Is New Jersey In Line to Ban College Prop Betting?

The push to ban college prop betting in the exploding U.S. legal sports wagering market has officially entered the conversation in New Jersey, one of the biggest American jurisdictions. That would mean potential changes upcoming for our best sports betting sites operating within the Garden State.

Following a request two weeks ago by NCAA President Charlie Bake for states and providers to reconsider accepting college prop betting on individual performance, a host of top-tier betting states have heeded the request and have stopped offering the market altogether.

New Jersey sports betting, thanks to legislation introduced by Senator Kristin Corrado this week in the New Jersey legislature, could be next in line to ban college sports prop betting for the enormously successful state.

A prop bet is a side wager on a part of a sport or athletic event that does not concern the final outcome. Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Wisconsin, and Wyoming still offer prop betting opportunities on college sports.

The issues

Harassment of college-age players and game integrity has led to the discussion of banning college prop betting in the American market.

As Charlie Baker's letter stated, "Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity of competition and leading to student-athletes and professional athletes getting harassed. The NCAA has been working with states to deal with these threats and many are responding by banning college prop bets."

Ohio, Maryland, Vermont, and Louisiana have all committed to stopping offering the wagering market in the last couple of weeks alone. Montana is the only state to buck that trend since Baker's request.

Senator Kristin Corrado's plan

At least one state Senator in New Jersey supports what the NCAA President has proposed. Senator Corrado has introduced legislation that would stop college prop bets in New Jersey.

“Proposition bets have led to a rise in the harassment of student-athletes and have threatened the integrity of college sports,” she 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.”

Her proposed Bill S-3080 seeks to end college prop bet opportunities in the Garden State. Residents will still have plenty of options to take advantage of New Jersey sportsbook promos.

Prop betting in the news

It isn't just the NCAA President calling out the viability of prop betting in the American market. It's also a big deal for our best sports betting apps and New Jersey sports betting apps, which have a vested interest in making sure the integrity of games is upheld.

Recently, Toronto Raptors' Jontay Porter made headlines “following multiple instances of betting irregularities over the past several months.” 

Cleveland Cavaliers coach J.B. Bickerstaff has recently mentioned being threatened by bettors. Indiana Pacers All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton talked openly about feeling like a "prop" on the floor, and Rudy Golbert got himself into some hot water by suggesting that refs have been influenced financially by the sports betting scene by flashing the money sign on the court.

He said of that incident, "I’ll take the fine, but I think it’s [betting] is hurting our game. I know the betting and all that is becoming bigger and bigger, but it shouldn’t feel that way.”