Majority of Adults Oppose Betting on College Sports

• Respondents approve of betting on pro sports, but not college athletics in their states
• Majority consider filling out a March Madness bracket as form of betting

While a majority of American adults favor laws allowing wagering on professional sports, a comparable percentage oppose betting on college athletics in their respective states.

That’s according to a poll new from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. Of those surveyed, 58% said they’re on board with states allowing regulated wagering on professional sports, but 55% oppose similar rules for betting on college athletics. The poll was conducted between February 6-10, ahead of the NCAA men’s and women’s college basketball tournaments. The men’s competition is annually among the most wagered-on events in the US.

Fifty-six percent of all adults think entering a March Madness bracket for money is gambling, 21% say it is not, and 22% think it depends on the amount of money involved,” according to the poll.

About a third of those participating in March Madness brackets cite bragging rights or the opportunity to win money as the reasons for getting involved while 20% said they do so to exercise school spirit or simply go along with the crowd.

A Potpourri of College Betting Laws

Since the now-famous 2018 Supreme Court ruling on the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), states have enacted a variety of laws pertaining to wagering on college sports.

The area in which college betting guidelines have recently gained momentum is player proposition (prop) wagers. Some states have banned those wagers in the name of athlete safety and integrity. There’s something to the former claim because data indicate jilted bettors have lashed out at specific athletes over social media upon losing a wager, even making threats — unsavory behavior that also extends to professional sports.

Some respondents to the Associated Press-NORC poll said they approve of states allowing bets on college sides and totals, but they expressed concern that player-specific wagers could lead to backlash against athletes or tempt them to alter outcomes on behalf of nefarious bettors.

States Tread Carefully on College Player Props

While rules against betting on college teams based on location are viewed as arcane, NCAA player prop regulations are a delicate balancing act for states.

States must measure ensuring player safety against missing out on revenue out on tax revenue because prop wagers, including college bets, contribute to the latter.

That’s particularly true during college football season, and those wagers have also served as a springboard to bring more women into the sports betting fold — something that could be the case again this year as the NCAA women’s tournament kicks off this week.