By admin 
RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Two years after it became legal in the state, a poll released Tuesday shows how North Carolina residents feel about mobile sports betting.
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Meredith College sampled 1,022 responses from July 1 to July 8 to explore North Carolina’s attitude on sports betting, which was legalized in 2024.
The study found most residents draw a distinction between allowing sports betting to be legal and supporting a regulatory framework to minimize social costs.
Many participants expressed concern about how sports betting would impact vulnerable populations. There were also concerns about the effects of sports betting on the integrity of college athletics and how gambling could harm younger individuals, according to Meredith College.
“Concerns were substantially greater when questions focused on underage gambling, young adults, or college athletes than when respondents evaluated sports betting in general,” Meredith Poll Director David McLennan said in a statement. “This pattern suggests that residents do not simply evaluate sports betting as an entertainment activity. They also consider its broader implications for families, communities, and higher education.”
Addiction Professionals of North Carolina CEO Sara Howe said in a statement, “Young people are growing up in an environment where gambling is increasingly visible, accessible, and often presented as a normal part of sports and entertainment. We cannot wait until gambling causes serious harm to begin responding.
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“North Carolina must invest in prevention efforts that help young people understand the risks, equip parents and educators to recognize warning signs, and encourage healthy decision-making before problematic behaviors begin,” she continued in her statement.
According to Meredith College, most of the study’s participants supported using a portion of sports betting revenue towards education, treatment, and research addressing gambling disorders. They were also in favor of consumer-protection measurers intended to reduce excessive gambling and encourage responsible betting.
The study also found that new wagering formats appear to be moving faster than public understanding, as many participants indicated they had limited understanding of proposition bets and prediction markets.
“Policymakers may find considerable public support for targeted consumer protections such as deposit limits and increased funding for responsible gambling initiatives,” McLennan said in a statement. “Educational efforts regarding available treatment resources remain warranted, as many respondents indicate uncertainty about where help is available. Protections for college athletes represent an area of particularly broad public consensus.”
The study concluded that North Carolina residents support the legalization of sports betting and are now focused on making sure it emphasizes integrity, consumer protection, public health, and responsible regulation.
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