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Sports betting keeps spreading across the United States, yet public comfort moves in the opposite direction. A new national poll suggests attitudes are cooling, even as wagering becomes part of everyday sports culture.
Good to Know
A recent poll conducted by The Washington Post and the University of Maryland points to growing unease around legal sports betting. More than one third of Americans now view the expansion of wagering as negative. The figure reached 36 percent, up from 23 percent in 2022.
The shift cuts across multiple groups. Among people who do not place bets, opposition rose from 27 percent to 40 percent. Even more striking, concern among people who say they do wager jumped from 3 percent to 20 percent over the same period.
Age groups also moved in the same direction. Respondents ages 18 to 34, 50 to 64, and 65 and older all showed double digit percentage increases in negative views compared to three years ago.
Despite the rise in concern, many Americans remain undecided. Nearly half of respondents said they feel neutral about the growth of sports betting and its influence on sports. That share dropped from 54 percent in 2022 to just under 50 percent in the latest poll.
Positive views declined as well. Only 14 percent of Americans described the spread of sports betting as a good thing. Three years earlier, that number stood at 23 percent.
The data suggests opinions are hardening, with fewer people sitting on the fence and fewer still cheering expansion.
The poll also looked at how betting discussion affects the viewing experience. Just under 20 percent of Americans said hearing about wagers during games makes sports more interesting.
Most viewers disagreed. About 46 percent said betting talk makes no difference at all. Another 15 percent said they have not noticed betting discussion while watching sports. Roughly one fifth said such talk actually makes games less interesting.
The numbers point to a disconnect between industry messaging and fan experience.
Concerns tied to sports betting stay widespread. More than 60 percent of Americans pointed to addiction risks, the chance of rigged or fixed games, and youth exposure to wagering as issues. However, none of those worries increased compared to 2022 levels.
That stability suggests the anxiety already sits near a ceiling rather than growing alongside legalization.
When asked about specific bet types, Americans showed less support for wagers tied to individual player statistics. Only 23 percent said player prop betting should be allowed, while 27 percent opposed it. More than 40 percent supported traditional bets on game outcomes.
That split highlights a preference for simpler forms of wagering over markets tied to individual performance.
Sports betting now operates legally in 39 states. Missouri became the only state in 2025 to launch wagering, with a start date of Dec. 1.
The poll surveyed 1,032 Americans between Dec. 4 and Dec. 7, offering a snapshot of public mood at a time when betting access continues to widen.
Thirty six percent say more states offering sports betting is a bad thing.
Negative views increased from 23 percent in 2022 to 36 percent in the latest poll.
Yes. Concern among people who wager rose from 3 percent to 20 percent.
Most Americans say it makes no difference or makes games less interesting.
Traditional bets on game outcomes receive more support than player prop betting.