U.S. survey shows little moral objection to sports betting

The Deseret News reports that a new survey has found that, whilst most Americans have no moral problem with sports betting, only forty percent believe it should be legalised.

The study was carried out by LifeWay Research, an evangelical polling group, on a sample size of 1,000 U.S. adults, conducted Sept. 14-28 by landline and cell phone.

Researchers found that 64 percent of respondents had no moral problem with sports betting, 5 percent were neutral and 31 percent felt that it was morally wrong.

However, 49 percent of respondents were against legalisation and only 40 percent – mainly in the male under 35 years group – felt it would be a good thing. Those most opposed to legalisation tended to be more religious, with a high (58 percent) proportion holding evangelical beliefs.

Daily fantasy sports, which has of late attracted widespread media coverage, appears to be viewed differently, with 47 percent approving the idea of formal legalisation and regulation and 46 percent against the idea.

“We don’t see a majority in any group saying it’s morally wrong to bet on sports,” LifeWay Research vice president Scott McConnell said in a statement. “For more Americans to want something to be illegal than find it immoral is an interesting situation.”

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