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A new Siena poll suggests online sportsbooks are the main way New Yorkers who bet on sports are placing wagers, even as the state remains divided on whether online sports gambling is a positive overall.
According to the poll, one in four New Yorkers said they placed a bet on the outcome of a sporting event in the last year. Among that group, 84% said they used online sportsbooks.
Statewide sentiment was less favorable. Just 22% of respondents said online sports gambling is good for New York, while 39% said it is bad for the state. Another 31% said it is neither good nor bad.
That split extended to how betting is presented around live sports. The poll found 44% support advertising for sports betting during televised sporting events, while 43% oppose it. On in-game commentary, opposition was clearer: 52% said it is bad for sports when commentators mention potential bets and odds during live broadcasts.
Siena Poll Associate Director of Data Management Travis Brodbeck said participation is not evenly spread across the state’s population.
> “Sports betting participation differs greatly by age and gender in New York. Young adults are more likely than older adults to place sports bets, and men are more likely than women to participate. Sports betting participation is especially concentrated among young men in New York,” Brodbeck said.
For New York players, the poll points to two realities at once. Online sportsbooks appear to dominate among people who already bet on sports, but public opinion about the broader effect of online sports gambling is still mixed. The survey also suggests bettors are more likely than non-bettors to view betting ads and betting-related commentary favorably.
What to watch next is whether this kind of public-opinion data becomes part of wider debates around sports betting advertising and broadcast practices in New York. For players, it is also a reminder to keep betting entertainment-focused and to gamble responsibly.
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Source: As reported by WRGB Staff.
