Seton Hall survey finds growing interest in sports betting

According to a new survey by Seton Hall, more people are backing sports betting than last year.

The new poll found that among the general population, 54% said sports betting should be legal, with 22% against. For self-described sports fans, that number rose to 62% (20% against) and 74% of avid fans (only 15% against).

Currently, 33 states and the District of Columbia have legal sports betting.

When measured against a Seton Hall sports poll a year ago, these numbers have increased (47, 59 and 72 percent respectively, in favor of legal sports betting in February 2022). The biggest increase has come from non-sports fans, with 41% in favor this year (24% against). Last year, 33% were in favor and 28% against.

These were among the results of a Seton Hall sports poll of 1,534 adults nationwide. The survey featured a nationally representative sample of YouGov weighted by US Census Bureau data by gender, age, ethnicity, education, income, and geography, and has a margin of error of +/- 2.5%.

When asked if they have ever bet on a sporting event (survey one week before the 2023 Super Bowl), 34% of the general population, 48% of sports enthusiasts and 60% of avid fans said they have, compared to 28, 41 and 56 percent respectively from a year ago.

THE survey also found that those who bet are more likely to watch. Seventy-seven percent of those in the general public who said they had participated in sports betting said that placing a bet makes them more likely to watch a match broadcast. That number has risen to 80% of sports fans and 79% of avid fans.

“Leagues and networks have a clear interest in sports betting which is further confirmed by these numbers,” said Professor Charles Grantham, director of the Center for Sports Management within the Stillman School of Business at Seton Hall. who sponsors the survey.

“But this interest does not come without caveats and costs. As audiences and revenues continue to expand and the stakes increase, scrutiny must increase as well, and that comes at a cost. The integrity of the games is paramount and must be protected at all times. Leagues will continue to pursue an ‘integrity tax’ in this context, and I think they have a strong argument.”

In 2022, the continued growth of the regulated sports betting market has led to new records in revenue ($93.2 billion) and sports betting ($7.5 billion), according to the American Gaming Association.