Americans 50/50 on legal sports betting in latest poll result

More American’s are moving towards acceptance of legal sportsbetting as a new Fairleigh Dickinson University (FDU) PublicMind Poll found in its latest survey on the subject.

A relatively small sample of 855 registered voters nationwide were surveyed in the telephonic poll from November 29 through December. 5, 2011 with results carrying a +/-3.5 percentage margin of error.

The results compared to a poll run in March 2010 show an increase in support for legalisation of sports betting on a National level with a split of 42 percent to 42 percent as opposed to 2010 results of 53 percent opposed to the idea and 39 percent in favour. Those unsure or who had a mixed opinion doubled to 16 percent compared to the previous poll.

Peter Wooley, a political scientist and director of the poll predicts a further growth in support of the issue if punted as a new revenue panacea for cash-strapped states, with all eyes on New Jersey as it forges ahead with its plans on legal intra-state sports betting.

“Gambling has become, for good or ill, a national industry, and you can bet that politicians and casinos all over the country are closely following New Jersey’s plans,” he said.

A detailed breakdown of the Poll results found:

– Predictably, those that already do it most strongly favoured legalised sportsbetting by a margin of 71 to 23 percent.

– Non sports betting households oppose the idea 46 to 36 percent.

– Men are more in favour of sports betting than women.

– Older voters generally oppose the idea, whilst voters under 45 were in favour.

– Nationwide both men and women oppose casinos in their state running internet betting games by a robust 2 to 1 margin further broken down into men 55 percent to 35 percent and women 65 percent to 22 percent, little changed from the previous poll results in 2010.

“Sports betting is a big enough change for people to get behind and get used to,” opined Woolley. “Internet betting may just be the final frontier.”