85% of Americans support legal sports betting 

Sports Betting

American support for legal sports betting has grown significantly since the federal ban on sports wagering was lifted in 2018, according to new American Gaming Association.

  • 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.
  • 77 percent of American adults support legalization in their state of residence.
  • 2 million American adults have placed a traditional sports wager in the last 12 months.
  • 78 percent of bettors place all or most bets through regulated operators.
  • 77 percent of online sports bets are now placed through regulated operators, compared to just 44 percent in 2019.

“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.

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