Just in time for March Madness, a new survey tells us that most Americans don’t think college sports betting should be allowed. The March 2019 AP-NORC poll queried 1063 adults about sports betting, and provides a better picture of where Americans stand on the different potential regulations for the activity.
The survey suggests that, as a whole, Americans are okay with some sports betting, but not all of it. “60% of Americans endorse legalized gambling on professional sports in their state, but only 42% approve of betting legally on college sports,” they summarized.
It does matter if the person asked considered themselves to be a sports fan. Those not interested in sports we’re 50/50 on if professional sports should be a topic of wagers, but only 38% thought college betting should be permissible. For comparison, 69% of sports fans thought wagering on professional leagues was fine, and 52% felt college sports betting was acceptable.
Regardless of who was asked though, 80% felt gambling on professional sports was not a problem, and 62% felt the same about college sports.
The majority of the group had no interest in gambling themselves though. Of those asked, 26% said they would consider betting at a sports venue, 23% were interested in betting through an app, and 37% would go to a casino to make their bets.
For those who currently make bets, the biggest portion, 32%, do it socially, at work or amongst friends. Only 20% have done so at a casino, 10% via app, and 8% at a stadium.
These results come amidst the continuing roll out of new sports betting laws, like those nearing completion in Connecticut and New Hampshire. Those new laws would allow for betting on collegiate level games, however other states have opted to only allow betting on professional leagues. It’s very likely that the question of how far these laws can go will settle fairly differently amongst the different states over time, without an overarching standard for the country as a whole.
