Majority of Americans Oppose Sports Betting, Poll Says

According to a new Overton Insights poll, shared exclusively with The Center Square, Americans are significantly more likely to oppose the legalization of sports betting than support it. Just 31% of respondents said they favor legal sports wagering, while 47% expressed opposition.

Poll Argues Americans Oppose Sports Betting

The survey was conducted from May 16 to May 20 among 1,377 registered voters. It found that 16% strongly support legal sports betting and 15% somewhat support it. By comparison, 15% somewhat oppose legalization, and 32% strongly oppose it. Another 22% said they were unsure or had no opinion.

Opposition to legal sports wagering spans the political spectrum. Among Republicans, support was strongest but still lagged behind opposition, with 32% in favor, 36% opposed, and 32% undecided. More Democrats and independents also opposed legalization than supported it. Support for legal sports betting also varied by age. Among respondents ages 45 to 54, roughly 53% supported legalization, compared with just 24% of those ages 30 to 44.

Polling conducted in individual states has also shown that a majority of people do not support the legalization of sports betting. For example, according to a recent poll from Wisconsin on the matter of online sports betting, only 34% of the individuals asked said they support it.

Opposition Remains Despite Forward Steps to Legalize Sports Betting

Overton Insights poll director Mark Cunningham said sports betting has emerged as one of the most hotly debated issues at the state level in recent years. Talks about it have only intensified, particularly as a growing number of states have legalized it following the 2018 Supreme Court decision that paved the way for expansion. Despite that growth, he noted that voters remain skeptical of legalized sports wagering.

Cunningham pointed out that while opposition falls short of an outright majority at 47%, public sentiment remains negative overall, with support standing at just 32%. He also highlighted that a large number of respondents remain undecided, suggesting the issue is far from settled even as additional states consider whether to legalize sports betting.

While the poll data doesn’t indicate the reasoning behind the respondents’ answers, there are some things we can speculate about. A recent study by Baptist Health South Florida argues that sports gambling could lead to serious health consequences. Perhaps many of the poll’s respondents are worried exactly about that.

Whatever the case, it appears that the debate surrounding the legalization of sports betting will persist.