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A new Siena Research Institute poll suggests New York’s sports betting market is generating heavy use but limited public approval.
According to the poll, 22% of New Yorkers said sports betting is good for the state, while 39% disagreed. The divide was sharper between people who bet and those who do not: 49% of bettors viewed sports betting positively, compared with 14% of non-bettors.
The survey also found that 25% of New Yorkers placed a sports bet in the past year. Among those bettors, 84% said they used an online sportsbook, making digital platforms the most common betting channel in the poll.
Other betting methods were also reported. Among bettors surveyed, 54% said they wagered with friends and family, 41% with a casino, 24% with a bookie, and 8% by other means.
Age and gender splits in the poll showed notable differences in participation and attitudes. Among respondents under 50, 27% said betting on sports was good for New York, compared with 16% of those 50 and older. By gender, 37% of men said they had wagered on a sporting event in the past year, versus 14% of women. Among men ages 18 to 49 who bet, 92% said they used online sportsbooks.
What it means in Albany
The poll arrives as lawmakers continue to debate how New York should regulate the market it launched in 2022. The state collected more than $1.3 billion in sports betting revenue last year, according to the source article.
At the same time, two bills highlighted in the report point in different directions. Assemblymember Carrie Woerner introduced legislation that would allow more sports betting licenses and reduce the state’s 51% tax rate on sports betting revenue. Separately, Assemblymember Robert C. Carroll introduced a bill that would restrict online sportsbook advertising on TV.
Both measures were still in committee at the time of the report.
For New York players, the immediate takeaway is that no rule change was in effect yet. The current market remains in place while Albany weighs whether to expand access, change the tax structure, or tighten advertising rules. Readers should also note that this poll addressed sports betting, not online casino gaming.
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Source: As reported by Hank Russell.
