A growing number of Americans are becoming uneasy about the expanding footprint of legal sports betting in the United States, according to new polling data. The findings suggest an increased concern on issues such as problem gambling, exposure to younger audiences, and the broader impact of widespread betting access.
A recent survey conducted by The Washington Post in partnership with the University of Maryland indicates a noticeable change in how Americans view the continued growth of legal sports betting. The survey was conducted from December 4th to 7th, featuring 1,032 respondents.
According to the poll, 36% of respondents now believe the expansion of wagering to more states is a negative development, a significant increase from 23% in 2022.
Concerns have grown across multiple groups, including both bettors and non-bettors. Among Americans who do not participate in sports betting, opposition climbed from 27% to 40% over the three-year period. Even more striking, respondents who actively wagered showed a sharp rise in concern, jumping from just 3% in 2022 to 20% in 2025.
The data also revealed double-digit increases in skepticism among several age brackets, including 18–34, 50–64, and those 65 and older.
While nearly half of Americans remain neutral on the expansion of sports betting, that share has declined from 54% three years ago, suggesting opinions are becoming more polarized.
At the same time, the percentage of respondents who view the growth of sports wagering positively dropped to 14%, down from 23% in 2022. These shifts come as sports betting is now legal in 39 states, with Missouri becoming the most recent market to launch wagering on Dec. 1, 2025.
One of the most persistent worries tied to the growth of sports betting is the risk of game manipulation and compromised integrity, concerns that have been amplified by recent high-profile investigations.
In the NBA, Terry Rozier was linked to a federal probe examining unusual betting activity tied to his performance in a 2023 game. Similar integrity concerns surfaced in MLB with Emmanuel Clase, whose name was linked to irregular betting patterns involving player performance metrics.
Each of these cases has raised questions about how player prop markets can be exploited via manipulated results.
As sports betting has expanded nationwide, responsible gaming safeguards and the volume of advertising have become major points of concern for regulators and the public alike. Constant exposure to betting ads during games, broadcasts, and on social media normalizes wagering.
This could encourage excessive or impulsive behavior, particularly among younger audiences. These concerns have grown as sportsbooks increasingly use celebrity endorsements, live-odds integrations, and in-game prompts to capture attention.
To that end, concerns have been raised about whether responsible gaming safeguards have not always kept pace with the growth of marketing. While operators promote tools such as deposit limits, self-exclusion, and time-outs, these measures may be undermined by aggressive promotional tactics that emphasize bonuses and quick payouts.
These concerns are highlighted in this recent Washington Post poll.
