A Garden State lawmaker wants to lift the ban on bets involving college teams that call New Jersey home.
Representative Michael Venezia introduced Resolution 140. It seeks to lift New Jersey’s ban on sports betting involving in-state colleges and universities.
This constitutional amendment will permit wagering on ‘all college sports or athletic events’. The bill applies to licensed operators in New Jersey who collaborate with casinos and horse racetracks. Voters will decide on this issue during the general election in November, with required notice of the proposed bill in local newspapers.
The Princeton, Rider, Rutgers, Saint Peter’s, and Seton Hall campuses are all in New Jersey.
Second Attempt in Three Years to Lift The Ban
New Jersey lawmakers have tried before to allow sports betting on local teams, but voters rejected it in 2021. At the time, 57% of New Jersey voted against a constitutional amendment to permit sports betting on state college athletics. Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo led the charge three years ago.
One lawmaker said that vote went sour because many people didn’t know it was on the ballot, or they didn’t understand the question.
Supporters think betting on local college teams could bring in more money and that legal betting is safer than illegal betting. Opponents worry it could lead to game-fixing and more harassment of athletes.
The NCAA has asked states to ban specific bets on college games to prevent harassment but hasn’t asked for a complete ban on betting on local teams. New Jersey lawmakers are also looking into this issue.
NCAA Calling For Nationwide Ban on College Prop Bets
Ironically, this move is being made in New Jersey while NCAA president Charlie Baker continues his campaign against college prop bets nationwide. He’s asking states with legal sports betting to stop allowing bets on individual college athletes, and New Jersey Senator Kristin Corrado wants to see it happen in her state.
She introduced a bill earlier this year, Senate Bill 3080 (SB 3080), that would ban college player prop markets, which involve betting on specific performance outcomes of college athletes. Prohibiting player prop bets could prevent potential harassment and negative impacts on college sports.
Louisiana, Ohio, and Maryland have already banned them. Colorado, Arizona, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Oregon, already had rules against prop betting on college athletes before the NCAA’s recent campaign. Others like Illinois, Connecticut, and Iowa do not allow prop bets on in-state college athletes.
New Jersey Not Alone in Denying In-State College Bets
New Jersey is among seven states that allow player props on college sports, but not for teams within the state. The rest include:
Connecticut is rethinking its stance, likely because the UConn Men’s Basketball Team won back-to-back titles. The state has no professional teams, so most people there root for New York or New England teams.
If Connecticut allows bets on UConn players, you can expect a surge in those bets immediately which could add more pressure in New Jersey.
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