Another national poll shows that most Americans are skeptical of state-sanctioned sports betting.

The survey, conducted by Overton Insights, found more registered voters oppose legalized sports wagering in their home states than support it.

That comes as traditional sports betting is more accessible than ever, with 39 states currently allowing it, including 30 that permit online wagering, after the Supreme Court’s 2018 decision struck down the federal ban.

Americans lost more than $16 billion to state-sanctioned sportsbooks in 2025, an all-time high. They are also losing to federally regulated prediction markets that take sports bets and to illegal offshore sportsbooks. More and more Americans are gambling on sports despite worsening public opinion.

Support vs. Opposition

The poll surveyed 1,377 registered voters from May 16 to May 20.

• Total Opposition: 47% (32% strongly oppose / 15% somewhat oppose)
• Total Support: 31% (16% strongly support / 15% somewhat support)
• Unsure/No Opinion: 22%

The poll had a margin of error of plus/minus 2.6 percentage points.

Digging Deeper

Hesitation toward sports gambling cuts across political party lines.

• By Party: All political parties showed opposition. Republicans were closest to a split, with 32% in favor, 36% opposed, and 32% undecided.
• By Age: The poll showed a generational divide. Voters ages 45 to 54 were slightly in favor of the industry, with 53% supporting legalization. By contrast, voters aged 30 to 44 were less supportive, with just 24% expressing support.

Other polls have shown a trend that young people, who are typically the most likely to use online gambling products, are less in favor of the industry compared to older people. One simple explanation could be that they have borne the brunt of sports-betting-related financial harm.

College vs. Pro Sports

The Overton Insights poll did not ask respondents to choose between legal betting on professional sports and collegiate sports.

A February 2025 survey from the Associated Press found that 58% of Americans think sports betting should be legal in their state. However, only 43% think their state should sanction betting on college sports.

That poll of 1,112 U.S. adults was conducted around the NFL Super Bowl, which may have inflated attitudes about legal wagering.

Zooming Out

The Overton Insights poll, like others, shows that public attitudes toward legal sports betting are worsening.

One of the biggest red flags for the industry came in October 2025 when a Pew Research Center poll found that nearly half of younger men believe betting is “bad for society.” That figure had doubled in just three years.

Other surveys show significant concern that legal sports betting threatens the integrity of games and matches.

Online sports betting is an addictive product, with another poll finding that 60% of online bettors reported chasing their losses.

As a result, there is a growing stack of state-level bills aimed at reform of an industry that many say has run amok. Ohio is even considering a bill to repeal online betting. To fight these efforts, the sports gambling industry amassed a $48 million war chest for the 2026 election cycle.

At the federal level, there is the SAFE Bet Act to create a national regulatory framework and the GAME Act, which targets social media sports gambling ads. Meanwhile, the POINTS Act seeks gambling addiction funding.