Supporters of sports betting legalization have risen to remarkable levels since the federal ban was removed back in 2018. New data from our friends at the American Gaming Association indicate that an overwhelming 85% of US citizens approve of the move, along with some other interesting numbers.
For starters, 77% of people in this country support the legalization of betting on sports in their state, and over 39 million Americans have placed sports bets within the past 12 months. Of those bets, over three-quarters were made with regulated operators, compared to just 44% just four years ago.
Since May 2018, sports betting legalization in America has resulted in $220 billion in wagers, generating $3 billion in state and local taxes. And as the legal market continues to grow, it is increasingly attracting and retaining customers from offshore bookies and operators.
Some of the reasons for the migration of bettors to legal operators are confidence that bets will be paid out, trust in account security and easier payment options , and the availability of responsible gaming resources. Compared to five years ago, consumers have a significantly better understanding of the legal status of sports betting in their state.
Consumer confusion about sports betting legalization can be contributed to illegal offshore sites sometimes misrepresenting their legal status through marketing, leading some bettors to believe a site is legal. Contributing to this are when a site is mentioned by the mainstream media, as well as search results.
“American adults have always enjoyed betting on sports, and overwhelmingly value the ability to bring their action into a legal market, close to home,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “The rapid spread of legal sports betting… has contributed to communities and established consumer protections by migrating betting away from the illegal market monopoly that PASPA perpetuated.