Majority of Americans oppose legalising online sportsbetting
Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind Poll found that 67 percent would not change existing laws to permit people to place bets over the Internet.
Friday 26th March 2010
A new study from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind Poll has found that 67 percent of Americans oppose changing current laws to permit people to place bets over the Internet.
A liberal arts institution based in north central New Jersey, Fairleigh Dickinson University conducted its study last month by asking 1,001 randomly selected adults across the nation a series of questions. It stated that respondents were from diverse ethnic groups spanning different demographics on both sides of the political ideology and party spectrum.
Males were found to be twice as likely to support any change to the current system at 29 percent while those who considered themselves liberal were more in favour at 27 percent as opposed to their conservative counterparts at 18 percent.
The study found that 53 percent of respondents opposed legalising sportsbetting in all states with males more likely at 45 percent than women at 34 percent to support any change. Those in the 18 to 29 age category were more likely to support change than their older counterparts at 57 percent.
A 54 percent majority stated that legalised sportsbetting was a bad idea because it ‘promotes too much gambling and can corrupt sports’ while 39 percent agreed that ‘since so many people bet on sports anyway, it should be allowed and taxed by the government’. Younger people, liberals and those who had participated in office pools were found to be more likely than others to think sportsbetting should be legalised and taxed.
“Keep your eye on these numbers,” said Peter Woolley, a political scientist and Director for the PublicMind Poll.
“If some states allow sportsbetting and profit by it other states will want to follow.”
Other revelations in the study included that one in five stated that they or someone in their household has participated in an office betting pool such as for the World Series or the Super Bowl. Males at 17 percent were over three times more likely than females to have participated while those aged 30 to 44 were more likely than any other age group.
