US commercial gaming revenue totalled $30bn in 2020, a decline of more than 31% year on year, according to the AGA (American Gaming Association’s) commercial Gaming revenue tracker.

“COVID-19 devastated our business and the employees and communities across the country that rely on casino gaming’s success” said AGA president and CEO Bill Miller.

“We have persevered by leading responsible reopening efforts, supporting our employees, and extending a hand to our communities. Still these numbers show the economic realities of COVID-19 and underscore the importance of targeted federal relief and ramped-up vaccine distribution to accelerate gaming’s recovery in 2021”

2020 marked the first market contraction for the US gaming industry since 2014 and the lowest gaming revenue total since 2003. The year ended with some positive Q4, with a 1.7% increase in revenue on the prior quarter. Nevertheless, the nearly $9,2bn in revenue still represented a 17% year over year decrease.

Commercial casinos lost 27% of normal operating days throughout 2020 because of mandated COVID-19 closures and, to a lesser degree, disruptions caused by hurricanes along the Gulf Coast. The impact of COVID-19 on the casino industry extends beyond gaming revenue. Live entertainment, tourism, and meetings and conventions which make up more than half of casino resort revenue in tourist destinations like the Las Vegas Strip all came to standstill in 2020 and are only now starting to reopen.

“Hospitality and travel have been among the sectors hardest hit by the pandemic. I am encouraged by recent bipartisan momentum on Capitol Hill to support these industries, which are crucial to our nation’s full economic recovery” added Miller.

Looking ahead to this year, Miller cited vaccine distribution, responsible reopening, and consumer confidence as reasons for optimism in the coming year.

“There’s huge pent-up demand for gaming and I’m upbeat about the second half of the year in particular. As vaccines roll out, people will be excited to travel, hungry for entertainment, and desperate to get out and have fun again. That’s an environment where gaming will thrive” he stated.

AGA research shows on-in-three American adults plan to visit a casino in 2021 the highest rate since the AGA began tracking last March.