The rise of regulated sports betting in the United States is having a very positive impact on the way that Americans view gambling as a whole. That’s the big takeaway from a recent survey conducted by the American Gaming Association (AGA) about how Americans perceive both regulated gambling, and the industry that provides regulated gambling to its communities.
The survey, which polled 2,000 Americans online towards the end of summer 2021, found that 73 percent of respondents support regulated sports betting in their home states. That’s not surprising given the decades of pent-up demand for regulated sports betting that’s finally being fulfilled in more than half of all US States.
Americans are also harboring a very positive view of the gambling industry’s contributions to their local economies and its commitment to combating problem gambling. The AGA found that 66 percent of Americans see the business as a positive economic force in their communities, while about 70 percent say that the business operates responsibly. In what is certainly a good sign for the gaming industry, only about 30 percent of Americans felt that way in a similar survey conducted in 2019.
AGA President and CEO Bill Miller commented on the survey’s findings saying, ““We are a committed, responsible partner and economic driver in communities across the country. Because of this, we’ve risen from the most devastating period in our history and embarked on a record-setting comeback.”
“As legal gaming expands to new geographies and verticals, everyone engaged with legal gaming must work together to grow responsibly—our collective success depends on it,” he added.