New Jersey edges closer to banning college player prop bets
Garden State’s Assembly Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee gives backing to legislation that would see New Jersey operators banned from offering prop markets across college sports
New Jersey lawmakers have advanced legislation that would ban licensed operators from offering college player prop markets.
On Thursday, November 14, the Garden State’s Assembly Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee voted 5-0 in favor of Bill A4905, inching the legislation closer towards being rubberstamped.
The bill was introduced by Assemblyman Sterley Stanley last month, amid a backdrop of controversy surrounding student-athletes facing gambling-related abuse and harassment.
The legislation must receive approval from both chambers of the New Jersey legislature before being sent to Governor Phil Murphy to become enshrined in law.
Following the advancement of the bill, Stanley explained: “Even as a staunch supporter of the sports betting industry, I believe it is incumbent upon us to recognize the incredible pressures college-athletes face between their academic and athletic responsibilities.
“My legislation ensures they do not have those pressures compounded by problem gamblers who have come to harass our college-athletes when gamblers lose money on college player proposition bets.”
In April, Senator Kristin Corrado introduced S-3080, a near identical version of Bill A4905, in which she shed further light on the reasons behind such a proposal and bemoaned the “appalling behaviour” that has blighted student-athletes as a result of college player prop bets.
“Proposition bets have led to a rise in the harassment of student-athletes and have threatened the integrity of college sports,” Corrado said.
“I have heard about many individuals who have been the victim of online harassment because they didn’t perform to the expectation of a bettor who made a side wager.
“This legislation will ban player-specific prop betting in New Jersey, which will help curb that appalling behavior and make college athletic events safer for all participants.”
Both bills recognize such bets as a “side wager” that does not concern the final outcome of the event, as well as banning operators from offering college player prop markets entirely.
The latest update from New Jersey comes 12 months after Charlie Baker, National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) president, voiced his concerns over college player prop bets, suggesting it is a market that can hinder the integrity of fixtures.
Last month, an NCAA report determined 12% of all abusive messages sent to college-athletes were related to sports betting, excluding private messages which would most likely increase that figure.
Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio, and Vermont have all banned college prop betting in recent months, while a bill was also introduced in North Carolina earlier this year to ban the market.
Just six regulated sports betting markets within the US currently permit college player prop bets.