Indiana University studies gambling reach in the state

Sports betting has been legal in the state of Indiana for more than two years, and the state has seen tremendous growth since that time.

New retail and online sportsbooka continue to pop up throughout the state, and there is no sign of that trend ending.

Indiana University recently conducted a survey to explore the entire gambling industry but especially sports betting. It’s been clear that a large percentage of the population is now involved in the gambling industry, but this survey showed just how many people are in it.

There were close to 500 people that chose to respond to this survey request from IU, and 84 percent of those said that they had gambled in some fashion over the past year. IU only asked those that were of legal gambling age, and therefore all of the gambling was done legally.

This was a very small sample size, but the survey reached out to many different demographic groups to ensure that the results were accurate. A majority of those that responded simply played the Indiana Lottery, but there were others that got involved in other gambling options as well.

Indiana lawmakers have been keeping a close eye on problem gambling in the state, and IU took a look at those numbers as well. According to this survey, around three percent of the population struggle with this problem, which was consistent with other reports.

Right around 50 percent of the people that were included in this survey admitted to visiting a casino within the last year. The casino industry in Hoosier State continues to grow, especially now that retail sportsbooks are also a part of the experience.

The information provided in this survey will give healthcare workers in the state a better idea of who to target to prevent problem gambling. Indiana doesn’t appear to have a big issue at this time, but there is always a worry about the younger age of gamblers.

Younger Age Group is Consumed With Sports Betting

The study from Indiana University did not reveal any big surprises when it came to casino gambling, but that wasn’t the case with sports betting. There was one specific demographic that acknowledged betting on sports, and that group is consistent with what is taking place throughout the United States.

Right around 30 percent of the males that participated in the survey disclosed that they had wagered on sports within the last year. There was just 13 percent of females that participated in this survey admitted to wagering at a sporting event.

Not only was there a clear gap between males and females, but there was one specific age group that wagered on sporting events more than others. Those aged 18-34 had a response rate of nearly 37 percent for betting on sports.

Since it is a much younger generation that is betting on sports in the state of Indiana that should mean that the future of the industry is bright. Sportsbooks can also use this information to try and create a strategy to attract an older generation of sports bettors.

For more sports news and updates on legal sports betting in Indiana, check out more stories on our blog.

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