Gallup Poll Documents Drop in U.S. Adult Gambling Participation Since 2016
TL;DR — A Gallup poll found 45% of respondents gambled in the prior 12 months per phone survey, down from 64% in 2016. The web survey’s 2026 participation rate was 53%. Gambling for money online posted an increase of one percentage point as moral acceptability fell to 57% in 2026.
SCCG Take — The gap between telephone and online responses plus falling moral acceptance signals possible softening public sentiment that operators and regulators must track closely for future policy and market planning.
A Gallup poll conducted in June and July finds that self-reported gambling among American adults stands at roughly half but has fallen sharply from a decade ago. The telephone survey showed 45% of respondents participated in at least one form of gambling in the prior 12 months, down from 64% in 2016. A concurrent online survey produced a higher figure of 53%.
These outcomes appear across both telephone interviews with 2,201 adults and an online poll of 2,043 Gallup Panel members, each with a stated margin of sampling error of +/- 3 percentage points. As reported by SBC Americas, the largest declines occurred in established formats while newer digital options showed mixed results.
Traditional Activities Remain Dominant Despite Sharp Declines
Buying lottery tickets and in-person casino gambling stayed the most cited activities, even after significant drops. Lottery participation fell 18 percentage points and casino gambling 12 percentage points. In the phone survey, 31% reported buying a state lottery ticket and 14% said they gambled at a casino; the web poll showed 38% and 19% respectively.
Betting on professional sports events stood at 7%, down from 10% previously. Only 4% said they gambled on the internet for money. Gambling for money online was the only category that posted an increase since the last poll in 2016, up by one single percentage point. The survey also measured two new activities: betting on online prediction markets at 2% and fantasy sports for money at 4%. The prediction-markets question was confined to non-athletic events.
The Open Question of Behavior Versus Disclosure
Gallup observed higher affirmative responses in the online format than by telephone, suggesting respondents may disclose gambling more readily in typed answers than in live conversation. The poll arrives alongside a separate Gallup finding that moral acceptance of gambling fell 10 percentage points from 67% in 2016 to a new low of 57% in 2026.
“Whether that decline represents a sharp turn away from gambling, reluctance from survey respondents to indicate they gamble, or both, is unclear,” noted Gallup. The polling occurred in a landscape transformed by widespread sports betting advertising, increased reporting of scandals, and ongoing debates over addiction harms. The data leave open whether actual participation has contracted or whether public comfort in acknowledging it has diminished.
Reporting: SBC Americas
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
Falling participation and moral acceptance during the expansion era is a red flag operators and regulators can't ignore.
We've connected operators across 545 partnerships in every regulated market, and we're watching sentiment closely. A 19-point drop in participation since 2016 — right as markets opened — alongside a 10-point fall in moral acceptance tells us the industry faces a trust and messaging problem, not just a maturation curve.
- Phone survey: 45% gambled in past year, down from 64% in 2016; web survey: 53%
- Lottery and casino participation fell hardest; online gambling up only one point since 2016
- Moral acceptance dropped to 57%, down 10 points; suggests stigma or disclosure reluctance
SCCG angle: SCCG has guided responsible gambling programs and messaging strategies across our partner network. If the macro sentiment is shifting, we help operators pressure-test brand positioning, refine acquisition messaging, and connect with policy advisors who navigate exactly this gap between legalization momentum and public perception.
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