Recorded 242 million betting transactions for NFL Week 1 by GeoComply, marking a 56% increase compared to the previous year.
In the opening week of the NFL season, mobile sports betting transactions in the United States experienced a significant increase, with over 85% of online sports betting now occurring on mobile devices. This surge was particularly noticeable during key moments of games, such as halftime, according to GeoComply, a leading provider of geolocation services for the online gaming industry.
The increase in transaction volume underscores the appetite for regulated online sports betting and reinforces the need for states without regulated online sports betting to legalize, protect consumers, and generate substantial tax revenue, as stated by Anna Sainsbury, GeoComply's co-founder and CEO.
During the first week of the NFL season, Ohio led the states in terms of geolocation transactions, with 19.2 million, followed by Massachusetts, Maryland, and several other states. Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, and South Carolina also registered over 50,000 geolocation transactions each. Notably, Ohio saw a 56% increase from the same time period in 2022.
The NFL's popularity remains robust, with ESPN reporting record levels of viewership and digital engagement in early 2025, which correlates with increased interest in NFL-related betting activities. Betting operators leverage diverse bet types, with pre-match bets driving user acquisition and live betting enhancing revenue.
Technological adoption trends show the dominance of mobile platforms in sports betting transactions, supporting the surge during NFL games nationwide. In fact, 97% of online sports wagering transactions during Week 1 of the NFL season occurred on mobile devices.
Several states without legal mobile sportsbooks saw an influx of bettors accessing accounts, possibly with the intention of using a regulated sports betting platform. GeoComply estimated that each of Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, and South Carolina is leaving at least $24 million of annual tax revenue behind by not having legalized mobile sportsbooks.
GeoComply recorded 242.3 million geolocation transactions from U.S. mobile sportsbook customers from September 3-10, the first week of the NFL season. There was a surge of new bettors, with 1.1 million new online sportsbook accounts created during the week.
In Ohio, 133,000 new mobile sports betting accounts were created since the state's mobile sportsbook launch in January. Missouri, where the mobile sports betting market launched in March, had over 500,000 geolocation checks and 38,000 active accounts during the same period. Even in Maryland, where legal mobile sportsbooks went live last November, customers created 61,000 new sports betting accounts.
While detailed state-specific transaction growth data for Ohio, Massachusetts, and Maryland was not found in the current search results, it is clear these states contribute to and benefit from the overall U.S. upward trend in mobile sports betting during the NFL season. For more detailed statistics or further breakdowns, more targeted state regulatory or commercial operator reports might be required.
- The surge in mobile sports betting transactions during the NFL season, especially in Key moments of games, highlights the growing trend of sports betting, which is dominated by the use of mobile devices.
- The popularity of NFL-related betting activities correlates with record levels of viewership and digital engagement, demonstrating a strong appetite for sports betting among fans.
- States without legalized mobile sportsbooks, such as Alabama, Georgia, Minnesota, Mississippi, and South Carolina, potentially miss out on substantial tax revenue, as estimated by GeoComply.
- Notably, Ohio, Massachusetts, Maryland, and several other states have shown impressive growth in mobile sports betting transactions, contributing to the overall upward trend in the United States.
- The dominance of mobile platforms in sports betting is evident, with 97% of online sports wagering transactions during Week 1 of the NFL season occurring on mobile devices.
