Lawmakers in the New Jersey State Assembly have approved a bill that would ban colleges and universities from entering into partnerships with sports betting operators. Assembly Bill 4113 now heads to the Senate Higher Education Committee where, if approved, it will be put up to the NJ Senate for a final vote before becoming the law of the land.
Under the terms of Assembly Bill 4113, Garden State colleges and universities would no longer be allowed to partner with gaming operators. Under the terms of the bill University foundations, such as booster clubs, would still be allowed to partner with sportsbooks.
New Jersey occupies an odd spot in the regulated US sports betting pantheon. On the one hand, New Jersey led the legal effort to put the decision to offer sports betting in the hands of the states. On the other hand, New Jersey also has some very strict prohibitions on sports betting, including an in-state college sports betting ban.
Assemblywoman Linda Carter, the bill’s main sponsor, commented on its intent in a statement reported on by PlayNJ saying, “Simply put, advertisements for sports betting on a college campus are unnecessary and can create harmful consequences. We must protect our students from the risks of gambling addiction by keeping these types of promotions off of campuses, where young adults are most vulnerable.”
While written with good intentions, Assembly Bill 4113 might not have much of an impact on New Jersey sports betting and its relationship with colleges and universities. No Garden State college or university currently has a betting partnership and the American Gaming Association has basically prohibited such relationships between schools and sportsbooks anyways.