New U.S. Gambling Study

Published: Saturday, October 29, 2005 Online-Casinos.com

NEW U.S. GAMBLING STUDY

"Outsider" survey shows 10 percent of Americans have gambled on the Internet

Cincinatti-based research company Directions Research came up with some interesting numbers this week, according to reports in "In Business Las Vegas"- and the findings resonate strongly with those from gaming company surveys despite the fact that Directions is entirely outside the industry and was not commissioned by an industry organisation.

Since spring, the Cincinnati firm has been conducting an Internet survey of 1,085 randomly-selected people on their gambling interest. The result is largely free of potential bias. As the publication comments, in a high-stakes business as political as gambling, research is usually commissioned by gaming companies or entities that might have an agenda involving the gambling business.

Here's what Directions Research found:

• About 67 percent of Americans over 18 have gambled in the past year on casino games, card games and sports. Of that group, 60 percent said they bet on "casino games," 40 percent said they gambled on "card games" and 30 percent bet on sports.

• Of people who bet on sports, 78 percent said they gambled on NFL football games, 45 percent on horse racing, 36 percent on NCAA football, 26 percent on NCAA basketball, 22 percent on Major League Baseball and 20 percent on NBA games.

• When asked where they gambled, 77 percent said they went to (terrestrial) casinos as opposed to only 18 percent who gambled at a race track, 10 percent gambled online, 7 percent gambled at a church and 4 percent said they used a bookie.

• When asked how often they gambled, 59 percent said they gambled less than once every three months. Another 23 percent said they gambled once every two to three months. 9 percent said they gambled once a month, 5 percent said they gambled once every two to three weeks and 5 percent said they gambled once a week or more.

• About two-thirds of both men and women said they gambled at least once a year.

• About 53 percent of people who make under $25,000 per year gambled at least once a year, while at least two-thirds of Americans who make from $25,000 to $100,000 a year gambled at least once a year.

"Nationwide we like to gamble. It crosses age, sex and regional boundaries," a Directions spokesman opined. "Casinos are things people seek, whether it's around the corner or three time zones away."

The American Gaming Association and Harrah's Entertainment, which have been polling gambling attitudes for the past several years, have been trying to say as much for years, says In Business Las Vegas

Directions based the research on an Internet survey of 1,085 randomly-selected people. The respondents came from a master list of millions of people who have agreed to participate in various surveys.

The majority of (research) done these days is done on Internet panels. The results match up well with results using other methods. The interviews are conducted at home, where an estimated two thirds of Americans have access to the Internet.