Overview
- The AGA estimates $3.3 billion will be wagered with licensed U.S. sportsbooks on the men’s and women’s tournaments, covering 40 states and the District of Columbia and excluding prediction markets and office pools.
- The projection is roughly 6% higher than 2025 and about 54% above levels three years ago, nearly doubling the group’s estimate for Super Bowl LX.
- Regulated operators cut marketing in 2025, with digital impressions down nearly 14%, overall ad spend off 5%, and TV ad volume down 9% and now about half its 2021 level.
- Prediction-market promotion expanded sharply in early 2026, led by Kalshi’s roughly 5.2 billion digital impressions, while about 43% of online wagering ads lacked required responsible-gaming messaging.
- The AGA, joined by the Indian Gaming Association, is urging Congress to clarify how prediction and crypto-enabled markets should be regulated as reported trading on Kalshi reached roughly $1.9 billion in February, according to Defirate.com.