New Jersey Voters to Decide Fate of In-State Collegiate Sports Betting Ban

Rutgers University overs all day, every day.

New Jersey voters will take to the polls this November to decide perhaps the most important issue facing the state; the ability to place sport bets on in-state collegiate programs.

The New Jersey Assembly voted 74-0 to place a referendum question on the 2021 November general election ballot to amend the constitution to “permit sports wagering through casinos and current or former horse racetracks on certain sanctioned collegiate tournament, playoff, championship, or other postseason athletic competitions in New Jersey.”

In-State Collegiate New Jersey Sports Betting

If approved by voters, the constitutional amendment would allow the state legislature to pass laws permitting wagering on any college sport or athletic event. It would permit wagering even if a New Jersey college team participates in the competition.

New York online sports betting includes a ban on in-state collegiate wagers.

Both the House and Senate approved the resolution, SCR 133. It was approved by the Senate earlier this month by a vote of 36-1.

The resolution comes several years before Newark, N.J., is slated to host the regional rounds of the NCAA Men’s D-1 Basketball tournament at the Prudential Center in 2025.

New Jersey Wants to Remain Competitive

When the original sports betting bill was crafted the state included the college sports prohibition in the document to account for the potential ethics violations it may present. Moving forward, it’s important for the state to optimize the sports betting bill and include in-state collegiate events, Assemblyman Vince Mazzeo (D-2) told ESNY in a previous interview.

“From a competitive edge we should have what other states have in regards to collegiate betting,” He said.

Mazzeo represents District 2, which includes Atlantic City, so anything that could potentially increase tourism is a good thing for the state.

“I could see many people coming down to Atlantic City, to bet on their favorite New Jersey college team, and make a night or a weekend of it,” he previously said.