Global – Consumer perceptions of online gambling
October 4th, 2022, Kineree Shah

Global – Consumer perceptions of online gambling

The gambling industry is perhaps more regulated than it has ever been, with both land-based and online regulatory frameworks becoming standard norms. With sporadic interventions by legislators and politicians, the public's voice, and in particular that of players, can often be absent in discussions about the sector's future.

The new Global Gambling Report by YouGov focuses on the in-depth understanding of this multi-faceted industry from a consumer perspective across 17 international markets. Here’s a sneak preview of what the report offers:

What does the global audience have to say about legalization of online gambling: Should it be allowed?

Our polling says nearly a quarter of consumers (23%) around the globe strongly agree that online gambling should not be allowed while 16% strongly disagree. But the issue is relatively polarizing, with 46% overall agreeing that online gambling shouldn’t be permitted (strongly agree + tend to agree) and 37% disagreeing.

On balance Americans don’t want online gambling banned as only a third either strongly agree or tend to agree with the statement, while two in five (42%) disagree overall. Again, in comparison to the global standard, a sizable portion (26%) of respondents indicated that they ‘don't know’.

The situation in neighboring Canada is slightly different – and more polarized. Most recently, Ontario completely legalized online sports betting and igGaming in April. Our data is national rather than regional, but it appears that 41% of respondents in Canada either tend to agree or strongly agree that online gambling should not be allowed, while exactly the same proportion of respondents disagree with the notion of banning it. Out of 17 international markers Spain tops the list among consumers who are strongly against allowing online gambling (36%). This is followed by India (30%), Italy (29%) and Australia (28%). In Britain 44% either tend to agree or strongly agree while 39% net disagree.

For more data and analytics, get YouGov’s full Global Gambling 2022 report. Inside the report, brands and marketers can learn more about:

  • The opening up of sports betting and the online opportunity in North America

  • The issues that have emerged in the UK and Europe around gambling advertising
  • The position of the lottery in the public consciousness
  • In-person gambling’s place post-pandemic
  • The legitimacy of gambling.

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Methodology

YouGov RealTime Omnibus provides quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. The data is based on surveys of adults aged 18 and over in 18 markets with sample sizes varying between 507 and 2065 for each market. All surveys were conducted online in May 2022. Data from each market uses a nationally representative sample apart from Mexico and India, which use urban representative samples, and Indonesia and Hong Kong, which use online representative samples. Learn more about YouGov RealTime Omnibus.