Ahead of Election Day, new research from the American Gaming Association (AGA) has revealed common ground among Donald Trump and Kamala Harris supporters – and that's on legal gambling.
Around three-quarters of voters support casino gambling, and close to 70% approve of sports betting, no matter which party you’re looking at, as reported by CNBC’s Contessa Brewer.
“While many industries are gaming out which candidate might be better in office, the gambling industry is looking at how presidential politics intersects with attitudes about wagering,” she explained. “... Americans, of course, are very focused on the economy, and casinos and gaming operators will highlight how much tax revenue they can contribute to state and local economies.”
However, while Brewer argues that “iGaming or online casino games provide the bigger opportunity for gaming revenue and tax revenue,” only seven U.S. states offer this type of gambling, including Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and most recently, Rhode Island.
“(No states) have new legislation under consideration. So, candidates who want to spend big and are looking to new funding may be gambling's best bet for expansion,” Brewer said.
The current U.S. gambling landscape
In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) of 1992, paving the way for individual states to legalize sports betting within their borders. Today, 38 states and Washington D.C. offer legal sports betting in some form. Ten of the remaining states offer either casino gambling or a state lottery, leaving only Hawaii and Utah without any legal gambling options.
Brewer highlighted that gambling legislation is a state-level decision. The fate of Missouri sports betting will be determined on election day as state voters decide “yes” or “no” on Amendment 2, to potentially make Missouri the 39th legal sports betting state. However, Brewer says that “some of the biggest states in the nation remain out of reach.” For instance, legal sports betting seems unlikely in Texas, the second-most populous state.
The Lone Star State has historically opposed expanding its gambling options, with some of the strictest laws in the nation. House Bill 1942 to regulate Texas sports betting made it through the House in 2023 but was not considered by the Senate.
“Gambling insiders speculate that another Trump presidency could result in either Texas Governor Greg Abbott or Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick joining Trump’s cabinet. And that would remove the major roadblocks to gambling for the nation’s second most populous state, a big deal there,” added Brewer.
Harris turns to gamers for support
In a bid to engage younger male voters, a demographic in which Trump has an edge, Kamala Harris' campaign is turning its attention to the gaming community. Her campaign recently launched ads on sports news sites like DraftKings and Yahoo Sports and live-streaming platform Twitch.
Despite these efforts, Harris trails Trump in the latest US election betting odds. Currently, Harris is at +170, while Donald Trump leads at -200 with a 66.6% probability of winning at bet365.
