After a 14-year break, March Madness will be back on New Jersey soil. The Prudential Center in Newark is the 2025 East Regional, announced the NCAA on Wednesday, and Seton Hall University will host.
But there are some small letters: you may not be able to bet on him at Garden State.
Responding to an email asking if bets can be placed in New Jersey in the East Region, regardless of whether New Jersey groups were betting or not, New Jersey Game Compliance Division spokesman Leland Moore said: “The answer to your query is no. Under existing law, a school game played in New Jersey can be wagered in New Jersey».
This is a big challenge as New Jersey has the largest sports betting market in the country, with March Madness and the Super Bowl as the two most important occasions on the sports betting calendar.
In August, New Jersey set a record for the most productive month of all time for all sports courts, with about $668 million wagered at the state’s racetracks and casinos when the NBA, NHL and MLB resumed after the closure of COVID-19. $39. 5 million, with the FanDuel Sports Book at Meadowlands Racecourse leading the way with revenue of $20. 2 million for the month.
It is well known among sports gamblers that New Jersey gambling law prohibits state bookmakers from accepting bets on Jersey school teams, such as Rutgers football or Seton Hall basketball. But banning on such a prestigious occasion as the East Region would leave a lot of cash. on the table, and an effort is already being made to replace the law.
On Thursday, State Senator Paul Sarlo (D-Bergen/Passaic) said he would introduce a law to eliminate the ban on sports at school games in New Jersey if they are part of an NCAA-sanctioned tournament, playoff, championship or postseason. . This would come with football games at MetLife Stadium.
“New Jersey has become the largest sports betting market in the country and Meadowlands is the largest sports betting center in the state,” Sarlo said in a statement. “This is a vital opportunity that we want to take advantage of. We will need to help and help this developing market, which adapts to a vital component of our regional and state economies. March Madness is a high-profile occasion on the sports betting calendar and we deserve to be a key player.
The New Jersey component of the East Regional Rotation of the NCAA Tournament dating back to Meadowlands Arena. The Prudential Center Regional 2011 (opened in 2007) was considered a resounding success. But Garden State’s omission in the existing championship cycle, which runs until 2021-22, due to state forays into sports betting.
That taboo rose last year when the NCAA changed its policy on the matter. On Wednesday, when the NCAA announced sports championship sites from 2022 to 2026, even Las Vegas received a share of the action: the 2023 West Regional.
So Big Dance’s return is a big challenge for New Jersey, but it’s not an agreement you can bet on here, for now.
Also in 2025, the NCAA Division I wrestling championships are headed to Philadelphia for the time being. Last time in 2011, when the City of Brotherly Love became the first host site to surpass 100,000 in general attendance, setting a record at the time. 104,260.
The six-session tournament attracted 104,260.
Jerry Carino has covered the New Jersey sports scene since 1996 and school basketball has won since 2003. He is one of the 25 most sensitive voters in The Associated Press. Contact him at jcarino@gannettnj. com.