New Jersey to Consider Ban on Micro Sports Betting

Sports betting may soon look very different in the Garden State. 

New Jersey Assemblyman Dan Hutchinson has introduced bill A 5971 this week. The bill's details are still being finalized, but its goal is to enact a ban on micro-betting on sports. This style of betting involves placing wagers at each moment of a game, allowing bettors to wager dozens of times before the event concludes.  

Micro-betting has been under scrutiny over the past few months. One of the biggest concerns being echoed across the US revolves around its effects on problem gambling. With so many bets available, those struggling with addiction could lose a massive amount of money in a very short amount of time.

“The pace of micro betting is designed to keep people gambling constantly, making one impulsive bet after another with little time to think,” Hutchison said. “This bill is a commonsense step to slow that cycle down and protect individuals from the financial and emotional harms that can come with excessive betting.”’

While micro betting remains a niche part of the larger sports betting industry, some believe it should be banned before its popularity grows.

Recent Scandals Put Micro-Betting in the Spotlight

On top of the increased risk for problem gambling, micro-betting also makes it easier for athletes to affect the outcome of bets. There are three ongoing investigations involving pro athletes accused of spot-fixing micro-bets. Regulators detected unusual micro-betting patterns for all three players, leading to the investigations.

The question now is where these investigations will lead. It is hard to prove an athlete intentionally fixed a game, much less one individual moment. If they fail to bring charges, it will lead many to question the integrity of pro sports in the US.

These scandals have some lawmakers struggling to shut micro-betting down. Given its increasing prevalence in news stories surrounding these scandals, more bettors are becoming aware of and intrigued by this niche form of gambling. That puts the pressure on to ban this controversial bet type before it becomes too popular.