In the immediate aftermath of the NBA and MLB scandals that have brought to light collision between professional athletes and sports gamblers to influence the outcomes of betting markets, Connecticut gamblers are increasingly mistrustful of the integrity of professional sports.

Connecticut Gamblers Skeptical about Integrity of Pro Sports

A new poll by Sacred Heart University, WFSB, and CT Insider, which was conducted exclusively, 500 sports gamblers answered various questions tied to whether they believed that games were rigged and whether athletes would do something to influence their plays to secure a betting outcome.

A worrying majority has appeared openly skeptical. Close to 80% of respondents said that the NBA scandal impacts the trust and integrity of the game, while 75% said that sports gambling corruption is probably more widespread than anyone knows. It took an FBI investigation to expose it, while the actual issue has been festering in plain sight for a long while, the argument runs.

According to Sacred Heart University professor Andrew Miller, the integrity of the game is what matters as if it suffers, the value of the game also goes down, which could be a major headache for sports leagues that are keen to continue capitalizing on viewership numbers and fan experiences.

The poll suggested that the current status quo, when it comes to the sports gambling ecosystem, may be due an overhaul, with 68% of respondents agreeing that the current level of advertising was unethical and 84% supporting stricter safeguards on gambling.

Surprisingly, Gamblers Are Unlikely to Stop Participating in Betting Contests

Professor Miller had this to add: “They could say, ‘If we partner with betting platforms, we’ll get more fan engagement,’ and that’s the case. The leagues are doing better. The leagues see gambling as something that increases their fan engagement. It’s really disappointing and not surprising at the same time.”

In the meantime, the poll unearthed an interesting trend. For 35% of those who responded, the NBA scandal coming to light had no significant impact on their betting behavior, which is an interesting observation.

While many gamblers believe there is corruption in the game, a significant cohort continues to gamble like they always have. More interesting still, 15% of respondents said that they were still more likely to bet on the NBA, while only 14% acknowledged that they would be less likely to.

The fact that new revelations about corruption in sports are not going to make people less likely to gamble indicates one thing clearly – sports gambling is here to stay, no matter how we feel about it, or how serious integrity concerns become.