Survey shows majority of U.S. adults have placed their bets

Gambling may be the new U.S. pastime, according to a gaming survey recently completed by Mississippi State.

More than 61 percent of American adults wagered in one or more types of legalized gambling last year, said Arthur G. Cosby of the Gaming Research Group, a part of the university's Social Science Research Center.

The research group conducted the 1995 United States Survey of Gaming and Gambling in February and March. In telephone interviews, they surveyed a random sample of more than 1,500 American adults, with a sampling error of plus or minus 2.5 percent.

"We knew that gambling has become a growth industry," Cosby said. "Most states have approved either lottery or casino gambling to raise tax revenue or to encourage economic development. Our survey documents just how dramatic that growth is."

Researchers learned that more than 118 million Americans said they had wagered last year in one or more types of legalized gambling.

While the numbers seem high, social scientists say 61 percent probably is a conservative percentage. That number probably underestimates the actual gambling rate because it ignores all forms of illegal gambling, such as most sports betting, as well as some legal forms such as jai alai and poker parlors.

The survey showed that those who participate in gaming have clear preferences. "Lotteries and casinos are leading the way," Cosby noted.

He said that 54 percent of Americans bet at least one time in state-run lotteries in 1994. For many, lottery wagers are more frequent. About 21 percent of Americans wager in lotteries each week and about 35 percent make lottery wagers each month. Casino gambling was the next most popular, with gambling rates of 24 percent. Bingo rates were down the list at about 7 percent.

Participation rates reflect the increased availability of legalized gaming activities, Cosby said. There were no legalized state lotteries before 1963 and Nevada was the United States' only legal casino jurisdiction before 1978.

Today, there are lotteries in more than 30 states, including highly populated areas such as California, New York, Texas, and Florida. Land-based, dockside, or riverboat casinos have been approved in 10 states. In addition, reservation (Native American-sponsored) casinos are in more than 20 states.

"Gaming attracts participants in each region of the country," Cosby said. "The Northeast, Midwest, and West all had gambling rates that ranged between 64 and 68 percent. Only in the Southeast, with its tradition of conservatism, were the rates significantly less."

Still, a majority of Southern adults--some 54 percent--reported gambling during the past year, Cosby said. "It will be interesting to see if regional differences continue with legalized gambling expanding to other Southern states."

The Gaming Research Group was formed in 1995 to promote scientific and scholarly study of gaming and gambling. The 1995 survey was the first major research undertaking.