NJ Lawmakers Move to Tighten Sports Betting Ties with Colleges

Summary:

• New Jersey’s Assembly Higher Education Committee advanced a bill banning deals between sports betting operators and higher education institutions.
• The bill allows partnerships offering “experiential learning opportunities”.
• Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Passaic) co-sponsored the bill.

In the context of sports betting becoming more and more prevalent in New Jersey, its lawmakers are taking important steps toward a regulation of partnerships between sportsbooks, colleges, and universities.

One of their most recent actions took place on Monday in Committee Room 15 on the fourth floor of the State House Annex in Trenton. Starting at 10 am, the Assembly Higher Education Committee reunited and advanced a bill that would largely prohibit partnerships between sports betting companies and higher education institutions.

“We Have to Put Up Safeguards to Protect Our Residents”

The proposed text of the A1715 bill included a key exception that would still allow partnerships that provide “experiential learning opportunities” for students in the Garden State.

Co-sponsored by Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Passaic), a beloved teacher and well-known political figure respected by youth and adults alike, the bill seeks to strike the perfect balance between fostering student career opportunities and addressing concerns about gambling addiction.

Wimberly, who is also a Brother of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated, explained the necessity of the ban proposed by the bill by saying “both sides of the aisle” acknowledge the necessity to “put up safeguards” to protect state residents.

Wimberly further emphasized the need to preemptively address any potential issues. “One illegal situation is one too many”, he said, adding they should take early action before they actually start to be confronted with a problem.

The Bill, Praised by the Association of State Colleges and Universities

The legislation is a response to the growing concern about the influence of sports betting on college campuses and its potential impact on students.

Gambling addiction among young people, particularly those exposed to betting through university partnerships, has been a focal point in the debate.

According to a follow-up report by the Rutgers Center for Gambling Studies funded by the state Division of Gaming Enforcement and released in 2023, roughly one-third of gamblers ages 18 to 24 gambled exclusively online.

The figure represented almost five times as many as in a past survey as well as more than any other age group.

The same report showed around 19% of youngsters ages 18-24 were at high risk for problem gambling.

However, not everyone seems to be on the same page. In July 2024, assemblyman Michael Venezia introduced Resolution 140, a measure meant to amend the state’s constitution to enable wagering on “all college sports or athletic events” and thus extend the state’s gambling industry.

The bill would have applied to licensed operators in New Jersey that have been issued sports betting licenses via partnerships with casinos and either present or former horse racetracks.

On Monday, the New Jersey Association of State Colleges and Universities’ executive director, Jennifer Keyes-Maloney, took the opportunity to praise the bill’s approach, noting that it achieves a delicate balance.

Allowing this balance in terms of ensuring that our students remain as safe as possible, but at the same time recognizing that this can be a valuable career for them, is that balance

The executive director added that the association appreciates the effort lawmakers have made to ensure students can still benefit from career-building experiences without being exposed to undue risks.

The legislation will now move forward for further consideration.