AGA legalisation research Rev_Public AGA National Poll Memo 042417 FINAL (1) | Page 2

Legalizing Sports Betting: A Winning Wager
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 Overall, a 55 percent majority of Americans support legalization. Only 35
percent oppose. Ten percent are undecided at first ask.
 Avid sports fans 2 are the strongest, but not the only supporters, at 72 percent
in favor. Casual fans support legalization by a 54 percent to 36 margin. And even
those who are not sports fans at all are more likely to favor (45 percent) than
oppose (42 percent).
 Other key groups are highly supportive of legalization, including casino-goers
(70-24 support-oppose), Super Bowl viewers (59-32), and millennials (61-30).
People who play DFS or fantasy sports are almost universally in favor (88-7).
 There are noteworthy demographic differences in support for legalization.
Appendix A shows a table of support by demographic.
o Men (65 percent) are more supportive than women (46 percent), and male
avid sports fans (77 percent) are more supportive than female (64 percent)
o Younger people (62 percent of those under age 50) are more supportive than
older people (47 percent of those age 50 or above, including 41 percent of
seniors)
o White adults (58 percent) are more supportive than non-white adults (51
percent among African Americans, 53 percent among Hispanics)
o Higher-income adults (64 percent among those with household incomes
above $75,000) are more likely to support than lower-income adults (52
percent among those with household incomes below $30,000)
o Adults who do not attend religious services (60 percent) or attend irregularly
(61 percent) are more supportive than those who attend services at least
weekly (46 percent)
 Were it legal to bet on sports, 12 percent of American adults would be more
likely to bet on sports – which represents roughly 28 million people. That
includes:
o 41 percent of those who already report having bet on sports
o 33 percent of avid sports fans
o 47 percent of avid millennial fans
o 39 percent of those who frequently attend sporting events
o 26 percent of casino-goers
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In this survey, we define avidity with a combination of a self-reported scale and reported frequency of
behaviors. Avid fans are those who classify themselves as “avid” and also report engaging in at least one
activity like watching games, attending games, or wearing sports merchandise “frequently.”
2017 All Rights Reserved, Greenberg Quinlan Rosner
April, 2017