More Americans Supportive of Gambling Industry

In a recent survey conducted by researchers at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, there's clear evidence that gambling attitudes in America are changing rapidly. The survey was conducted with 714 random Americans who were questioned about sports and casino gambling in America.

The research was actually done by the Sharkey Institute within the Stillman School of Business. While the primary focus of the research seemed directed at sports gambling legalization across America, it also touched on certain aspect of casino and online gambling.

The Data on Sports Gambling

For the gambling industry as a whole, the most promising information indicates that 55% of all Americans support the idea of sports gambling being legalized and administered on a state-by-state basis. With another 25% of all Americans supporting the idea sports gambling should be legalized at the federal level, that's 80% of America's adult population who seem to support sports gambling in America.

Other key findings indicate the following: only 35% of all respondents believe sports betting should be confined to professional sports while 58% of respondents believe bettors should be able to bet on all sports teams no matter what state or states they reside within.

The Data on Casino Gambling

When questioned about casino gambling and playing games of cash for real cash, respondents made clear American attitudes about gambling in general are more positive. Data provided by the American Gaming Association (AGA) indicates:

• 49% of respondents see gambling as an acceptable adult activity
  
• 44% of respondents visited a casino at least once in 2019, up from 2018
  
• 49% of respondents believe brick and mortar casinos add value to local communities
  
• 49% of respondents stated they will likely visit a casino within the next year
  

After looking at the data, AGA CEO Bill Miller had this to say: “The favorability of our industry has never been higher. As gaming expands across the US and more Americans engage with our industry’s offering, they see firsthand gaming’s positive impact on local economics and its value as a community partner. I’m committed to continuing the association’s work to translate gaming’s vast popularity into political capital, one of my top priorities for AGA.”

For what it's worth, the general belief within the industry is innovation and eventual access to online gambling will drive these numbers higher. That's quite evident in states like New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Indiana where online gambling has had a tremendously positive effect on gambling revenue.