With online sports betting only available in the USA from late 2018, the market has rapidly evolved to adapt to the digital ecosystem. To successfully launch such a large-scale industry, US operators have looked to the well-established UK betting market for inspiration in everything from betting products to payment services. We’ve looked at the UK’s influence on the US betting market in this guide.

US Sports Betting And Casinos on the Rise

Since 2018, 38 US states have launched retail and online sportsbooks. Of these, seven have also authorized online casino gambling, offering comprehensive gambling platforms common in the UK. The US online gambling industry grossed $19.1 billion in 2023, exceeding the UK’s $12.8 billion market despite its relative infancy.

The US states with both online casinos and sports betting have been the most successful. Players have flocked to products such as slots and roulette online. Many of the games, which feature diverse betting limits, multiple variants, and live dealer options, were developed by UK-based providers such as Playtech. These developers’ decades of experience have helped the US online gambling market to launch reliable products. 

The UK’s Innovative Betting Products

One of the benefits of the US’ new market is that sportsbooks were able to launch with an array of betting products that were first developed by UK online sportsbooks over decades. For example, live streaming of sports events is now commonplace at US betting sites, as are live betting and early cashouts.

However, live streaming was first innovated by UK sportsbooks in 2008, while live betting didn’t become a staple feature of sportsbooks’ offerings until around the same time. Other features such as loyalty programs and welcome offers were also refined in the UK, with the schemes awarding users perks based on their activity.

In the US, only 18 states offer esports betting, which is less than half the total market. Similarly, only seven states permit wagers on special events such as the Oscars. The UK has led the industry in these non-traditional markets and has set the standard on how US operators can offer these effectively.

Security, Integrity Checks, and Payments

The UK is renowned for having the most stringent policies around customer security, with Know Your Customer (KYC) identity verification procedures implemented in the early 2000s. The online casinos also spearheaded the use of eWallet payments such as PayPal and prepaid cards, both of which are now standard payment options at US sportsbooks.

The UK is also leading the charge on cryptocurrency payments, with US sportsbook operators already commenting that they are looking to the UK to gauge its success. As for product integrity, UK-based independent auditors such as eCOGRA are respected for their RNG-testing and gaming certification. Many of the company’s tested games can be found in US gambling sites’ catalogs. 

As the US betting industry continues to develop, the burgeoning industry continues to look to the UK for guidance. Whether it's the development of state-of-the-art betting products or security features, the UK’s industry maturity provides a strong template on which to base a rapidly expanding market.