Legal Sports Betting on NFL Forecasted to Grow During 2025 Season
Posted on: August 29, 2025, 12:21h.
Last updated on: August 28, 2025, 03:22h.
- Legal betting on the NFL this year could reach $30 billion
- The estimate comes from the American Gaming Association
The American Gaming Association thinks the odds are good that Americans will bet more money on the NFL through legal channels than they ever have before this season.
That shouldn’t necessarily come as a surprise, as sports betting revenue continues to grow in most states where it’s legally regulated. There are 38 states, plus Washington, D.C., with some form of legal sports gambling. Mobile betting is allowed in 33 states and D.C.
The market will expand to 39 states when Missouri’s online and retail sportsbooks begin taking bets on Dec. 1, 2025.
This season, fans have more ways than ever to responsibly engage with the game they love. Legal sports betting enhances the fun and friendly competition that make NFL games and traditions even more special,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.
The AGA, the trade group representing the commercial and tribal gaming interests in the nation’s capital, projects legal bets on the NFL this year to reach $30 billion. That’s an 8.5% jump from 2024.
The NFL season kicks off next Thursday, Sept. 4, with the Dallas Cowboys visiting the defending champion Philadelphia Eagles in an NFC East rivalry showdown. Philly is a 6.5-point favorite, with the over/under at 46.5 points.
AGA Encourages Responsible Participation
The AGA stresses that fans who decide to bet on the NFL should do so in a responsible manner. The group’s release on its NFL sports betting estimates includes the AGA’s “Have A Game Plan. Bet Responsibly” pillars that include sticking to a budget, keeping it social and as a form of entertainment, knowing and understanding the odds, betting only with legal operators, and refraining from harassing players on social media.
With strong consumer protections and a shared commitment to responsibility, the legal, regulated sports betting industry encourages all football fans to have a game plan before placing a bet and ensure their gameday experience — regardless of the outcome of a bet or the game — remains enjoyable,” Miller added.
Legal sports betting is more available than ever, but the illegal market continues to thrive. The AGA reported earlier this month that local bookies and offshore online sportsbooks presumably took $84 billion in bets on all sports last year, generating estimated revenue of around $5 billion.
Illegal sportsbook operators maintained an estimated 24% control of the total U.S. sports betting market, down from 36% in 2022 but still far too high in the AGA’s eyes.
“These bad actors operate in the shadows with zero consumer protections, no responsible gaming obligations, and no economic return to the communities they exploit,” said Miller. “Combating them requires not only stronger U.S. enforcement, but also continuing to work closely with our international partners to shut down offshore operators and hold them accountable.”
NFL Futures
Ahead of the 2025 NFL season, DraftKings has two teams favored to win the Super Bowl — and one is not the Eagles.
The Buffalo Bills and Baltimore Ravens have the shortest title odds at +600. The Eagles are next at +750, the Kansas City Chiefs are at +850, and the Detroit Lions round out the top five at +1200.
The New Orleans Saints have the longest odds at +5000. The Cleveland Browns are a close second at +4000.
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