Professional athletes support the legalization of sports betting in the U.S. a new poll from sports broadcaster ESPN shows.
The poll showed that 63 percent of a sampling of athletes from several pro sports believe sports betting should be legalized on a larger scale. The poll asked 73 players from the NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball.
The poll also found that 58 percent of the athletes had taken part in some form of gambling activity in the past, while 34 percent said they had bet on sports.
However, the poll also found concerns among the players on the potential negative impact betting can have on the professional sports industry. About 37 percent of the athletes polled said they suspected a current or former teammate had a gambling problem and 41 percent said that sports betting could hurt the integrity of games.
In addition, 10 percent said they had been approached for betting information about their own team while 3 percent suspected they had taken part in a fixed game.
