According to new consumer research from the American Gaming Association (AGA), Americans increasingly view casino gambling and sports betting as mainstream entertainment. The study also found that most Americans (75%) believe the industry engages responsibly in its host communities. Gambling is legal in more US states than even just a few years ago, which may be helping its perceived acceptability. Simultaneously, that increase in public acceptance may fuel even more expansion in years to come.
Uncovered via the AGA’s 2024 American Attitudes Toward Gaming consumer study, the results show more Americans indulged in gambling-related entertainment in the previous 12 months than ever before. Specifically, 49% of US adults (122 million people) visited a physical casino for gambling or entertainment purposes in the previous 12 months.
That’s the “highest level of casino visitation on record,” says the AGA
The new data landed just ahead of September’s kick-off of Responsible Gaming Education Month and the 2024 NFL season.
Nearly 9 in 10 Americans Cosign Casino Gambling
On behalf of the AGA, market research firm Kantar surveyed Americans’ feelings about US gambling between July 31 and Aug. 9, 2024. Participants comprised a nationally representative sample of 2000 registered American voters aged 21+.
Among new “high-water marks” uncovered, nearly 9 in 10 (88%) of respondents view casino gambling as an acceptable activity for themselves or others. Meanwhile, 75% of Americans support legal sports betting in their home state.
In addition to the above highlights, results show that over half of all American adults (55%) gambled in some form during the past year. Digging deeper, more than a quarter (28%) gambled at a physical casino, while nearly a fifth (21%) placed a sports bet.
Further, overall, gambling acceptance has remained consistent for the last decade, but year, 59% of Americans considered gambling acceptable for themselves. That approval reflects an all-time high, per the AGA.
In a media release, the AGA’s senior vice president of strategic communications, Joe Maloney, addressed gambling’s growing acceptance.
These latest survey results highlight a consistent trend over the years: as gaming expands to new audiences, Americans increasingly see the benefits of a legal, regulated gaming marketplace that contributes to communities, prioritizes responsibility and provides unmatched entertainment.
Exposure Pushing Gambling into Mainstream
As Maloney notes above, as legal gambling expands across the US, it only makes sense that public acceptance would grow, too.
Shifts in public sentiment often follow policy rather than drive it. So, expanding retail and online gambling across the US is likely the primary driver of improved public gambling perceptions.
For example, in Canada, public acceptance of cannabis climbed post-legalization. A study out of Dalhousie University found that Canadian support for legalization surged from 49% in 2019 (one-year post-legalization) to 78% in 2021. Additionally, while interest in edibles (cannabis-infused ingestibles) has dwindled, opposition to legalization decreased from 30% to 14% in the time between studies.
Further, social stigma is disappearing, with 56% of respondents opposed to towns and cities banning cannabis sales within individual jurisdictions. Simultaneously, 57% say they are unconcerned about sharing their recreational cannabis use with others.
Similarly, preliminary results from ongoing US-based research suggest that for cannabis, legalization anywhere within the US softens attitudes—even in jurisdictions where it’s still illegal.
That study, shared with Bonus anecdotally, indicates legalization anywhere in the US creates a general cultural effect: people think cannabis is no big deal. Consequently, as more states legalize, people’s attitudes shift favorably. Researchers expect to publish the final results of that study eventually.
Considering that, it’s not surprising the latest AGA results reflect a similar phenomenon as exposure breeds familiarity.
Americans Increasingly View Industry as Responsible
Despite recent industry scandals, the 2024 study also reveals a notable increase in favorable views toward the industry’s stated commitments to responsible gambling.
Warranted or not, according to this latest survey, RG messaging seems to be working—at least for the industry.
Nearly two-thirds (65%) of Americans say the gaming industry is committed to promoting responsible play and combating gambling problems, up from only 55% in the last survey. This confidence is even stronger among gamblers, with 81% of casino-goers agreeing, up from 70% last year.
This confidence, said AGA, is driven by improved perceptions across several areas.
Firstly, 65% of respondents report viewing the industry as truthful in its marketing and advertising, while 73% believe gambling marketing is appropriately responsible. Respectively, that reflects 7% and 5% increases over last year’s perceptions.
Public Familiarity with RG Principles, Programs Grows
Additionally, this year’s data shows that 66% of respondents believe responsible gambling programs are effective, up from 59% last year. Again, gamblers have a more positive take, with 79% of casino players agreeing these programs work.
Simultaneously, results show a “significant rise” in Americans’ exposure to responsible gaming information, with 66% encountering RG messaging in the previous year (up ten percentage points). Further, 46% of casino gamblers noted increased RG messaging.
Finally, 76% of Americans are familiar with at least one RG resource, up over 65% in 2022. That familiarity jumps again among gamblers, with 92% of casino-goers indicating basic knowledge.
Sports bettors showed even more familiarity with and positivity about responsible gambling programs.
Said, Maloney:
The gaming industry’s responsibility efforts are stronger than ever, and consumers are noticing. As we embark on another Responsible Gaming Education Month, we’re more energized than ever to continue our work to give consumers the legal, safe and fun gaming experiences that they want and deserve.
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