Annual survey is out

Ahead of the new NFL season kicking off on Thursday night, the American Gaming Association (AGA) has released its survey-based predictions for betting across the US.

46.6 million adults plan to bet on the 2022 NFL season

According to a Wednesday press release Wednesday, the AGA estimates that a record 46.6 million adults plan to bet on the 2022 NFL season. The gaming body also shared an infographic via Twitter, revealing that 23 million adults intend to place wagers online:

The total estimated betting figure marks an increase of 3% from 2021. The number of bettors who will place in-person wagers with sportsbooks has increased 2% to 6 million people. Meanwhile, the amount of digital wagering will increase exponentially according to the AGA’s research, predicting an 18% rise in online bets year-on-year.

Mass appeal

In Wednesday’s press release, president and CEO of the AGA Bill Miller said the continued appeal of NFL betting “reflects the growth and continued maturation of legal sports betting” across the US.

over 18 million more people can legally wager from their state this year

With Kansas rolling out legal sports betting on September 1, the US now has 32 legal wagering jurisdictions. This means that more than half (132 million) of American adults can legally place bets in their home state. Compared to 2021, over 18 million more people can legally wager from their state this year.

The AGA has also noted the shift towards legal betting options. It revealed that 89% of sports bettors believe it “is very or somewhat important that they bet with a legal, regulated sportsbook.” Miller said the survey showed that US adults “clearly want legal sports betting options.”

Responsible message lands

The AGA also shared that 92% of sports bettors said they are aware of responsible gaming tools. In total, 90% had read, watched, or heard responsible gaming messaging in the past year. Meanwhile, 51% reported being exposed to more responsible gaming messaging over the last 12 months than in previous years.

committed to encouraging responsible gaming”

More than 80% of past-year sports bettors deemed the responsible gaming campaigns “very or somewhat effective,” and agreed that the “gaming industry is committed to encouraging responsible gaming and combatting problem gambling.”

Miller labeled responsibility as the foundation of legal US sports betting, asserting that it brings a “clear competitive advantage.”