New Jersey Advances Bill to Ban College Prop Betting

• Still in the beginning stages, legislators in the Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee voted 5-0 to approve a NJ sports betting regulation.
• With an identical measure in the Senate, New Jersey could ban college prop bets just as many states have done in 2024.

TRENTON, N.J. – New Jersey lawmakers are moving forward with Assembly Bill 4905, a measure that would prohibit proposition betting on college sporting events.

The bill explicitly targets wagers on specific in-game events and player performance stats, such as the first player to score or individual statistical achievements. In short, premade wagers like Same-Game Parlays on player props and live wagers based on athletes won’t exist anymore.

Recent NJ Sports Betting Developments

Last month, the bill – sponsored by Assemblyman Sterley S. Stanley (D) – was introduced and referred to the Assembly Tourism, Gaming, and the Arts Committee. Last week, the committee reported the bill as favorable with a unanimous vote of 5-0, advancing it to a second reading in the Assembly.

While Antwan L. McClellan didn’t vote, all other members of the committee (John Allen, Margie Donlon, Dan Hutchison, Claire S. Swift) voted yes including Chair William F. Moen.

The unanimous committee support reflects bipartisan alignment on concerns about prop bets, with proponents citing risks to sports integrity. By banning these types of wagers, New Jersey aims to prevent the potential manipulation of specific game events. This concern has led many other states with sports betting to adopt similar restrictions.

What’s Next?

The bill now moves to the full Assembly for debate and a potential vote. If approved, it could reshape the New Jersey sports betting market by eliminating a popular category of wagers.

But the outcome will depend on whether lawmakers prioritize regulatory caution. Identical Bill S3080 in the Senate has been introduced but untouched by the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee since April.

As one of the nation’s leaders in legal sports betting, New Jersey would be one of the last states to prohibit college bets, for once using the precedent of others to adjust sports betting regulations.

News tags: Antwan McClellan | Claire Swift | Dan Hutchison | John Allen | Margie Donlon | New Jersey | NJ A4905 | NJ S3080 | Senate State Government | Sterley Stanley | Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee | Wagering | William Moen