FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb. 20, 2023
Contact: Michael Fiez
(608) 310-7547 – media@thefsga.org
New FSGA research: Huge growth potential remains
for fantasy sports and sports betting markets
LAS VEGAS – The fantasy sports and sports betting industries have just scratched the surface when it comes to potential participants, according to research unveiled by the Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association (FSGA) during its annual Winter Conference at ARIA Resort & Casino.
Key highlights from the study, conducted by Leger for the FSGA, include:
- While both fantasy sports and sports betting markets have experienced significant recent growth, the vast majority of Americans still have not participated; ~203 million American adults did not play fantasy in the past year, and ~193 million American adults did not bet on sports.
- The opportunity for further growth is large; among those that don’t participate, there is a significant pool of prospective new players and bettors; ~19 million and 17 million current non-players/bettors are at least somewhat likely to start playing fantasy and betting on sports respectively in the next year.
- NFL and NBA represent the most common entry points of any league.
- Sports fandom continues to be highly characteristic of prospective fantasy players and sports bettors, but it is not a “silver bullet;” other criteria must be met to induce intent to participate – even among the biggest fans.
- Added stress, lack of perceived “fun,” and not feeling knowledgeable enough to win are the top current barriers to trial for both fantasy and sports betting alike.
- Increasing non-participators’ confidence in their ability to win (through messaging and further education on gameplay) is a great opportunity to grow player-ship in both fantasy and sports betting. This would help to mitigate multiple top barriers to play (for both fantasy sports and sports betting) across each opportunity group.
- Prospective new players’ and bettors’ demographics are more closely aligned with the general population than the current players and bettors, which suggests the demographic skews may continue to decrease as the markets grow.
The FSGA conducts research each year to illuminate opportunities, behavior and preferences, and key industry metrics.
“Research is a vital tool that delivers insights for our industry,” said FSGA Chair Stacie Stern. “We’re proud to provide this essential information as an engine for informed decision-making that drives development and innovation.”
All of the FSGA’s research is available for free to FSGA members. Non-members can purchase the most recent – and previous – Industry Research at the FSGA’s online store. Additional industry demographic and data are available at thefsga.org/industry-demographics/.
About FSGA
The Fantasy Sports & Gaming Association is the only national organization representing the interests of fantasy sports and gaming companies. We are the voice for more than nearly 60 million fantasy sports players in the United States and Canada, and for the companies that provide services, news, information, and competition to support these growing industries. Our members are sports and gaming enthusiasts, ranging from small startups to large media corporations. Our mission is to provide our members with essential research and data, networking opportunities, and collective action to help them reach their potential. For more information, visit https://thefsga.org/.
About Leger
Leger is one of North America’s largest independent full-service research firms, with over 600 employees in Canada and the United States.. Leger is a founding member of CRIC and is actively involved in raising quality standards in the survey industry. Poll aggregator 338Canada.com gave Leger the highest rating among all polling firms in Canada for the accuracy of its studies. See https://338canada.com/pollster-ratings.htm. Leger is considered a leading research service provider in the gaming industry (among several other industries). To learn more, visit: https://leger360.com, or to inquire directly about any potential gaming related research needs, contact ebondar@leger360.com.