Sports betting legalization surveys can seem significant, but you should usually approach the findings with a grain of salt.
Traditional online sports betting is legal in 30 states, with more — such as Georgia, Nebraska, California, and Oklahoma — potentially in the pipeline in 2026. When a sports betting bill is introduced, the online betting industry usually promotes polls that purport to show residents want their state to sanction gambling apps.
These polls can come directly from the gambling industry, market-research firms, academic institutions, or even media outlets.
The poll question is often posed as some version of this:
“Do you support or oppose legislation that would legalize online sports betting in [state]?
This kind of survey question is a poor barometer for ascertaining what residents really think about online sports betting.
Let’s examine why.
No Definition or Explanation of Online Sports Betting
- Survey takers often don’t realize that they are being asked about the industry of online sports betting, rather than the act of placing a sports bet online.
- They are not presented with any information on the impacts of legalized online sports betting, which numerous studies have shown to be negative.
- Survey results include people who might not know what online sports betting is (computers and mobile devices) or who may think they are being asked about in-person, retail sports betting.
Hesitation Masked by Topline Figure
- Survey takers usually can choose between “strongly support” and “somewhat support.”
- Yet, executive survey summaries often collapse “somewhat” into net support.
- So, a slight majority of a state’s population is usually said (misleadingly) to be behind legalization.
‘Legal vs. Illegal’ is False Choice
- Respondents do not receive an explanation of the current legal status or what legalization means (as opposed to decriminalization or other policy nuances).
- They are not presented with the option of decriminalization for ordinary persons.
- They are not informed that ordinary sports bettors rarely face legal exposure.
- The survey may include individuals who are already betting on sports despite its illegality.
Bottom Line
These kind of polls almost always appear slightly favorable to sports betting app companies.
Other polls provide better clarity on the policy issue.
A 2025 Pew Research Center survey found that 43% of U.S. adults believe legal sports betting is “bad for society.” That was up from 34% in 2022.
Opposition was stronger among the industry’s core customer base.
The survey of nearly 10,000 adults found that 47% of men under 30 say it’s bad for society, up from 22% in 2022.
Online sports betting is increasingly viewed negatively, while legalization surveys have been relatively consistent over recent years. One likely explanation is that these surveys are fundamentally flawed.
Journalists covering legislative processes should considering not referencing them — or at least carefully analyze the surveys before citation.
Image by evondue from Pixabay
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