Research shows growth in sports betting participation in North America
A study indicates that more than 81 million participate in legal sports wagering and fantasy sports in the US and Canada.
US.- Legal sports wagering and fantasy sports participation in North America has experienced significant growth, according to research conducted by the Angus Reid Group for the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA). The study unveiled during the FSGA Summer Conference in Cleveland showed that legal sports wagering and fantasy sports engage more than 81 million adults in US and Canada.
In the US, the number rose 7 per cent since 2022 and 26 per cent since 2021. Fantasy particpation increased from 13 to 21 per cent and sport betting from 28 to 34 per cent.
The research indicated that existing bettors continue to migrate from offshore accounts to regulated ones, with the percentage of sports bettors using offshore accounts dropping 48 per cent year-over year in legal markets and those using in-person bookies being cut in half.
Meanwhile, there was an estimated $102bn of handle/entry fees across legal sports wagering, fantasy sports, and affiliated ancillary services over the last year. For fantasy, there was a 60 per cent growth in entry fees from 2017 to 2023, up to $11.5bn.
Additionally, roughly 60 per cent of fantasy sports players and sports bettors pay for either live sports packages or premium content, averaging $119 per year for fantasy players and $129 per year for sports bettors.
FSGA research committee chair Daniel Haight said: “We’re at an incredibly exciting time in the legal sports betting and fantasy sports industry, as we continue to see strong growth in both markets. It’s especially great to see the decrease in offshore betting activity as regulated sports betting continues to launch across the U.S., providing consumers safer, regulated alternatives that provide necessary responsible gaming guardrails.”
NCAA survey shows sports betting increase among US college students
The National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) released survey data on sports betting activity among young adults. The study showed that sports wagering is prevalent among 18-to-22-year-olds, with 58 per cent having engaged in at least one sports bet. The most popular was betting on the National Football League (NFL).
It was found that 16 per cent of all 18–22-year-olds had engaged in at least one risky behaviour – either betting a few times a week or daily, betting more than $50 or more in a typical wager or losing more than $500 in a single day.
