AGA Study Highlights Financial Literacy Gaps Between Gamblers and Non-Gamblers

Researchers commissioned by the American Gaming Association released findings in September 2026 that compare financial knowledge levels across U.S. adults who gamble and those who do not, and the data draws from a national online survey of more than 3,100 participants conducted the previous month. The report measures financial literacy through a standard index scored out of five, and gamblers posted an average of 3.93 while non-gamblers averaged 3.72. Those figures translate into a clear split at the high end of the scale, where 41 percent of gamblers met the threshold for high financial literacy compared with 27 percent of non-gamblers.

Survey Design and Core Metrics

The study collected responses during July 2026 and applied the same index questions to both groups so direct comparisons could be made without adjustments for age or income brackets. Observers note that the higher average among gamblers held steady even when the sample was broken down by common demographic categories, which suggests the pattern is not simply an artifact of who tends to participate in betting activities. The Positive Play Scale served as the secondary instrument, and higher financial literacy scores aligned with stronger marks on responsible gambling behaviors such as setting limits and recognizing when play has become problematic.

Prediction Markets and Self-Assessment Patterns

Within the gambler cohort the researchers isolated users of prediction markets and found a distinct tendency for those individuals to rate their own mathematical abilities above what their test performance actually reflected. The overestimation appeared across multiple self-report items yet did not extend to the broader financial literacy questions, where prediction market participants performed similarly to other gamblers. Data from the survey shows this mismatch between perceived and measured numeracy did not correlate with poorer responsible gambling scores, indicating the effect may be limited to domain-specific confidence rather than overall decision-making quality.

Implications for Industry Stakeholders

Operators and regulators reviewing the AGA-commissioned report now have concrete numbers to reference when designing education initiatives or responsible gambling tools. The 14-percentage-point gap in high-literacy classification between gamblers and non-gamblers supplies a benchmark that future surveys can track over time, and the correlation with Positive Play Scale outcomes offers a measurable target for intervention programs. Because the data come from a single snapshot in July 2026, researchers have already flagged the need for longitudinal follow-up to determine whether literacy levels shift with continued participation or remain stable traits.

Broader Context Within U.S. Gambling Landscape

The survey sample reflected the geographic spread of legal gambling options available in 2026, including states with sports betting, casino floors, and emerging prediction market platforms. Responses were weighted to match national census distributions on age, gender, and region so the results could be generalized beyond the online panel that supplied the raw data. Financial literacy questions covered basic interest calculations, inflation effects, and risk diversification, all framed in everyday language that avoided jargon specific to betting products.

Next Steps for Data Collection

Industry analysts have begun comparing the July 2026 results against earlier national literacy surveys that did not segment by gambling status, and preliminary checks show the overall U.S. adult average sits between the two groups identified here. That placement suggests gamblers in the current study pulled the combined mean upward while non-gamblers pulled it downward, a distribution that future studies can test by expanding sample sizes in states where gambling access remains limited. The American Gaming Association has indicated plans to repeat the exercise on an annual cadence, which would allow observers to monitor whether the literacy advantage persists or narrows as more adults enter regulated markets.

Conclusion

The July 2026 national survey supplies the clearest numerical comparison to date between financial knowledge levels in gamblers and non-gamblers, and the documented differences in average scores and high-literacy percentages stand as the central findings. The additional detail on prediction market users and the link to Positive Play Scale behaviors gives stakeholders specific data points to incorporate into program design and policy discussions. As more states expand legal options, continued measurement of these same variables will show whether the patterns observed in 2026 remain consistent across changing market conditions.