Sports Gambling Vaults Past Movie Industry, Other Consumer Spending on Entertainment

A recent report indicated that Americans wagered about $166 billion on sports in 2025, a sum that exceeds the total revenue earned by the United States' music, film, book, and museum industries, which was approximately $70 billion.

On average, the total comes to about $1,000 in legal sports betting for each American adult.

The report states that the $166 billion figure represents the total amount staked, not the amount that Americans lost. Winnings are returned to bettors on more than 90% of sports bets.

Still, the explosive growth of sports betting represents a significant shift in how Americans spend disposable income.

There are also signs that the impact extends far beyond spending habits.

A 2026 analysis from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found that sports-betting legalization was associated with around a 0.3% increase in overall credit delinquency, with the increase concentrated among borrowers under 40 years old.

Among those who were new to sports betting, the increase in delinquency was up about 10%.

The rise in sports gambling could have a downstream impact on independent businesses as consumers direct more of their disposable income toward betting instead of traditional restaurants, retailers, and other services that keep Main Street economies moving.

Independent businesses account for about 99.9% of all businesses in the United States, making consumer spending critical to local economies.

This doesn’t mean every dollar spent on sports betting would otherwise have gone to an independent business. But the massive influx in sports gambling highlights how small businesses are competing for consumers’ limited time and money.

When families have less disposable income or choose to spend more on other forms of entertainment, independent businesses and the broader economy can feel the effects. About two-thirds of every dollar spent at a small business is recycled back into the economy.