FLORIDA – A majority of Florida voters want the state to place tighter limits on sports betting, even as nearly one in four say they have placed an online wager, according to a new statewide poll.
The University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab surveyed 823 registered voters and found that while sports betting is widely used, most Floridians are not calling for expansion.
Only 15% of voters say Florida should expand legal sports betting. Instead, 46% say the state should restrict or limit it, while 37% say current rules should stay in place.
The results point to a state divided between participation and policy preference, with the strongest sentiment leaning toward tighter regulation rather than broader access.
Sports betting use is most common among younger voters, men, and residents of South Florida. About 29% of voters ages 18 to 34 say they have placed an online bet, compared with 16% of those 55 and older. Roughly 30% of South Florida voters report betting online, compared with 20% in North Florida.
Among those who bet, the market is heavily concentrated on a small number of platforms. About 67% say Hard Rock Bet is their primary app, followed by 12% for DraftKings and smaller shares for other services.
The NFL dominates betting activity. Eight in 10 online bettors say they have placed wagers on professional football in the past year. College football, the NBA or WNBA, and Major League Baseball follow behind.
Most bets are relatively small. About 43% of bettors typically wager $1 to $10, while 30% bet between $10 and $20. Only 10% say they usually place bets of $50 or more.
Still, losses can add up. About 30% of bettors say their largest single-day loss exceeded $100, including 7% who say they lost more than $500 in one day.
Confidence in long-term winnings is low. Only 10% of bettors say they are very confident they can consistently make money betting on sports. A majority say they are not confident, and 83% report taking a break from betting for more than a month at some point in the past year.
Advertising and promotions also appear to play a role in behavior. Nearly all bettors (96%) say they have seen sports betting ads. About 73% say they have placed a bet because of a promotion or bonus offer.
Concerns about integrity remain widespread. More than 80% of voters say increased sports betting makes them question whether player or referee decisions are influenced by gambling. About 63% say reports of illegal betting or match-fixing have reduced their trust in professional sports leagues.
Overall, 49% of voters say sports betting has had a negative effect on sports, compared with 7% who say it has had a positive effect. A majority (56%) say it increases fan engagement.
The survey was conducted Jan. 30 through Feb. 3, 2026, among 823 registered Florida voters. It has a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.