Sports Bettors Abandoning Bookies for Legal Options, The Latest American Gaming Association’s Survey Shows

The demand for legal sports betting is on the rise in the USA. The latest American Gaming Association research clearly shows that consumers are moving their business away from illegal bookies and towards legal options.

The study clearly shows that, in the states where sports betting is regulated by the law, the spending with illegal bookies fell for 25 percent on average, while legal online and mobile gambling spend increased 12 percent. Illegal offshore operators also saw a three percent increase in states where this form of wagering is legalized.

The players have stated that the most important reasons for this shift from illegal to legal market are:

• Confidence that bets will be paid out (25%)
• Awareness of legal options (20%)
• Desire to use a regulated book (19%)

“We’ve known for a long time that Americans like to bet on sports. This research affirms their interest in moving toward the protections of the legal market,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller. “Giving consumers convenient alternatives to the illegal market, like regulated mobile offerings and competitive odds, is key for getting bettors to switch to legal channels.”

Punters overwhelmingly prefer legal operators, with 74 percent saying it is important to ONLY place wagers through legal providers. However, despite this fairly large number, 52 percent of those who are fans of sports betting have still participated in the illegal market in 2019.

The primary force driving this sort of behavior, as the study shows, is the confusion about online operators. More than half (55%) of consumers who place most of their wagers with illegal operators actually believed they bet legally.

“Illegal, offshore operators continue to take advantage of unknowing consumers,” continued Miller. “This only worsened during the sports shutdown, with unregulated bookmakers offering odds on everything from the weather and shark migration patterns to whether your friends’ marriage will survive the pandemic. The American Gaming Association is focused on educating customers on how to wager legally and the dangers of the illegal market, especially with the return of the MLB and NBA this month.”

The Need for Consumer Education

One of the things this survey has highlighted is the need to educate players and enhance their understanding of the legal gambling market.

To help teach the bettors, the American Gaming Association’s interactive sports betting map includes a comprehensive directory of licensed online and retail sportsbooks in states where gambling on sports is regulated by the law. In addition, the AGA is actively ing responsible approach to betting and collaborating with federal and state law enforcement to increase our collective understanding of the illegal marketplace; engaging publishers and media to ensure their platforms do not promote illegal betting sphere, and educating the public about the dangers associated with illegal operators.

Source:

“New Study Finds Sports Bettors Abandoning Bookies for Legal Market”, americangaming.org, July 21, 2020.