Crypto payments have become a practical cashier issue for US sportsbooks. According to Paysafe’s All the Ways Players Pay: Crypto Edition report by Paysafe, 83% of US bettors are interested in using cryptocurrency to fund online sportsbook wagers where permitted.
Conducted in March 2026, the research was commissioned by Paysafe through Sapio Research among 2,550 adults who are of betting age in Colorado, Florida, Illinois, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Wyoming. All respondents either actively bet online or intended to do so within the next 12 months.
Bettor Interest Runs Ahead of State Rules
The market tension is evident from this survey. The demand is strong, but permission is not universal.
Specifically, Colorado and Wyoming are the two surveyed states where crypto deposits are permitted. Paysafe found that 59% of sports bettors in Colorado and 45% of bettors in Wyoming had used cryptocurrency to fund an online bet.
These percentages are indicative of a useful baseline. They show actual use, not only stated interest.
New York Shows the Strongest Appetite
New York produced the strongest interest level in the survey. According to Paysafe, 92% of all surveyed bettors from New York had an interest in crypto deposits.
Illinois and Florida followed up with numbers of 88% each. Paysafe said Illinois and Virginia have regulatory latitude for operator-specific permission, while Florida, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, and Pennsylvania do not yet permit crypto deposits.
According to Paysafe, 64% of active US bettors possess cryptocurrency holdings. That is well above general US adult ownership estimates. Security.org recently estimated that about 30% of American adults own cryptocurrency.
If given the option, crypto would come quite high in terms of preferred payment options. If permitted, 45% of respondents would list crypto among their preferred funding methods. Digital wallets topped the poll with a 55% share, with debit cards coming in second at 50%.
Withdrawals Could Be the Next Pressure Point
Deposits are only one part of the payment gap. Paysafe also found that 85% of surveyed bettors are interested in crypto withdrawals, although no US state currently permits sportsbook payouts in digital assets.
The withdrawal finding also links payments to retention. According to the survey findings, 71% of sports bettors believed that making digital asset transactions would help boost their betting experience. The same percentage indicated they would likely abandon a sportsbook following an unsatisfactory payment experience.
For operators, the finding points to cashier friction rather than crypto hype. Some bettors already hold digital assets, but state rules still limit how sportsbooks can accept or return those funds. At the same time, sportsbooks still need payment controls that meet state gambling rules.
Regulators Still Hold the Gate
The survey follows the release in April by Paysafe of its Pay with Crypto solution. It enables consumers to use digital money if allowed, while merchants receive payment in fiat or stablecoins through MoonPay technology.
The new research brings demand information into this narrative. The research also shows why state-level rules remain the main constraint. Crypto may be gaining wider use in payments, but sportsbook deposits and withdrawals still depend on gambling regulation in each state.
What It Means for the Market
The industry should treat Paysafe’s numbers as an early demand signal. Crypto payments will only scale in regulated US betting if operators can offer a simple cashier flow, clear consumer protections, and compliance checks that satisfy state regulators. For now, the customer interest is visible. The permission structure is still catching up.
