Gallup Survey Documents Declining Participation in U.S. Gambling Activities

The latest Gallup Poll Social Series on Consumption Habits, based on telephone interviews conducted in June and July 2026 with more than 2,200 U.S. adults, shows that just 45 percent of respondents took part in at least one gambling activity during the previous year, and that figure represents the lowest level recorded in Gallup's recent tracking history.

Researchers compiled the data through standard telephone methodology, and the results indicate a broad-based reduction when compared with earlier surveys from the same series. In 2016 the participation rate stood at 64 percent, while surveys from 2003 and 2007 each placed the figure near two-thirds of adults.

Methodology and Scope of the 2026 Poll

Gallup fielded the questions as part of its ongoing Consumption Habits series, and the sample size of more than 2,200 adults allows for national estimates with typical margins of error. The poll asked respondents whether they had engaged in any form of gambling over the preceding twelve months, and follow-up items captured specific activities such as lottery purchases, casino visits, and informal betting pools.

Data collection occurred entirely by telephone, which mirrors the approach used in prior waves of the same survey, and that consistency supports direct year-over-year comparisons. The timing of the interviews, spanning June through July 2026, places the findings in a period shortly before the release of the full report in August 2026.

Comparison With Earlier Gallup Findings

Participation rates have fallen steadily across the tracked period. The 64 percent figure from 2016 already marked a modest decline from the roughly two-thirds levels recorded in 2003 and 2007, yet the 2026 result of 45 percent represents a further and more pronounced drop. Observers note that the decline spans multiple activity categories rather than concentrating in any single segment.

When the same questions were posed in 2016, nearly half of adults reported buying state lottery tickets, yet the 2026 data show that share falling to 31 percent. In-person casino gambling followed a similar pattern, dropping from 26 percent in 2016 to 14 percent in the most recent survey. Office pools, which had appeared at higher rates in earlier waves, registered at 7 percent in 2026.

Activity-Level Declines Across Major Categories

The survey captured several distinct forms of gambling, and each major category posted lower participation than in 2016. State lottery tickets remain the most common activity, but the reduction from 49 percent to 31 percent accounts for a substantial portion of the overall drop. Casino visits, whether at commercial or tribal properties, also declined sharply, moving from 26 percent to 14 percent over the same interval.

Informal betting through office pools and similar arrangements fell to 7 percent, continuing a downward trend that had already appeared in earlier tracking. The poll did not break out online or mobile gambling as a separate line item in the topline release, yet the overall participation figure encompasses all reported activities.

Those who study consumption patterns point out that the reductions appear across demographic segments, although the poll release itself does not provide detailed subgroup tables in the initial summary. The consistent direction of change across lottery, casino, and pool betting suggests a broad shift rather than an isolated movement within one format.

Context Within Gallup's Ongoing Tracking

Gallup has included gambling questions in its Consumption Habits series at irregular intervals since at least 2003, and the 2026 wave continues that longitudinal record. The full report and associated topline data remain available through the Gallup news site, allowing further examination of question wording and response distributions.

Because the survey relies on self-reported behavior collected via telephone, the figures reflect stated participation rather than verified transaction data. Earlier waves of the same series produced comparable methodology, which supports the observed trend of lower engagement over time.

Conclusion

The June-July 2026 Gallup Poll Social Series records the lowest level of adult gambling participation in its recent history, with 45 percent of respondents reporting any activity in the prior year. Comparisons with 2016 and earlier surveys document declines across lottery tickets, in-person casino visits, and office pools. The data, drawn from more than 2,200 telephone interviews, provide a clear snapshot of reduced engagement that researchers can examine alongside other national consumption measures. The full report is accessible at the Gallup site for additional detail.