The fix is in? Majority of Floridians believe games rigged for gambling interests

New polling from the University of North Florida’s Public Opinion Research Lab (PORL) and Sport Impact Jax (SIJ) shows more than half of Floridians believe that referees or players fix sporting events to affect betting lines.

And the number is remarkably consistent regardless of party identification, with 56% of Democrats, 51% of Republicans, and 50% of no party voters convinced that these big-ticket, high-profile events aren’t on the up and up.

In another sign of surprising consensus, 52% of both college graduates and those who haven’t earned advanced degrees come to the same conclusion.

“An overwhelming majority (82%) of respondents agree (either strongly or somewhat) with the statement, ‘because of increased betting, I sometimes question whether player or referee decisions are influenced by gambling interests.’ Agreement is largely consistent across betters and non-betters, as well as sports watchers and non-watchers,” reads the polling memo.

The increased normalization of gambling hasn’t helped perception either.

A whopping 61% of the 823 registered Florida voters polled believe the growth of sports betting has made them more likely to question whether games are rigged. Republicans, at 69%, are the most skeptical political cohort.

Age also influences this sporting skepticism: 70% of respondents aged 55 or older do not believe what they’re seeing is legitimate. Younger voters buy in more than older voters do, but they still aren’t buying it; 52% of those under 35 think at least some of the action is scripted.

Voters are almost evenly split on whether Florida’s current legal sports betting for those 21 and older is a net positive, with 50% supportive and 49% opposed. A party split is evident here, with 54% of GOP registrants supporting betting and 56% of Democrats opposing it.

A plurality of voters (46%) would limit online sports betting, meanwhile, and that is consistent across party lines, with 49% of Democrats, 47% of Republicans, and 42% of no party voters ready to rein in wagering.

The real split on that question is gender-based, with 53% of women favoring more restrictions and 62% of men seeking to keep things as they are or expand the privilege.

Though Floridians have definite opinions on online betting, it turns out most of them haven’t done it.

Only 24% of respondents have ever gambled on a game or prop thereof, and only 21% have done so in the last year.

The survey was in the field between Jan. 30 and Feb. 3.