US Casinos

How Many Gamblers Are There in the United States?

The United States is of the most gambling-friendly countries in the world, with a population of over 57 million active gamblers.  Every year, around 40% of American adults visit one of the casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada, Atlantic City, New Jersey, or one of the thousands of land-based U.S Casinos, not to mention playing casino games at online casinos.

Real-Money USA Casino Game Suppliers

Some popular casino game suppliers in the US include:

• Evolution Gaming
• International Game Technology (IGT)
• Light And Wonder (formerly Scientific Games)
• Aristocrat Gaming (creator of the popular Buffalo™ franchise)
• Bally Technologies
• Konami Gaming
• WMS Industries
• Ainsworth Game Technology
• AGS
• Everi Gaming (Everi Holdings)
• High 5 Games

These specialist gambling software and hardware companies design, develop, and distribute a wide variety of casino games such as slot machines, table games, and interactive games to commercial and tribal casinos around the world, including in the US, Europe and Asia.

Casino Gaming Suppliers join forces with Pro Sports Teams

It’s becoming common for games companies to partner up with pro-sports teams for their land-based and online casino products: In July 2023 Aristocrat’s NFL Themed slots game “NFL Super Bowl Jackpots™” hit casino floors in the US, and in December 2023 BetMGM casino launched a casino game in collaboration with the NHL, dubbed “NHL Gold Blitz“.

Casino Game Classifications in the U.S

In addition to tens of thousands of commercial casinos and gambling venues, many of America’s casinos are owned and operated by Native American tribes.

Tribal gaming is regulated by tribal authorities as well as federal and state authorities (depending on the type of gaming which is being conducted ) – as outlined by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA), 25 U.S.C §2701 et seq.

The IGRA classifies gaming into three distinct classes, Class I, Class II and Class III, as well as providing a framework for the regulation of tribal gaming.

• Class I gaming includes social games and traditional/ceremonial games. An Indian tribe can offer Class I games without any restrictions.
• Class II gaming includes bingo and non-banked card games.

Four U.S. states (Alabama, Alaska, Nebraska and Texas) are limited to offering Class II gaming only.

Tribes don’t require any agreements at the state level to conduct Class II gaming – instead, tribal governments are themselves responsible for regulating Class II gaming with oversight from the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC).

Class III gaming includes all other forms of gambling, including casino-style gambling video games of chance (video slots, video poker) & the casino “classics” – blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, baccarat and so on.

An Indian tribe may operate Class III games only if the tribe and the state have agreed to a tribal-state gaming compact.

If and when a state and tribe have reached an agreement, the federal government must approve the compact before it is
valid and allowed to conduct gambling business.

Minnesota tribes were the first in the nation to negotiate and sign gaming compacts with a state government and has since negotiated 22 tribal-state compacts with 11 Indian tribes, resulting in the establishment of 18 casinos in the state.

The National Indian Gaming Commission Office of General Counsel is responsible for evaluating and reviewing new games when requested by on a casino games studio or a tribe – issues advice on whether they will be classified as Class II or Class III games.

An Indian tribe can offer Class II games if the games are generally legal in the state where the tribe is located and adopt a gaming ordinance approved by the National Indian Gaming Commission.

Class II Regulation

As long as the tribal government passes a gaming ordinance that has been approved by the NIGC, tribes may continue to exercise their federally granted ability to conduct, license, and control Class II gambling. According to the IGRA, the tribal gaming legislation must include provisions for yearly external audits of the gaming, which the Indian tribe will submit to the NIGC.

The net profits from Class II tribal gaming must be used by tribal governments to finance tribal operations or programs, to ensure the welfare of the Indian tribe and its members generally, to encourage tribal economic development, to make donations to nonprofits, or to assist in funding local government agencies’ operations.

Casino & Gambling Regulators in the United States

While some U.S states have autonomous racing and gaming commissions, most states have a dedicated department or division for regulating legal gambling.

Each state in the US is responsible for regulating land-based and internet casinos within their respective state boundaries.

Any brick-and-mortar or online gambling enterprise that wants to offer online casino services to residents of a state must file an application to the relevant gaming or gambling organization. The overall number of licenses granted in governments that control online casino gambling may be capped, though.

See our USA Gambling Regulators page for a state-by-state list of gambling regulators, including contact details.