Is the US Public Changing its Opinion on Legalized Sports Betting?

Not everyone in the US is enthused about the expansion of legal sports betting across the US. A study published by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center last week indicated that 43% of respondents said legal sports betting was bad for society. The same study was made in 2022, and only 34% of people said it was bad for society, marking a steep jump in the last 3 years.

America’s appetite for sports betting has certainly grown, with far larger tax handles and participation than 3 years ago. Plus, sports betting has spread to Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Ohio, North Carolina, Vermont, and now Missouri (set to launch in December 2025) in that time. The question is, does America want sports betting to spread further or not.

Pew Research Study on Sports Betting Trends

The same study was carried out in 2022, with similar parameters and conditions, so we can directly compare the public sentiment towards gambling then, and now. The latest research study was conducted between July 8th and August 8th, 2025. Over 9,000 panelists responded from a potential 10,541, and they were selected at random via the US Postal Service’s Computerised Delivery Sequence File.

The main 2 questions were based on the spread of legalized sports betting in North America. Panellists had to respond whether they thought it was a good thing, neither good nor bad, or a bad thing for society. And to answer the same question, but in regard to legal sports betting’s impact on the sports themselves.

Study Highlights:

Legal sports betting is ___ for society in 2025;

• 43% – bad thing
• 7% – good thing
• 50% – neither good nor bad

Legal sports betting is ___ for society, results in 2022;

• 34% – bad thing
• 8% – good thing
• 57% – neither good nor bad

Legal sports betting is ___ for sports in 2025;

• 40% – bad thing
• 17% – good thing
• 42% – neither good nor bad

Legal sports betting is ___ for sports, results in 2022;

• 33% – bad thing
• 18% – good thing
• 49% – neither good nor bad

The most notable changes here are not just that more respondents have negative associations with sports betting. But the figures have come mostly from the group that considered sports betting neither good nor bad. The share of Americans who have bet in the last year has not shown a remarkable change since 2022.

From 19% of respondents in 2022, the number has jumped up to 22% of Americans who have placed some kind of sports bet. That covers all kinds of betting, through mobile sports betting apps, online betting sites, at kiosks, or even via betting pools and DFS apps.

• 19% of Americans wagered in the past year (2022)
• 22% of Americans wagered in the past year (2025)

Another interesting segment was the shift in the younger demographic’s stance on sports betting. In 2022, 23% of 18-29 year olds said that sports betting was bad for society. In 2025, that figure jumped up to 41%.

• 23% of 18-29 yr olds say legal sports betting is bad for society (2022)
• 41% of 18-29 yr olds say legal sports betting is bad for society (2025)

College Sports Betting Sentiment

In March of this year, another study was published by AP-NORC at the University of Chicago about March Madness brackets. The study mostly delved into the betting habits of people who took part in March Madness brackets, but at the end, the study concluded with a questions about whether they supported legal sports betting on professional leagues. And then, whether they supported it in college sports.

Of the 1,100+ respondents, these were the results:

Legal betting on professional leagues

• 58% in favor
• 41% against

Legal betting on college sports

• 43% in favor
• 55% against

Dangers of College Sports Betting

College sports betting is a very tricky topic, as the NCAA has clashed multiple times with operators and gambling authorities. The risks of legalized college sports betting are pretty diverse, but here are some of the main considerations:

• Greater risk of match fixing: As these are not paid professionals, collegiate athletes are most susceptible to bribery or coercion. Insider information, match fixing and game integrity can happen on a wider scale here as opposed to professional leagues.
• Heavier psychological burden on student-athletes: With more riding on the games, it can lead to heightened pressure on the athletes, and unwanted media villainization or harassment. It doesn’t just hurt the game, it can have a lasting mental health impact on athletes.
• Underage and on-campus gambling exposure: While many college students are under 21, there are older students who can bring more societal exposure to gambling. Plus, it can attract operators to make more advertisements about college sports, thus endangering America’s youth. The youth, who, are statistically more vulnerable to gambling disorders.
• Integrity monitoring challenges: College games are not as covered as major leagues, and therefore, there is less public data and statistics for oddsmakers to go off. It lends to more variance for bettors and makes it harder for operators to detect suspicious betting patterns.

Alternatives to Sports Betting in the US

Sports betting was only legalized at the Federal level in 2018, with the repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992. In that time, over 35 states have legalized sports betting, and a plethora of alternative ways to bet have also reached America.

Social sportsbooks, which follow the same models at sweepstakes casinos, have provided bettors with sports betting opportunities without the use of real money. They have thus evaded the sports betting legislation and can even offer their services in states that have not yet legalized sports betting. Peer to peer betting, similar to betting exchanges, have also circumvented laws to open shop in these states. As they fall into the skill based bracket, alongside real money DFS apps, and other ventures that divide the lawmakers.

The most recent addition to this ever evolving landscape is prediction markets, which combine sports betting with futures and contract trading. The operators, like Kalshi or Polymarket, are not actually governed by gambling authorities, but by the CFTC instead, which regulates financial derivatives and other financial exchanges.

US Betting Trends and Public Opinions Going Forward

However, with the likes of Kalshi releasing parlay-type contracts and standard betting market style contracts, the majority of the US public think they are a form of gambling, like sports betting.

The public is not just concerned about gambling addiction and protecting vulnerable groups from the dangers of gambling. It is also worried about the exposure, marketing, and the integrity of the game – with the latter being especially concerning as numerous scandals have broken in recent years about insider betting. This study is not likely to force massive changes, but it gives us a crucial insight into American popular opinion regarding gambling. And at a time when the scene is evolving rapidly, and more states are lining up to legalize sports betting, knowing where the public stands is pivotal to better understanding the market.

The debate over legal sports betting is not just one about tax revenue and player protection. It has evolved into a balancing act between consumer freedoms and providing the necessary precautions to educate and steer people away from addiction. With so many new ways to bet on sports and nationwide accessibility, whether through legal or alternative channels or licensed sportsbooks, player welfare and freedoms must be observed and respected to ensure America doesn’t develop a problem.