Though gambling remains a controversial and highly-regulated industry across the United States, it is also an immensely lucrative one that continues to grow at an astounding rate. All sectors of the industry combine to inject a jaw-dropping $138 billion (US) annually into the US economy while also combining to employ close to 750,000 Americans. Globally, annual gross returns from gambling are expected to top half-a-trillion dollars by the end of 2019. Americans alone spend more money on gaming (which besides casino visits includes everything from lottery tickets to dog racing) than they do watching movies by a ratio of 10 to 1. The average American loses more money during an evening of gambling than he or she spends at the local shopping mall.