Illegal sports betting now accounts for an annual $196 billion, or 97%, of all US sports betting, according to a new analysis by the gambling sector’s leading market data provider, H2 Gambling Capital, exclusively provided to iGaming Business.

The £196 billion handle calculated for 2016 in H2’s ‘deep dive analysis’ (paywall) is substantially higher than the widely publicized $150bn figure previously published by the American Gaming Association.

The 97% figure produced by iGaming Business’ principal data partner also far outstrips recent International Center for Sport Security/University of Sorbonne Paris estimates that 80% of global bets are made illegally.

Of this 2016 illegal betting activity in the US, 79% was conducted online, according to H2, with two states – California and New York – accounting for more than 25% of total illegal handle.

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