Slot machines and video poker were the favorite forms of casino gambling nationwide, with 53 percent of the AGA's survey respondents choosing it first. Blackjack was second at 23 percent, followed by poker (7 percent), and craps and roulette (3 percent each).
There are more than 837,000 slot machines in 39 states, with Nevada (183,319), California (67,601) and Oklahoma (65,400) having the most.
During 2011, Americans spent more at commercial casinos than they did on music, movies and outdoor equipment combined. But the money they lost at casinos was significantly less than the amounts they spent on electronics ($186 billion) and cable television ($97 billion).
Philadelphia ($842 million) and Yonkers N.Y. ($577 million) remained the largest racetrack casino markets in the country last year.
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Wayne Parry can be reached at http://twitter.com/WayneParryAC
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