American support for legal sports betting has grown significantly

According to a new research conducted by the American Gaming Association (AGA), American support for legal sports betting has grown significantly since the federal ban on sports wagering was lifted in 2018. 85 percent of American adults agree with the Supreme Court's decision to strike down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), compared to 63 percent in 2019. And 77 percent of American adults support legalization in their state of residence.

"American adults have always enjoyed betting on sports, and overwhelmingly value the ability to bring their action into a legal market, close to home," said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. "The rapid spread of legal sports betting—fueled by regulated, responsible entities—has contributed to communities and established consumer protections by migrating betting away from the illegal market monopoly that PASPA perpetuated." Since May 2018, Americans have legally wagered $220 billion nationwide, generating $3 billion in state and local taxes for education, healthcare, infrastructure, responsible gaming and problem gambling resource funding and more.

Bettor Migration to Legal Sportsbooks

As the legal market grows, it is increasingly attracting and retaining customers from illegal bookies and offshore operators. According to the research, 46 percent of bettors that currently bet primarily with unregulated operators plan to transition to regulated operators within the next 12 months. And 90 percent of bettors who place most of their bets legally intend to stay within the legal market in the next year.
Among the top reasons bettors are choosing legal operators over illegal operators are confidence bets will be paid out (71%), trust in account security and easier payment options (68%), and availability of responsible gaming resources (58%).

Compared to five years ago, consumers have a significantly better understanding of the legal status of sports betting in their state, however, survey results also point to continued need for consumer education. "Five years post-PASPA, the AGA and our members continue to support responsibly expanding the legal market while cracking down on predatory illegal operators," continued Miller. "The regulated industry and our partners across the entire ecosystem—policymakers, law enforcement, regulators, leagues, media, technology providers and more—have made significant strides in our collaborative consumer education efforts since 2018, and we will continue to find new ways to enhance consumer protections as the market matures."