As September approaches and with it Responsible Gaming Education Month, the American Gaming Association (AGA) reports that the public continues to embrace the ever-expanding gaming options in the United States.
The American gaming industry is steadily embedding sports betting and casino gaming into American culture, with new research suggesting a growing acceptance of gambling. The AGA recently tasked Kantar, a London-based market research firm, to explore consumer attitudes toward gambling in the United States. Kantar surveyed approximately 2,000 registered voters aged 21 and over, revealing that a majority still view casinos and sports betting as acceptable forms of entertainment.
Among the highlights of this research is that 75% of Americans believe the legal, regulated gaming industry “behaves responsibly.” Nearly nine in ten see sports gambling as a viable form of entertainment, and three in four support allowing people to bet legally on sports in a controlled environment.
Joe Maloney, the AGA’s senior vice president of strategic communications, commented on these findings, emphasizing that as gaming reaches new audiences, Americans increasingly recognize the benefits of a legal, regulated gaming marketplace. He pointed out that such a marketplace contributes to communities, prioritizes responsibility, and offers unrivaled entertainment.
Representing the interests of the commercial and tribal gaming industries across the country, the AGA is encouraged by the improved public sentiment toward legal gambling, as revealed in the Kantar study. These sentiments have been on an upward trajectory for several years, and the industry’s efforts to operate responsibly are evidently paying off.
Maloney noted that 65% of those surveyed this year believe the gaming industry is committed to encouraging responsible participation, a significant increase from 55% last year. Furthermore, more than eight in ten gamblers affirmed that the industry is focused on protecting players from gambling irrationally.
However, while the AGA celebrates these findings, other studies paint a different picture of the impact of gaming’s expansion in the U.S. Earlier this month, researchers at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) and the University of Southern California (USC) reported that the growth of sports betting in the U.S. might correlate with declining credit scores across various demographics.
The UCLA/USC investigation concluded that legal sports gambling can worsen consumer financial health. Their research indicated that in states with online gambling options, including internet sportsbooks or online casinos, the likelihood of someone filing for bankruptcy is approximately 28% higher compared to states without such online access.
Further highlighting the potential drawbacks, a study from the University of San Diego’s Rady School of Management, published in July, found that online gambling disproportionately affects low-income households.
As the industry continues to expand and embed itself deeper into American entertainment culture, the contrasting views on the impact of this growth present a nuanced picture, suggesting that while many embrace gaming, concerns about its broader implications remain.
