
What Americans think about legal sports betting, according to recent polls
As sports betting expands, polling suggests Americans have become increasingly critical of its role in U.S. society and sports — although they’re more tolerant of legal betting for professional sports. A recent Pew Research Center poll found about 43% of U.S. adults say the fact sports betting is now legal in much of the country is a “bad thing” for society and sports, up from about 34% in July 2022. Betting scandals have multiplied since the Supreme Court in 2018 struck down a federal law that barred sports betting in most states. Most recently, dozens of people including current and former NBA players were arrested in a federal investigation into sports betting and illegal gambling.
