It’s been about 130 years since the time the first slot machine was created. Today, they are in the heart of the US gambling sector and can be found almost in every state. US gambling is done both online and in land-based casinos.
Report from the Weekly Slots news shows the US is home to over 900 thousand slot machines. Gamblers play cards, slots, sportsbooks, and more.
A brief history of gambling in the US
Before internet gambling became common in the US, people were used to brick and mortar casinos. Until 1931, gambling in the US was largely illegal. Nevada was the first state to legalize gambling in 1931.
It remained the sole US state where gambling was allowed until 1978, when the first legal gambling outside Nevada was recorded. The earliest states to legalize gambling were Illinois and Colorado in 1990, Indiana -1993, Louisiana 1991, Michigan 1996, Mississippi 1990, Missouri 1993, and South Dakota 1989.
Online casinos increased the growth of gambling in the USA
The first online casino in the US was launched in late 1995. However, online casino wagering remained illegal until 2010, when New Jersey became the first state to legalize it. This was the beginning of online casinos legalization by other states across the USA. It offered new investment opportunities to new business owners across the states. To date, 6 states have legalized online casinos and another seven are likely to legalize soon.
The growth of the internet
The influence of the internet in every business sector in the USA began in the 1990s. To the casino industry, this was the best opportunity. Other technologies such as the widespread availability of laptops and smartphones were instrumental in the casinos’ craze in the US.
Developers created mobile-friendly applications for online gambling and other technologies such as VR in the gaming market became a reality. It is now possible to access a casino and wager from any place and any time. By now, the casino industry is recording massive profits.
The effect of the pandemic
The pandemic affected the entire world in 2020. Lockdowns were declared across the US and other parts of the world. Business in the land-based casinos came to a standstill. Fortunately, online casinos remained open.
The US citizens turned to online casinos for wagering and many of them made a living through betting. To encourage more wagering, the online betting companies gave attractive online casino bonuses to customers.
The highest profits
The highest growth ever recorded in the USA casino industry was in 2020 and 2021. The number of gamblers grew the highest in the same period too. Experts in the field say the major contributor to this growth is the recovering US economy. The lockdown during the pandemic was also significant to the growth.
Other important factors are the widespread use of the internet and the development of the smartphone. The main casino craze in the US began when the first casino legalization was done. The craze continued to grow until a decade later, when suddenly it went into a boom in 2020. Today, wagering in the US is the daily norm across all states.
