Leading questions in CSIG Pennsylvania poll

Two examples of statements framed for a controversial Harper Polling survey on the acceptability of online gambling to 513 Pennsylvanians recently show how views can be skewed by the way in which pollsters frame their questions.

It worked for Harpers, which was commissioned to carry out the survey by the Coalition to Stop Internet Gambling in a period during which Pennsylvanian lawmakers are actively considering the legalisation of online gambling in the state.

Their results (see previous report) purport to illustrate that Pennsylvanians are overwhelmingly against the legalisation of online gambling in the state, and would be less likely to vote for politicians who supported the concept.

This week the publication Gaming Intelligence revealed two of the statements used in the poll, which speak for themselves and suggest that the result was “pushed” rather than focused on eliciting an honest opinion from the respondents:

Respondents to the poll were asked whether a number of statements would make them more or less likely to support online gambling.

Those polled were told that “legalizing online gambling in Pennsylvania will make it easy for children to be exposed to and participate in gambling, since it is nearly impossible to prevent minors from gambling online.”

Another statement informed respondents that “the legislation being considered in the state legislature does not contain specific language to prevent ‘bad actors,’ or people or businesses with a history of illegal activity, from being part of Pennsylvania’s online gambling industry.”

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