One in four Americans has an active online betting account, according to new survey

More than a quarter of Americans now have an active online sports betting account, reflecting steady growth in participation even as concerns about gambling behaviour and regulation increase, according to a new survey released by the Siena Research Institute (SRI) and St. Bonaventure University’s Jandoli School of Communication.

The study found that 27% of Americans reported having an active account in 2026, up from 22% in 2025 and 19% in 2024, while 33% say they have opened an account at least once. Among men aged 18–49, 52% reported having an active account.

“The results show that online sports betting remains an active part of life for a significant portion of Americans,” said Don Levy, SRI’s Director. “Since we began asking respondents about online sports betting in 2024, there has been a steady rise in those who say they have an active account – from about one-in-five to now one-in-four – and the share of respondents who bet on these platforms has grown just as much – from seventeen percent of Americans in 2024 to twenty-two percent in 2026. ”

Among account holders, 83% said they had placed a bet using their account, unchanged from 2025, with most citing entertainment and engagement as key drivers. About 92% said they bet because it is fun and exciting, while 89% said it increased their interest in watching games.

At the same time, indicators of risky behaviour have risen. The survey found that 60% of bettors reported having ‘Chased’ a bet, up from 52% a year earlier, while 63% had wagered $100 or more in a single day, compared with 56% previously. Around 31% had someone express concern about their betting, up from 23%; and 15% reported seeking help for problem gambling, compared with 9% in earlier surveys.

Public attitudes toward sports betting remain mixed. While 50–33% of respondents support legalising online sports betting nationwide and 49–38% view it as a form of entertainment, concerns about its impact are growing.

A majority of respondents, 53%, opposed sportsbook advertising during live television events, while 56% say online sports betting will corrupt organised sports. Support for stronger federal regulation also increased to 67–21%, up from 58–28% previously.

“Legal and accessible gambling is perhaps the defining issue facing the sports world in the 2020s. What our survey shows is that sports fans have a complicated relationship with sports gambling,” said Dr. Brian Moritz, Associate Professor and sports journalism master’s program Director at the Jandoli School. 

“It is undeniably popular, and becoming more so every year, and there’s wide support for legalized gambling. But the growing support for restrictions on sportsbooks’ advertising during live sporting events as well as support for restrictions on betting on college sports show a desire for some guardrails to be put in place around legal and accessible gambling.”

The survey also highlighted broader concerns around integrity and access. About 74% of respondents say the participation of individuals as young as 18 years old in online sports betting is a ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ serious issue – including 69% of those respondents ages 18-34.  

Meanwhile, 85% of respondents identify the alleged insider betting scheme between various coaches and athletes in the NBA as a ‘very’ or ‘somewhat’ serious issue. A 51–28% margin said recent rule changes allowing certain betting activities involving college sports were bad for sports.

In addition, 15% of Americans reported using prediction markets, with 65% saying such platforms should face the same regulations as traditional sportsbooks. The proposed SAFE Bet Act drew support from 64–14% of respondents.

Three-quarters of bettors said they like to participate in prop bets. Meanwhile, 66% of respondents agree that betting on college sports exposes athletes to potentially harmful public pressures, and 52% supported restrictions by leagues such as the National Football League on certain types of bets.