gaming Association projected that American adults will bet $35 billion with legal sportsbooks throughout the season.

Driven by the continued expansion and maturation of the legal sports betting industry across the U.S., 2024 is expected to be the most legally wagered-on season in the NFL’s seven seasons with legal wagering. AGA analysis conducted after the 2023 NFL season estimates that legal wagering on last year’s NFL season reached $26.7 billion.

Maine, North Carolina and Vermont have each launched new legal sports betting markets since last NFL kickoff.

Importantly, as legal sports betting grows, recent AGA data shows public support for the industry also continues to grow, with Americans increasingly seeing the industry as committed to responsibility:

• 90% of past-year sports bettors say it is important to them that the sportsbook they choose is legal and regulated.
• 88% of sports bettors say the legal industry is committed to responsible gaming and combatting problem gambling.
• 85% of sports bettors agree with the effectiveness of responsible gaming programs, up from 83% last year.
• 75% of American adults support legal, regulated sports betting in their state, up from 73% last year.

Nearly all past-year sports bettors (96%) are familiar with at least one responsible gaming resource, with 57% reporting seeing or hearing increased responsible gaming messaging in the past 12 months.

High awareness for responsible gaming resources among consumers is significantly driven by industry marketing and advertising, which three quarters (73%) of American adults say is being done responsibly—up from 68% in 2023.