Sports Betting in 2026: Trust Erodes as the Industry Matures

A nationwide survey of 2,000 U.S. sports bettors finds trust is eroding and growth expectations are cooling, even as sports betting remains deeply embedded in American sports. Odds scroll across broadcasts, parlays are discussed alongside player stats, and sportsbooks are woven into leagues’ commercial ecosystems.

But beneath the surface of this normalization, bettors themselves are signaling a shift. More than half say betting-related scandals have reduced their trust in professional sports, enthusiasm is mixed, and while spending remains high, intentions to increase betting are rare — pointing to a market that is holding steady rather than accelerating.

Key Findings

• 54% say betting-related scandals have reduced their trust in professional sports
• 41% believe sports betting has made professional sports less fair
• 56% say promotions or app features pushed them to wager more than planned
• Only 28% say sports betting has had a mostly positive impact on their lives
• 44% have placed a bet hoping it would ease financial pressure
• 47% of bettors in non-legal states believe online sports betting is legal
• The average bettor is projected to wager $2,800 in 2026
• 27% plan to cut back or quit betting in 2026, compared with 7% who expect to increase betting

Trust in Sports Is Eroding

More than half of U.S. sports bettors (54%) say recent betting-related scandals involving players, officials, or leagues have reduced their trust in professional sports.

That loss of confidence is reflected in how bettors now assess fairness. When asked whether sports betting has made professional sports less fair, 41% agree and 36% disagree, while nearly 23% say they are unsure - a split that suggests views are becoming more polarized rather than neutral.

Confidence in the fairness of professional sports is no longer the default among bettors. Responses include meaningful shares of strong agreement and strong disagreement, indicating that opinions on integrity are increasingly firm rather than passive.

Taken together, the findings point to a clear erosion of trust. Betting-related scandals are not being dismissed as isolated incidents, and concerns about integrity are no longer fringe views among bettors - they are increasingly part of how sports are watched, judged, and discussed.

Bettors Know the Odds and Accept the Trade-Offs

Sports betting in 2026 is marked less by illusion and more by realism.

When asked what they expect will happen when they place a bet, 51% of bettors say they expect to lose but feel the entertainment is worth it. Another 40% believe they have a chance to win if they are smart or lucky, while just 7% expect to win more than they lose over time.

Rather than chasing consistent profits, most bettors appear to treat wagering as an entertainment expense -something that adds interest to sports even when losses are expected.

Entertainment Comes With Emotional Tension

While sports betting is widely viewed as entertainment, it frequently introduces emotional tension.

More than one-third of bettors (36%) say betting makes them feel anxious, while 27% report stress and 20% say it leads to feelings of regret. A smaller but notable 8% say betting makes them feel out of control, highlighting an emotional extreme that contrasts with the industry’s entertainment-focused positioning.

Positive emotions remain part of the experience - many bettors say wagering adds excitement and engagement — but these benefits often coexist with anxiety and stress rather than replacing them.

The result is a more emotionally intense form of fandom that does not consistently translate into greater satisfaction or trust.

Most Bettors Don’t Call It a Clear Positive

Despite years of rapid expansion and heavy marketing, sports betting does not register as a clear benefit for most bettors.

When asked about the overall impact betting has had on their lives, just 28% say it has been mostly positive. A larger share describe a more ambiguous experience, with 37% saying the impact has been mixed and 27% saying betting has had no real impact at all.

In total, 72% of bettors do not describe sports betting as a clear positive, suggesting that enjoyment is frequently tempered by stress, regret, or unintended consequences

Betting Is Primarily About Fun - but Financial Motivation Is Common

Entertainment remains the dominant motivation for sports betting. 89% of bettors say they primarily bet for fun, and 62% say betting enhances their experience of watching sports, reinforcing its role as a form of sports entertainment rather than a purely financial activity.

At the same time, financial motivations are widespread. 44% of bettors say they have placed a bet hoping it would help ease financial pressure, whether by supplementing income, covering everyday expenses, or pursuing a larger win. This highlights a meaningful overlap between entertainment-driven betting and financially motivated behavior.

While most bettors avoid serious financial harm, 6% report that sports betting has caused them to fall behind on payments or financial obligations, indicating that a minority experience tangible negative financial consequences.

Promotions Change Behavior — But Don’t Build Trust

Sportsbook promotions are effective at increasing betting activity, but they do not consistently build trust.

More than half of bettors (56%) say promotions or app features have encouraged them to wager more than they originally planned, suggesting that bonuses, boosts, and in-app nudges materially influence behavior. For 9% of bettors, this occurs often, indicating sustained pressure rather than occasional influence.

Despite their behavioral impact, confidence in promotions remains limited. When asked how clear and honest sportsbook promotions are:

• Only 11% describe them as very clear and honest
• 48% say promotions are somewhat clear
• 41% say promotions are misleading to some degree, including 9% who describe them as very misleading

This gap between effectiveness and trust raises potential consumer protection and regulatory concerns, particularly as promotions remain a central acquisition and engagement tool.

Concerns extend beyond marketing language. 16% of bettors say they have experienced difficulty withdrawing winnings, reinforcing skepticism around transparency, platform practices, and the true value of promotional offers.

Legal Awareness Lags Behind Normalization

In states where online sports betting is not legal, 47% of bettors believe that it is legal, suggesting that national exposure through broadcasts, advertising, and league partnerships has blurred the distinction between what is legally permitted and what simply feels universally available.

This misconception appears even among active bettors, indicating that widespread marketing and cultural normalization may be outpacing consumer understanding of state-level regulation.

As sports betting becomes more embedded in sports media and fan culture, gaps in legal awareness raise ongoing concerns around compliance, consumer protection, and responsible communication in restricted markets.

Betting Is Frequent and Financially Significant

For many bettors, wagering has become a routine activity rather than an occasional pastime.

• 33% place bets a few times per week
• 25% bet once a week
• 8% bet daily

What was once sporadic engagement now functions as a regular part of sports consumption for a substantial share of bettors.

After adjusting for underreporting common in self-reported gambling surveys, the average projected sports betting spend in 2026 is approximately $2,800 per bettor, underscoring the financial scale of ongoing participation.

A Market Holding Steady, Not Accelerating

Looking ahead, bettor intentions point to stability rather than expansion.

• 61% say they plan to bet about the same amount in 2026
• 20% expect to bet less
• 7% plan to stop betting altogether
• Just 7% say they expect to increase betting

Overall, bettors are nearly four times as likely to say they will cut back or quit as they are to say they will spend more, suggesting that growth expectations are softening even as participation remains widespread.

What This Means for the Industry

Sports betting hasn’t driven fans away — but it has changed how they engage, perceive risk, and assign trust.

Entertainment remains the core appeal, but financial motivations are common. Promotions drive behavior without consistently building confidence. Trust is eroding amid integrity concerns and unclear incentives. And in states where online betting remains illegal, nearly half of bettors believe it is legal, underscoring how cultural saturation has outpaced regulatory awareness.

Spending remains high — averaging $2,800 per bettor in 2026 — but expectations for growth are limited. Taken together, the findings suggest that 2026 represents a turning point: not the end of sports betting, but the end of its unquestioned expansion.

Methodology
Survey conducted January 7–8, 2026 among 2,000 U.S. adults who placed a sports bet within the past three months. Respondents were recruited via Prolific. Spending estimates use adjusted midpoint values to account for underreporting common in self-reported gambling surveys.