2025 Sports Betting Survey: Fan Trust in Fair Play Falters

Key Findings

A survey of 4,000 sports fans across the U.S. explored where trust in legitimate sports betting is strongest and where it’s faltering.

In the last 12 months, 54% of sports fans have participated in sports betting.
Only 26% of fans trust pro sports are free from betting manipulation.
80% of fans say scandals like fixed scores or pitch rigging would make them less likely to bet on that sport in the future.
43% of fans believe sports leagues should bear the primary responsibility for maintaining the integrity of sports betting, rather than regulators (21%) or sportsbooks (18%).
The UFC is the least trusted sports organization in North America.

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Legal Sports Betting Grows, But Participation Is Still Mixed

Sports betting has gone mainstream, but not everyone’s in the game. 42% of fans placed a legal bet in the past year, while 12% used other routes and another 12% would bet if it were legal in their state. Still, 34% say they’re staying on the sidelines, showing that while sportsbooks are gaining ground, plenty of fans remain cautious spectators. UFC fans take the top spot when it comes to legal betting with half of fans (50%) saying they’ve placed a wager. On the contrary, MLB fans are the least likely to have done so, at just 33%. Both NHL and MLB fans share the highest “no interest” rate, with 47% saying they haven’t bet and don’t plan to. Still, UFC fans prove the most eager overall, with 22% saying they’d jump in if betting became legal in their state.

Fair Play? Fans Aren’t Entirely Convinced

Despite the growth of sports betting, trust remains a major issue. Only a quarter (26%) of fans said they trust that professional sports are played fairly and free from betting-related manipulation. Meanwhile, 74% expressed at least some doubt – with 36% saying they “somewhat” trust it and 38% admitting they “don’t trust it at all”. Among leagues, MLS fans are the most skeptical – 42% say they don’t trust fair play – while NBA fans are the most confident, with 29% expressing faith that games stay clean. When ranking leagues by perceived fairness, fans placed the NHL at the top, followed by the NFL and MLS, while the NBA and MLB ranked lower. The UFC came in last, reflecting growing concern amid reports of potential match-fixing investigations.

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Scandals Are Making Fans Think Twice About Betting

Recent betting-related controversies are clearly leaving their mark. Overall, 60% say headlines about arrests and match-fixing have made them trust sports betting less, and a striking 80% admit a scandal in a specific sport would make them think twice before betting again. That hesitation runs deep because 27% say they’d never feel comfortable betting again after a scandal, and another 26% would need at least a season or two to move on. Only 7% would get back in the game right away.

The Blame Game: Who’s Responsible for Fair Play?

Fans are split (and uncertain) about how close sports leagues have gotten to the betting world. 52% think leagues should not continue allowing gambling sponsorships or partnerships, while just 23% are in favor. It seems that even though many fans enjoy the added excitement betting brings, they’re uneasy about how much influence betting companies might have behind the scenes. When it comes to who should keep the system honest, fans are clear: 43% say the leagues themselves should take the lead on maintaining betting integrity. 21% point to regulators, 18% to sportsbooks, and 15% to players and coaches – leaving just 2% who think fans have any real role to play. Interestingly, fans across nearly every sports surveyed agree that the league itself should be responsible for maintaining betting integrity – except for MLS fans, who are more likely to put that responsibility on regulators instead.

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Conclusion

As sports betting keeps growing across the US, one thing is clear: excitement is high, but trust is on shaky ground. Fans are placing bets and paying attention – yet many are uneasy about how betting might blur the lines of fair play. For leagues and betting operators, rebuilding that trust isn’t just necessary but essential for its business.

Methodology

In November 2025, a national survey of 4,000 sports fans among the following leagues was conducted: NHL, NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS, and UFC. The average age of respondents was 41.5 years old. The representative sample comprised of 55.2% male, 44.1% female, 0.5% non-binary, and 0.3% other.