New Jersey approves bill to ban betting partnerships with colleges
Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation yesterday (8 July) that prohibits public colleges and universities from forming contractual partnerships with sports betting companies.
Sponsored by Sens. Joe Cryan and John McKeon, Senate Bill 2155 (S-2155) aims to curtail the pervasive reach of gambling promotions in academic environments.
Under the new law, institutions of higher education, including their athletic departments and affiliated booster clubs, will no longer be allowed to enter into agreements with sports betting operators that permit advertising or promotional activity on campus.
This includes placements in stadiums, arenas, and on school-sponsored digital and broadcast media.
The legislation responds to increasing concerns about the impact of gambling advertising on young adults, especially amid the broader nationwide expansion of legal sports wagering.
Sen. Cryan cited the surge in campus-focused gambling promotions as a key factor behind the rise in student betting behaviour.
He stressed that aggressive marketing by betting companies has created a conundrum for educational institutions tasked with safeguarding student welfare while navigating potential financial incentives from commercial partners.
Sen. McKeon emphasised that the law seeks to reduce students’ exposure to betting-related messaging in environments that should be focused on academic and athletic development.
By restricting marketing in college-owned spaces and media, the legislation intends to alleviate pressures on students who may be vulnerable to gambling-related harm.
New Jersey undergoing constant transformation
The passage of S-2155 marks the latest change in New Jersey as it continues to redefine the boundaries between higher education and the gaming industry.
This legislative move builds on the state’s earlier regulatory framework established during the legalisation of sports wagering in 2018.
At that time, lawmakers included a specific provision prohibiting bets on in-state college teams or collegiate events held within the state.
Despite multiple attempts to amend that clause and expand wagering to cover local college sports, those efforts never succeeded. Voters rejected a 2021 ballot measure that would have lifted the in-state college betting ban.
Additionally, further regulatory tightening has been under consideration.
Most recently, a bill aimed at eliminating “player-specific proposition bets” on college sports nationally passed the Senate’s Government, Wagering, Tourism, and Historic Preservation Committee with unanimous support (5-0) on 19 June.
These bets allow gamblers to wager on individual player performances, such as points scored or assists made, and have been criticised for potentially increasing the risk of match-fixing or undue pressure on student-athletes.
However, no additional votes on that proposal have been recorded since the committee’s decision.
https://next.io/news/regulation/new-jersey-bans-betting-partnerships-with-colleges/