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Local bookies in the Garden State breathed a collective sigh of relief Wednesday morning after New Jersey voters overwhelmingly rejected a ballot initiative to allow wagering on in-state schools and games that feature them. The result is one that other states considering legalizing sports betting will most certainly consider moving forward. Gambling911.com does not promote sports betting in the state.
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Local bookies remain the only source for placing bets on schools such as Rutgers and Seton Hall while in the state. Regulated licensed New Jersey sportsbooks still are prohibited from taking such bets following Tuesday's election results while most offshore books do not accept NJ customers. Some have gotten around these restrictions by funding their accounts with offshore sportsbooks exclusively through Bitcoin.
56% of voters rejected a ballot question amending the state constitution to expand the state's restrictive college sports betting law, with 97% of precincts reporting as of 1:30 a.m., according to the Associated Press.
Nearly a dozen US states have followed New Jersey's lead and do not allow wagering on local schools. These include:
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- District of Columbia
- Illinois
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oregon (no mobile betting on any college games)
- Rhode Island
- South Dakota
- Virginia
- Washington
Most experts believe that none of the Southeast states that allow for sports wagering will prohibit betting on in-state schools. Alabama, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee are home to some of the most diehard college sports fans in the USA. Indeed, Virginia is somewhat of a surprise with their Hokies in College Football and the Cavaliers among the most revered teams in College Basketball.
Illinois is among the states listed above looking to re-evaluate allowing bets on local teams in light of their success in College Basketball. The schools themselves have condemned this push and would likely have the ability to opt out based on previously discussed language by lawmakers.
Voters in New Jersey did green-lit a ballot question Tuesday that allows nonprofits to use money they collect from games of chance such as raffles and bingo to support their operations. That question was approved 64% to 36%.
- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com
