US

Sports Betting

All things considered, US society will be better off if sports betting becomes legal in more US states (beyond Nevada).

Responses weighted by each expert's confidence

Participant University Vote Confidence Bio/Vote History
Acemoglu
Daron Acemoglu
MIT
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Letting people decide whether & how they gamble is good, but gambling comes with regressive taxes & manipulation of a vulnerable population
Alesina
Alberto Alesina
Harvard
Uncertain
5
Bio/Vote History
Altonji
Joseph Altonji
Yale Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Auerbach
Alan Auerbach
Berkeley
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Autor
David Autor
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Baicker
Katherine Baicker
University of Chicago
Uncertain
2
Bio/Vote History
Banerjee
Abhijit Banerjee
MIT
Uncertain
8
Bio/Vote History
Bertrand
Marianne Bertrand
Chicago
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Brunnermeier
Markus Brunnermeier
Princeton
Uncertain
9
Bio/Vote History
Chetty
Raj Chetty
Harvard Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Chevalier
Judith Chevalier
Yale
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
There are real tradeoffs here.
Cutler
David Cutler
Harvard
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
Deaton
Angus Deaton
Princeton Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Duffie
Darrell Duffie
Stanford
Uncertain
2
Bio/Vote History
Given human behavior, many more people would probably get into serious debt. Should they be protected from their own behavior? I'm not sure.
Edlin
Aaron Edlin
Berkeley
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Eichengreen
Barry Eichengreen
Berkeley
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Einav
Liran Einav
Stanford
Agree
1
Bio/Vote History
Fair
Ray Fair
Yale
Agree
4
Bio/Vote History
Hopefully this leads to better political U.S. betting markets, relevant for research.
Finkelstein
Amy Finkelstein
MIT Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Goldberg
Pinelopi Goldberg
Yale Did Not Answer Bio/Vote History
Goolsbee
Austan Goolsbee
Chicago
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
Greenstone
Michael Greenstone
University of Chicago
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Hall
Robert Hall
Stanford
Disagree
6
Bio/Vote History
Organized betting of any kind exploits people with self-control limitations, so the law should not support it.
Hart
Oliver Hart
Harvard
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
I believe that in general the government should not prevent people making the deals they want to. Betting is no exception.
Holmström
Bengt Holmström
MIT
Agree
6
Bio/Vote History
Hoxby
Caroline Hoxby
Stanford
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
US sports so distorted (mkt power, restrictions on athletes,ad hoc transfers, irrational loyalties) that betting need not improve efficiency
Hoynes
Hilary Hoynes
Berkeley
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Judd
Kenneth Judd
Stanford
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
Demand for this is high. Should reduce $ going to organized crime. We need regulation & taxes to deal with gambling addiction problems.
Kaplan
Steven Kaplan
Chicago Booth
Uncertain
8
Bio/Vote History
Kashyap
Anil Kashyap
Chicago Booth
Agree
7
Bio/Vote History
addiction is a problem for a small percentage of people, but most of us can gamble responsibly and the tax receipts will be beneficial
Klenow
Pete Klenow
Stanford
Uncertain
3
Bio/Vote History
Levin
Jonathan Levin
Stanford
Uncertain
4
Bio/Vote History
People who want to bet on sports will be better off. Society? Less clear.
Maskin
Eric Maskin
Harvard
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
There is a libertarian argument in favor of legalized betting, but gambling has a harmful effect on the poor.
Nordhaus
William Nordhaus
Yale
Disagree
3
Bio/Vote History
It is opening casinos in every living room.
Saez
Emmanuel Saez
Berkeley
Disagree
5
Bio/Vote History
Samuelson
Larry Samuelson
Yale
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
It may be easier to regulate and address the health effects of legal than illegal gambling, but overall impact of legalization is uncertain.
Scheinkman
José Scheinkman
Columbia University
No Opinion
Bio/Vote History
Schmalensee
Richard Schmalensee
MIT
Uncertain
7
Bio/Vote History
Increasing gambling opportunities will make some better off, but it will also increase gambling addiction and make others much worse off.
Shapiro
Carl Shapiro
Berkeley
Uncertain
1
Bio/Vote History
Shimer
Robert Shimer
University of Chicago
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Stock
James Stock
Harvard
Disagree
4
Bio/Vote History
Thaler
Richard Thaler
Chicago Booth
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
Details matter. Illegal gambling is prevalent and competition is good but if the states give themselves a monopoly then less competition.
Udry
Christopher Udry
Northwestern
Agree
5
Bio/Vote History
It's not possible - or at least very costly - to stop, so make it more visible.