A couple weeks ago the U.S. Supreme Court ruled New Jersey, and all other states, can offer sports betting.

Now a new survey finds a sizable majority of Garden State residents — 62 percent —support the High Court’s decision, while just 25 percent disapprove.

Krista Jenkins, the director of the Fairleigh Dickinson University poll, says respondents were asked if they paid attention to the ruling by the court, “and we find that 44 percent indicated that they are paying either a lot or some degree of attention to the recent decision.”

Right now, sports betting is only legal in Nevada, Delaware, Montana and Oregon.

When people are asked why they are in favor of sports betting, two main reasons were given: tax revenue for the state "and also the practicality of allowing something that’s already being done.”

Jenkins says among those who oppose the expansion of sports betting, 44 percent fear an increase in gambling addiction. And 20 percent said they were concerned about organized crime affecting sports betting.

She notes when Jersey residents were asked about sharing sports betting revenue with professional sports teams — which is what the teams are asking for — two thirds absolutely opposed that.

The poll also finds when it comes to sports betting approval there’s a definite gender gap with 71 percent of men and 53 percent of women on board.

The Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll was conducted by landline and cellular telephone between May 16 and  21 using a random sample of New Jersey adults. According to the poll, results have a margin of sampling error of +/- 3.5 percentage points.

 

More From Beach Radio