The American Gaming Association projects a record 46.6 million American adults will make at least one wager on an NFL game for the upcoming season, according to a study it conducted in late August.
That represents a 3% year-over-year increase from 2021’s projections, as more than half the American adult population – 132 million – can now legally place a wager in their own state. The AGA’s research showed fewer people are expected to place a wager with a bookmaker, with the 13% from the more than 2,200 respondents surveyed who said they would down from 15% last year and 18% in 2020.
The AGA also noted the number of people who expect to place a wager with an unlicensed bookmaker in a state without legalized sports betting is 50% higher than in states where it is legal.
“The sustained interest in NFL wagering reflects the growth and continued maturation of legal sports betting across the country,” said AGA President and CEO Bill Miller in a statement. “Consumers clearly want legal sports betting options and understand the regulated industry's foundational commitments to responsibility.”