More Americans oppose sports betting, according to new poll

• Opposition to sports betting legalization hits a high of 47% based on an Overton Insights poll
• Those supporting sports gambling legalization are at 31%, but the numbers suggest that more debate is needed
• Part of the opposition might be due to growing suspicion of the fairness of sports and how betting affects it

The jury is out on this one - Americans are less keen on sports betting legalization than previously thought.

At least this is what a new poll provided to The Center Square by Overton Insights last week suggests.

The poll sought to query public support for sports betting legalization, with 31% of Americans saying that they were in favor, while a growing number - 47% people arguing that they were opposed.

The numbers suggest that more public debate is needed

Overton Insights Poll Director Mark Cunningham commented on the results:

"Sports betting has become one of the most debated issues at the state level over the past several years, with more and more states legalizing it since the 2018 Supreme Court ruling that opened the door. Even with that rapid expansion, voters in our poll remain skeptical."

Conducted between May 16-20, the poll interviewed 1,377 registered voters and dug deeper, establishing the nuances of the support and opposition.

For example, 16% of people "strongly supported" legalizing sports gambling, while 15% "somewhat supported it." Similar divisions were faced in the against camp, where 15% "somewhat opposed sports gambling legalization," with 32% strongly opposing it.

This skepticism could be because of growing unease over the fairness of sports, as suggested by another recent poll by Ipsos.

Notably, however, the people who were strongly opposed to the sports gambling framework expansion were more than those who endorsed it as passionately. Another 22% were cited as not having an opinion on the matter.

Overton Insights also went further, querying people based on their political affiliation, with Democrats in fact more likely to oppose the legalization process. Republicans were more inclined to back sports wagering, it appears.

Sanctity of sports may have been undermined in the public mind

According to Cunningham, the current numbers suggest that the debate over sports gambling is hardly finalized, and that it merits more examination. Opposition may also be tied to skepticism towards the integrity of the game, with multiple prominent athletes embroiled in high-profile betting scandals.

Among those is Terry Rozier, Chauncey Billups, and, most recently, Brendan Sorsby, an NCAAF prospect who is trying to get reinstated for his last season in college football while evidence has surfaced that he has placed roughly $90,000 in wagers on various sports, in breach of NCAA rules.

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