Study: Who Are America’s Biggest Gamblers?

Gambling in the US is big business. Despite gambling laws constantly changing, with every state having its own rules and regulations, Americans have a huge interest in betting – and that’s not going away.

But who are the biggest gamblers in the US by state?

The team at Casino Professor analysed the latest search data to find out which American states have the most interest in gambling online. To do this, we used Google Keyword Planner to consider the interest in over 150 different keywords and phrases related to online betting and gambling in each of the 50 states over the last 12 months.

The US states that gamble the most

A table showing the US states that like to gamble the most. The rankings are based on Google searches related to betting per 1000 people.

Top 10 states with the most interest in gambling (per 1000 residents):

1. Nevada
2. Massachusetts
3. Michigan
4. New Jersey
5. Pennsylvania
6. Mississippi
7. South Carolina
8. Kansas
9. New York
10. Ohio

States with the least interest in gambling (per 1000 residents):

1. Idaho
2. Oklahoma
3. Arkansas
4. Utah
5. Oregon
6. Montana
7. Alaska
8. New Mexico
9. Texas
10. Washington

Top 10 states with the highest overall number of gambling searches:

In our comprehensive analysis of online gambling interests across the United States, the data collected reveals a significant variance in search volumes among different states, indicating a diverse level of engagement and interest in gambling activities.

California leads the chart with a remarkable search volume of 2,295,120, showcasing the state’s heightened interest in gambling, followed by New York and Florida, with search volumes of 1,664,040 and 1,414,200, respectively.

Texas closely trails with a search volume of 1,407,480. Other states showing considerable interest include Pennsylvania, Michigan, New Jersey, Illinois, Ohio, and Massachusetts, with their search volumes ranging from 1,267,920 down to 926,880.

This dataset not only underscores the geographical disparities in gambling interest within the United States but also reflects the substantial engagement levels in these top 10 states, potentially offering insights for market analysis and regulatory considerations related to gambling activities.

Nevada Remains Top of the Class Following Regulatory Changes

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Nevada leads the nation in gambling interest, registering 133 searches per capita—the highest of any U.S. state. Home to the iconic Las Vegas Strip and decades of gaming history, the Silver State’s population routinely searches for the latest casino trends, promotions and betting odds.

Close behind, Massachusetts posts an impressive 132 searches per capita, driven by the 2023 legalisation of online sports wagering. Michigan completes the top three at 124 searches per capita, reflecting its 2021 launch of licensed online casinos and sports-book operators that have since captured local enthusiasm.

Restricted Markets Show Low Engagement

By contrast, states where online gambling remains banned see minimal online interest. Idaho records the fewest searches per capita at just 30, while Oklahoma and Arkansas both tally 31. With no legal platforms to offer digital slots, table games or sports betting apps, residents have limited exposure to real-money wagering.

Although in-person gambling still occurs at nearby tribal venues or across state lines, online prohibition continues to suppress search activity—and likely dampens broader public awareness of betting options.

High interest in most populous states

The US states with the highest populations had the most gambling-related searches overall. However, what’s interesting is that this is despite online gambling not being legal, or at least partially legal, in many of them.

For example, there were over 2,295,120 searches from California for online gambling in the last 12 months. This data spans the 150 different keywords we looked at, with the true volume likely to be higher. All of this occurred despite online gambling currently being outlawed in California.

NOTE: Always check your state’s current rules before deciding if you want to play yourself. Partaking in online gambling where this is illegal could see you charged with a misdemeanor.

Methodology

We used Google Keyword Planner to analyse 150 different keywords related to gambling. This includes but is not limited to:

• “NFL Odds”
• “Horse betting”
• “Superbowl odds”
• “best betting sites”
• “betting sign up offers”
• “gamble online”

The total search volume for the last 12 months was then used to create a ranking per capita (1000 residents) to find which states were most and least interested in Gambling. Census.gov population data was used to create the ranking.