A new poll from Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind finds that the percentage of registered voters who support online gaming in New Jersey has dropped, even though online gambling went live in the state in November.
One third—32 percent—are currently in favor, with 57 percent opposed according to the survey. The current findings represent a decline in favor from those in March 2013. At that time, 41 percent favored online gambling and 46 percent said they were opposed, the university said in a press release.
“The public’s attitude was, for several years, warming up to online gambling,” said Krista Jenkins, director of PublicMind and professor of political science, in a statement. “But there has been a clear change in direction, now that the practice has actually been legalized. Part of the public has always shown deep reluctance to make gambling so accessible in their own homes. Now that it is in fact legal, they may be more concerned than ever.”
Those who say they visited a casino in the last 12 months are significantly more apt to support online gambling. Around four-in-ten of these individuals support the legalization, whereas barely a quarter—28 percent—of those without a recent casino visit say the same. And, women remain more opposed than men. Two thirds of women—67 percent—reject online gambling’s legalization, compared with around half of men—47 percent—the release said.
The report noted that a blitz of advertising for the new online gambling sites may actually be causing a negative reaction to online gambling in the state.
