US GGR improves in Q3 after commercial casino reopenings
Total GGR in the three months to September 30 cam to $9.04bn, up from $2.30bn in the second quarter of the year, but down 18.9% on the same month in 2019, according to figures published by the American Gaming Association (AGA).
Almost all casinos and other land-based betting facilities reopened in Q3, having been forced to temporarily close in mid-March due to Covid-19, and this helped GGR climb quarter-on-quarter.
More than 100 casinos reopened between July and September, with 90.0% of commercial and tribal casinos (902 in total) operational by the end of Q3, compared to 80.8% (800) at the start of the period.
However, the AGA said the main reason for the year-on-year decline was lasting Covid-19 health and safety measures on land-based commercial casinos and other facilities, such as social distancing and capacity restrictions.
“Our industry continues to prioritise the health and safety of our employees, customers, and communities above all else,” AGA president and chief executive Bill Miller said. “While these quarterly results are promising, the reality is a full recovery is dependent on continued public health measures to control prevalence rates.”