A New Jersey Senate committee has advanced a bill that would ban prop betting on college players.
The Senate Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee approved Senate Bill 3080 last Thursday on a 5-0 vote. Introduced by Sen. Kristin Corrado (R-40) in April, the bill would remove college player prop bets from all New Jersey sportsbooks.
The next stop for the bill will be a full discussion on the Senate floor.
State has other bans on college sports
While sports wagering is legal in 38 states, less than half have enacted bans on college player prop betting.
NCAA President Charlie Baker has campaigned the last couple of years against these types of bets.
"Sports betting issues are on the rise across the country, with prop bets continuing to threaten the integrity and 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.”
Just four states – Louisiana, Maryland, Ohio and Vermont – heeded Baker’s warning last year and removed college player prop bets from their marketplace. No state has joined the list in 2025 so far.
Corrado wants to change that.
“Proposition bets have led to a rise in the harassment of student-athletes and have threatened the integrity of college sports. 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.”
The bill deals with prop bets only, not full team outcomes. New Jersey sports betting rules already ban wagering on in-state colleges and universities, regardless of where or who they play. Also, betting on any collegiate event that takes place within the state’s borders is off-limits to sports betting.
Prop bets are defined in the bill as a side wager that does not directly deal with the final score. For example, this could mean a certain number of passing yards, rebounds, or strikeouts.
Bans may be having an impact
On a positive note, a recent study noted that online harassment and abuse during March Madness fell 23% year-over-year during the most recent tournament.
Still, many athletes and coaches have shared negative experiences with disgruntled gamblers and constant pressure to meet gamblers’ demands.
Former North Carolina big man Armando Bacot, who was a member of the national runner-up squad in 2022, said he received messages from many angry sports bettors when he didn’t reach the over on his prop line.
Ex-Auburn quarterback Payton Thorne said he received Venmo requests from individuals who allegedly lost money by betting on him.
New Jersey has an extremely active sports betting market. It reported the third-highest totals of any state in 2024, including a $12.8 billion handle (7.3% year-over-year increase) and $1.2 billion in revenue (up 14% year-over-year).