41% Support Internet Poker, 42% Oppose
Most Americans have no problem with money on the table in a friendly game of poker but have decidedly mixed feelings if that game is shifted to the Internet.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 61% of American Adults believe individuals should be allowed to play poker or other games for money in their home or a friend’s home. Twenty-two percent (22%) disagree, with another 17% who are undecided. (To see survey question wording, click here.)
But when asked if individuals should be allowed to play poker or other games for money on the Internet, 41% of adults say yes, and 42% say no. Eighteen percent (18%) are not sure. Opposition to online gambling is very high among those who do not go online and those who use the Internet only occasionally. However, among those who go online regularly, most think online poker should be allowed.
This marks little change from August of last year. Opposition was a bit higher in June 2009.
Only seven percent (7%) of Americans who use the Internet at least once a week have played poker or some other game for money online, comparable to findings in the earlier surveys. Ninety-three percent (93%) have not.
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The survey of 1,000 Adults was conducted on April 18-19, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC. See methodology.
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