A Record-High Percentage of Americans Approve of Gambling

According to polling figures by Gallup, 71% of Americans now see gambling as morally acceptable – which is the record-high result.

The yearly poll which provides an overview of US citizens’ view on various activities, gambling was ranked as the fifth most morally acceptable – after birth control, divorce, drinking alcohol and premarital sex.

Numbers in Details

In the 2019’s poll…

…68% saw gambling as agreeable, while the previous high was attained in 2018, when 69% of people were of this opinion.

The public’s opinion on gambling was at its lowest in 2009, when only 58% of people approved of it.

Similarly, the amount of those who see gambling as morally wrong declined from 2019’s 31% to 27% in 2020.

This is the fifth-lowest number in of those who said an activity was morally unacceptable. The four activities that were deemed as morally wrong are the same four from above who were deemed morally acceptable by most.

What About Demographics

There was no great variety in of US demographics that deem gambling as morally acceptable. However, political views played a major role: 78% of those described themselves as liberal and 7% of self-proclaimed moderates saw gambling as acceptable, while 61% of those who think of themselves as conservative approved of gambling.

Only 1% of liberals said that gambling was morally wrong. 23% of moderates said the same, while 36% of conservatives were on the same page.

76% of Democrat-voters saw gambling as acceptable while 70% of Republicans saw it that way as well, showing a much smaller difference in of party affiliations.

Males approve of gambling a little more than females – 72% against 69%. Whites also approved of it higher than non-whites – 76% against 60%.

75% of college graduates said gambling was acceptable. 62% of those with high school or less said the same while 78% of those with any college education agreed.

In October 2019, American Gaming Association conducted a nation-wide survey and reported that 49% of US respondents had favorable views of the gambling industry, which was also a record.

Source:

“Gallup: US acceptance of gambling at record high”, igbnorthamerica.com, June 26h 2020