TransUnion completed a study examining the financial status and behaviors of consumers who engage in mobile sports betting. The research was conducted in May of 2022 through an online survey of 2,739 adults.
Research found that more than half (54%) of mobile sports bettors earn incomes of $100,000 or more. However, these individuals still have concerns about inflation and its impact on their ability to keep making credit payments.
TransUnion Head of US Gaming Declan Raines commented: "At face value, most of the consumers engaging in mobile sports betting can likely afford to do so.
"At the same time, our findings demonstrate how important it is, especially during a time of economic uncertainty, that operators utilize comprehensive data to identify both resilient and distressed consumers. Doing so can help operators protect players and provide a safer experience to consumers engaged in regulated betting."
Research also found that mobile sports bettors are more likely to be employed, with 89% currently employed versus 81% of the total population.
It was also indicated that 22% of mobile sports bettors had changed jobs for better pay in the last three months.
Analysis from TransUnion found mobile sports bettors are saving more money in emergency funds and paying down debt faster than the total population.
Research identified a positive correlation between consumer liquidity and the gaming industry’s performance at both the macro and state levels.
Raines continued: "Consumer liquidity was a critical component of this research. Tracking it and its relationship to the industry’s performance can help operators understand how wider economic factors can impact share of wallet, lifetime player value and responsible gaming risk."
TransUnion's report would also indicate that operators relying on first-party data are limiting their view of a player.
Impact on credit health was another main concern of mobile sports betting users.
TransUnion's Head of Consumer Credit Education Margaret Poe commented: "Payment history and credit utilization rate, a measure of how much of available credit someone is using compared to their total credit limit, are two of the major credit scoring factors
"Missing payments and running up credit balances can have a severe, negative impact on a consumer’s credit score."
The TransUnion study was completed in part with third-party research provider, Dynata.
