Most NFL fans support legalised sports betting, says American Gaming Association

A poll of 45,165 National Football League fans this year by the research firm Morning Consult, commissioned by the American Gaming Association has found that in general fans support the idea of more widely available sports betting beyond the restrictive federal Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act, which confines betting to just four US states.

The fan bases of 30 of the National Football League’s 32 teams were canvassed and in general felt that individual states should be able to decide for themselves whether to allow sports betting or not within their borders.

Breaking down the numbers by market:

* 44 percent of Arizona Cardinals fans strongly favoured the repeal of PASPA, with a further 23 percent agreed with them, albeit not so strongly. 69 percent said taxes on sports betting would generate new revenue for important public projects;

* At the other end of the scale, only 22 percent of Seattle Seahawks fans supported the repeal of PASPA, 26 percent liked the idea but not as strongly, and 35 percent had no opinion;

* Houston and Tampa Bay fans were lukewarm to the repeal scenario; 20 and 19 percent respectively were supportive.

* More generally across the NFL fan base, the survey found that 26.8 percent favoured strongly a PASPA repeal, 27.1 percent said they were in favour but not strongly, 17.1 percent were in opposition and 29 percent didn’t know or had no opinion;

* 64 percent of those surveyed reported that they didn’t know, had no opinion or were either in favour or opposition to PASPA repeal but did not feel strongly about their position, suggesting that two-thirds of the NFL fan base has a rather ambivalent view of the issue.

Jeff Freeman, CEO of the American Gaming Association, which is campaigning for the PASPA prohibitions to be lifted, said:

“With the grassroots support of fans across the country, our campaign to lift the sports betting ban is gaining the momentum we need to push across the goal line in Washington.”

Morning Consult summarised its findings thus:

• NFL Fans support changing federal gaming laws to allow states to legalize sports betting, with little concern that it would compromise the game’s integrity. Messages about increased tax revenue and a safer consumer experience are political winners.

• A large portion of NFL team fans are likely to bet on the NFL if sports betting were legal in their state. NFL team fans are more likely to watch, follow, and enjoy the NFL when betting.

See the full survey here: https://www.americangaming.org/sites/default/files/4.4.17%20Final%20Morning%20Consult.pdf