NCJ Number
42281
Date Published
1976
Length
521 pages
Annotation
THIS REPORT GIVES THE RESULTS OF A SURVEY OF A NATIONAL SAMPLE AND A NEVADA STATE SAMPLE OF RESPONDENTS CONDUCTED IN THE SUMMER OF 1975 TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT OF GAMBLING IN THE U.S. AND ITS ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL CONSEQUENCES.
Abstract
A NATIONAL PROBABILITY SAMPLE OF 1,736 RESPONDENTS AND A NEVADA STATE PROBABILITY SAMPLE OF 296 RESPONDENTS WERE THE SOURCES FOR THE INFORMATION GIVEN IN THIS REPORT. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT 61 PERCENT OF ALL ADULT AMERICANS PLACED SOME KIND OF MONEY BET IN 1974. IT WAS FURTHER DISCOVERED THAT BETTING WAS NOT CONFINED TO A FEW GROUPS OR A FEW AREAS. WAGERS ON COMMERCIAL GAMES WERE FOUND TO AMOUNT TO $22.4 BILLION IN 1974; $17 BILLION WAS WAGERED LEGALLY AND $5 BILLION WAGERED ILLEGALLY. THE POPULARITY OF A GAME WAS FOUND TO VARY WIDELY DEPENDING ON AVAILABILITY, LEGAL STATUS, AND THE PREFERENCE OF GAMBLERS. FOR ALL GAMES, THERE WAS A STRONG TENDENCY FOR PARTICIPATION AND WAGERS TO RISE WITH INCOME, ALTHOUGH WITH SPORTS BOOKS AND CASINOS, THEY DID NOT RISE AS STEEPLY AS INCOME. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT PARTICIPATION RATES IN LEGAL COMMERCIAL GAMBLING, ILLEGAL GAMBLING AND BETTING AMONG FRIENDS ROSE IN THE PRESENCE OF MORE LEGAL FACILITIES. NEVADA RESIDENTS EXHIBITED MUCH GREATER PARTICIPATION IN GAMBLING. FOUR-FIFTHS OF THE RESPONDENTS SAID THEY WERE FOR LEGALIZATION OF AT LEAST ONE GAMBLING ACTIVITY, BUT THERE WAS LITTLE CONSENSUS ON WHICH GAMES SHOULD BE LEGAL. OVERALL, THERE WAS SHOWN TO BE STRONG SUPPORT FOR THE PRESERVATION OF THE STATUS QUO IN TERMS OF GAMBLING LEGISLATION....RCB