Despite growing attention to online sports betting and cryptocurrency prediction markets, U.S. gambling is at a ten-year low, according to a recent Gallup study.
The survey found that only 45% of respondents had participated in at least one form of gambling in the past year. This is down from almost two-thirds (64%) in 2016. This year’s survey added fantasy sports betting and cryptocurrency prediction markets to the list of potential gambling activities.
The activity that fell the most was purchasing a state lottery ticket. Almost one-third (31%) of respondents purchased a lottery ticket in the previous year, down from almost half (49%) in 2016. Casino gambling is also down significantly, from 26% in 2016 to 14% this year. Other gambling activities that respondents said they have participated in over the past year included participating in an office pool for a sporting event (7%), playing a video poker machine (5%), betting on a college sports event (4%), and playing bingo for money (3%).
The two new categories have low participation rates: 4% have played fantasy sports games for money, and 2% have placed a bet on a non-athletic online prediction market (Polymarket) in the past year.
Only 7% of self-identified “gamblers” and 3% of all U.S. adults say they sometimes gamble more than they think they should. Almost one-in-ten (9%) of respondents, however, report that gambling has been a source of problems in their family.
More information on the Gallup survey is available here.
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