Last updated on July 20th, 2025 at 04:17 am
New Jersey helped to pioneer legalized sports betting in the U.S. As one of the largest betting markets, it is often a model for other states in the legislative actions it takes.
College sports always attract plenty of betting action, and prop bets on college athletes have become a topic of increasing concern. New Jersey wants to ban player-specific prop bets on college sports. Several other states have already done so to protect student athletes from harassment.
Now, Bill S-3080, introduced by Senator Kristen Corrado, is on its way to the Senate for deliberation. It would prevent licensed sportsbooks from accepting bets on individual athletes performing in collegiate events.
Why prop bets are popular
Online sports betting in New Jersey is very popular, and sports bettors can place many different types of bets. Prop bets relate to events occurring within a game that aren’t directly tied to the end result. Sports bettors can place bets such as how many points a college athlete will score, or which one will score first. This can make betting more engaging and creative.
Problems with prop bets
The problem is that prop bets can make amateur athletes vulnerable. These athletes don’t have the salaries or protection that professional athletes enjoy.
Prop bets on college games can result in attempts to manipulate or fix games. Even a small event in a game can influence the outcome.
Banning of prop bets
Harassment of college athletes has been rising. This is the main motivation for the new bill. Bettors whose expectations aren’t met take this out on student athletes by sending them abusive messages. Misinformation on the internet today can even skew public opinion against certain athletes and subject them to harassment. The well-being of these athletes is at stake.
Sentiment against prop bets is growing
New Jersey is just one of a growing number of states that are anti-prop bets. These states want to stop any betting practices that have the potential to compromise the well-being of student athletes. Some of the best colleges in NJ have been citing reports of the online targeting of athletes after they underperform in games.
In March 2024, Ohio was the first state to ban player-specific prop bets on NCAA games. Maryland also enacted a similar restriction, followed by Vermont and Louisiana. As regulated sports betting spreads across the U.S., it has triggered more concern about the ethical and social consequences of wagering on players.
NCAA takes a more active role
The NCAA president, Charlie Baker, is urging states to protect student athletes. He is pushing hard for the banning of prop bets for all NCAA competitions. Baker feels that prop bets are helping to undermine the integrity of college sports. He estimates that one in three star athletes in the NCAA have been threatened or faced harassment for not living up to expectations. When Armando Bacot of North Carolina’s Tar Heels didn’t reach his rebounding total, he received more than 100 malicious DMs in one night.
The status in different states
In many states, the risks associated with student safety outweigh the benefits, like diversifying revenue streams or making betting more engaging. At present, sports betting is legal in 38 states, but only 10 states still allow NCAA prop betting without any restrictions.
There are 12 states that allow prop bets if they aren’t on college teams within the state. The other states don’t allow prop bets at all. When it comes to sports and gambling, the issue of integrity doesn’t ever go away, even if there are laws in place to offer more protection.
