A wave of sports betting scandals has shaken public trust in professional sports, with new survey data showing that most Americans suspect athletes may be compromising fair play. Conducted by YouGov shortly after the FBI’s late-October announcement of arrests involving NBA player Terry Rozier and coach Chauncey Billups, the study captures a significant moment in public perception toward legalized sports betting.
According to YouGov’s findings, 65% of Americans believe professional athletes sometimes alter their performance to help gamblers win bets. Among them, 13% think it happens often, 32% said sometimes, and 19% rarely. Only 6% of respondents said they never believe this occurs, while nearly one-third (29%) were uncertain. The survey, based on 19,000 nationally representative interviews, highlights a growing skepticism surrounding sporting integrity across the U.S.
Sports Bettors Show Higher Distrust Toward Athletes
Interestingly, those who have placed wagers appear even more doubtful. Of the 28% of respondents who identified as sports bettors, more than four-fifths said they believe athletes adjust their play at least occasionally because of gambling influence. Within this group, 18% said they think it happens often, 38% sometimes, and 25% rarely.
The data points to a sharp contrast between bettors and non-bettors: while 32% of the general population believe performance manipulation happens “sometimes,” that figure jumps to 38% among those who gamble on sports. YouGov concluded that individuals more familiar with betting “have a higher level of skepticism about the integrity of professional sports.”
This divide comes as high-profile investigations continue to make headlines. The latest incidents follow allegations of match-fixing across major leagues, including the NBA, MLB, and NCAA, with even the UFC now under scrutiny.
Public confidence took another hit when UFC CEO Dana White confirmed that the organization was working with the FBI to investigate suspicious betting activity surrounding fighter Isaac Dulgarian’s recent featherweight bout against Yadier del Valle. “We take this very serious,” White said, adding that the company monitors every fight closely.
The controversy followed criminal charges in the NBA tied to the alleged misuse of inside information for gambling purposes. These back-to-back investigations have intensified the sense that professional sports are increasingly vulnerable to betting-related manipulation.
Legalized Betting Seen as Hurting Sports More Than Helping
Beyond concerns about integrity, Americans also appear divided on the overall effect of legalized gambling. YouGov’s survey found that only 9% of the general public think sports betting benefits sports, compared to 24% of bettors. In contrast, 44% of non-bettors and 31% of bettors believe legalization is harming sports.
This perception aligns with a broader loss of confidence in the betting industry itself. As stated on its website, YouGov’s BrandIndex reputation score — which measures how proud or embarrassed Americans aged 21+ would feel working at a sportsbook — has dropped by an average of 1.1 points since 2024. While Bet365 remains the highest-rated brand, FanDuel and DraftKings saw the steepest declines, each falling 3.1 points into negative territory.
A YouGov spokesperson summarized the trend: “Sports betting has never been more visible, more advertised, or more integrated into broadcasts, and yet the public is signaling growing distrust in athlete integrity and waning confidence in major sportsbook brands.”
