Bettors are transitioning to the protections of the regulated market, leagues, and sports media are seeing increased engagement, and legal operators are driving needed tax revenue to states across the country
As the Super Bowl — the most popular event for US sports betting — approaches, the American Gaming Association (AGA) said that industry investments in responsible gaming initiatives “continue to resonate” with the betting public.
In a survey released Tuesday, five days before Super Bowl LVII, the AGA said it found that a majority (71%) of bettors who place traditional wagers on the Super Bowl — specifically, those who plan to use legal online sportsbooks, a retail sportsbook, or an illegal bookie — reported seeing a responsible gaming message sometime within the past year.
The AGA said it expects 30 million American adults will either place a traditional wager on the Super Bowl, a year-over-year increase of 66% (18.2 million). That means roughly 21.3 million bettors have seen a responsible gaming message since February 2022.
This year’s Super Bowl is projected to be the first where traditional bettors outnumber casual bettors — which AGA classifies as those who bet casually with friends or as part of a pool or squares contest. Despite being second to traditional bettors, casual bettors increased 50% year-over-year (18.5 million).
The association pointed to progress being made with younger bettors.
According to the AGA, younger Americans (under age 35) are more likely to recall seeing a responsible gaming message within the past year. The association added that younger bettors are more likely to agree with the importance of only wagering through legal means — not with an illegal bookie.
That’s good news, considering how quickly sports betting has expanded in the US since the Supreme Court ruled in 2018 that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) — which prohibited sports betting — was unconstitutional.
Sports betting is legal in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The AGA said 57% of American adults (146 million) now live in a jurisdiction with a live, legal sports betting market.
“As interest in legal sports betting continues to expand, the gaming industry remains committed to responsibly delivering world-class entertainment, educating consumers about how to bet responsibly, and combating illegal gambling as we work to build a safe, competitive, and sustainable legal market for all,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller.
Last year, the AGA reported that 41% of the US adult population (106 million) had recalled seeing an advertisement with a responsible gaming message since February 2021. That marked a 43% year-over-year increase from the year that ended in February 2020 (74 million).
“This reflects the sports betting industry’s continued and deepened investment in responsible gaming resources, including through the recently relaunched Have A Game Plan [campaign],” the AGA said at the time.
Operators participating in Have A Game Plan include Bally Bet, Barstool Sportsbook, BetMGM Sports (and both of its parent companies — Entain and MGM Resorts International), BetRivers (through its parent, Rush Street Interactive), betPARX, DraftKings Sports, and FanDuel.
The NFL’s New York Jets and Washington Commanders also participate in the Have A Game Plan campaign.
For Super Bowl LVII, the AGA projects a record 50.4 million American adults will wager on this year’s contest between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles. The association also expects bettors to place $16 billion in wagers on the game — more than double the estimate for last year’s Super Bowl ($7.6 billion).
“Every year, the Super Bowl highlights the benefits of legal sports betting,” Miller said. “Bettors are transitioning to the protections of the regulated market, leagues, and sports media are seeing increased engagement, and legal operators are driving needed tax revenue to states across the country.”
The online survey — conducted by Morning Consult between January 31 and February 1, 2023, on behalf of AGA — was based on a sample of 2,199 adults online between January 31 and February 1, 2023. The survey has a margin of error of plus-or-minus two percentage points.
