Poll Shows Online Gambling Myths Outweigh Truth
A poll conducted by Fairleigh Dickinson University shows that two-thirds of the population believes the law shouldn't be changed to allow legal online gambling. This means that at least all those who responded that way think there's already a law in place that makes Internet gaming illegal., while in fact no such law exists.Examining the results of the poll shows that certain urban myths and prejudices about online gambling have been shouted by demagogues, and then repeated by uneducated media, to the point that the general public accepts them for truth, according to OCA gaming analyst Sherman Bradley.
"The poll shows that respondents have a strong positive image of practically every specific casino location, identifying the cities as favorable by a margin consistently better than two-to-one," says Bradley. "Yet they also say that vague, unidentified 'casinos' have negative effects.
"That means that, when presented with evidence in a particular case, they know casinos are doing good, but gambling still carries a mystique of shadiness."
Bradley pointed out that over 65 percent said they had entered a casino in the last year, meaning a significant portion had accepted the disproved theories about the harmfulness of online gambling. Scientific study has consistently proved that, despite expectations otherwise, Internet betting is far less likely to lead to problem gambling than other forms.
Further, a slight majority said it is better to continue the massive illegal sports betting in the US rather than legalize sports gambling. But a poll organizer says that result may swiftly shift, if one state starts receiving the benefits of regulated sports wagering.
"The major result of this poll is the exposure of the need for mainstream media coverage of studies like the Harvard Medical School survey which found online gambling to be harmless, so that the public becomes educated and knowledgeable on the subject," says Bradley.
