Majority of American adults oppose legalizing college sports betting within their respective states, as per AP-NORC survey findings.
By Mark Anderson and Linley Sanders, Associated Press
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Despite the surge of legal sports betting, a new poll reveals ambivalent public attitudes towards the practice. While most U.S. adults consider betting on professional sports acceptable, the same doesn't hold true for college sports.
The survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research sheds light on these diverging sentiments. About six in ten Americans favor legalizing wagering on professional sports, while only four in ten endorse the same for college sports. Over half oppose legal betting on college sports.
The evolution of sports betting follows a pivotal 2018 Supreme Court ruling that opened the doors to state-level legalization. Since then, professional sports leagues have embraced this shift, striking lucrative sponsorship deals with gambling companies. Colleges and university teams, however, have generally stayed away.
Dividing Lines
Colleen Plowman of Kansas falls into the category of people who support legal betting on professional sports but not on college sports. She explains her concern for the well-being of student-athletes, fearing they might be too young and inexperienced to deal with the pressures that come with bets being placed on their games.
With sports betting now legal in 38 states and the District of Columbia, and Missouri set to join them this year, each state follows its own regulations governing what can be wagered on and the betting methods allowed.
Surprisingly, as gambling becomes more ubiquitous, the survey suggests that public attitudes towards sports betting haven't shifted significantly compared to a few years ago. People are still about as likely to favor legalizing wagers on professional or college sports as they were in 2019.
Furthermore, the public appetite for sports betting appears to remain stagnant. The poll indicates that approximately one-quarter of U.S. adults frequently or occasionally bet on professional or college sports with friends or through office pools, down from 36% in 2019. About a quarter also stated they frequently or regularly wager in person at casinos, and 14% regularly betting online, figures that show little change over the past six years.
Ethical and Practical Concerns
The expansion of sports betting has fostered concerns about increased stress on students and athletes, as well as the potential for wrongdoing. A suspected gambling ring under federal investigation for its role in two NBA cases was reportedly involved in unusual wagering activity on at least three college basketball programs.
In 2023, nearly two dozen college athletes faced criminal charges following an investigation into illegal sports wagering in Iowa. Some charges were later dropped, and Alabama dismissed its baseball coach amid a probe into suspicious bets on a Crimson Tide game.
Interesting Insight: California resident Jodie Campbell raises valid questions about the ethics of sports betting, and its impact on young athletes. If sports betting is made legal in her state, she prefers to limit it to professional sports. Yet, she voices concerns over the potential for dishonesty, fraud, and misconduct, and believes sports involving high school and college-level students should remain gambling-free.
Balancing Regulation and Integrity
John Markley, a resident of Delaware, expresses a nuanced perspective. He advocates for legalizing betting on both professional and college sports, but with some limits on betting practices within college sports to protect vulnerable players.
As the legal sports betting landscape evolves, challenges such as essential regulations, protecting vulnerable groups, and ensuring integrity remain vital issues to address for the continued growth of the industry.
Enrichment Data:
- Public support for sports betting legalization is driven by economic growth, consumer protection, and strategic partnerships between stakeholders. However, concerns about targeting vulnerable groups, the integrity of athletes, and tribal sovereignty disputes persist.
- Regulatory challenges include state-by-state fragmentation, timing delays, marketing battles, and public confusion that contribute to partisan and interest-group conflicts. These factors influence the dynamic landscape of sports betting legalization in the United States.
- Colleen Plowman, a resident from Kansas, agrees with the legalization of wagers on professional sports but opposes it for college sports, fearing the potential pressures on student-athletes.
- As sports betting becomes more ubiquitous, California resident Jodie Campbell emphasizes the need for ethical regulations, especially when it comes to high school and college-level sports, as she worries about the impact of gambling on young athletes.
- John Markley, a Delaware resident, supports the legalization of betting on both professional and college sports, but he advocates for limits on college sports betting practices to protect vulnerable players.
