Addictive new betting trend in NJ needs to be banned, lawmaker says

🔴 Micro bets allow players to make bets on real-time action

🔴 Plays can be as small as the outcome of the next pitch or play

🔴 New Jersey lawmaker says it's addictive and leads to rigged games

A rapid-fire kind of sports betting is becoming more popular in New Jersey, giving each player the chance to lose massive amounts of money on impulsive wagers.

This June, sports wagering gross revenue in New Jersey reached $91.9 million, according to the state's Division of Gaming Enforcement. That's a 53% increase compared to June 2024.

Micro bets are helping to fuel that surge in wagers, according to Assemblyman Dan Hutchison, D-Atlantic.

Get our free mobile app

The state lawmaker compared micro bets to scrolling Facebook, Instagram, or any other social media; it's a quick dopamine rush available right on your phone.

And Hutchison, who calls micro bets predatory, says he wants them banned in the Garden State.

Are micro bets predatory?

A micro bet is a single wager placed on a single aspect of a game. Instead of betting on the final score, a bettor can put

"With micro betting, there are so many bets being placed that people can lose large quantities of money in a relatively short period of time, and it's just not good for people," Hutchison said.

According to a 2019 survey of more than 1,800 sports bettors in Australia, micro bets "appeal almost exclusively to bettors with gambling problems."

Of the bettors in the survey who placed micro bets, 78% of them met the criteria for problem gambling.

Hutchison also said he worries that bets on small outcomes could make it easier for athletes to rig games.

"A lot of professional athletes get involved in gambling. This could corrupt the integrity of the sport," Hutchison said.

Penalty for offering micro bets

Hutchison has introduced a bill (A5971) to ban micro bets in New Jersey.

If passed, it would penalize sportsbooks on mobile apps and Atlantic City casinos, instead of the bettor.

ALSO SEE: Nick Danbrowney, rising pitcher from NJ, dies in tragic crash

Violators would face a $1,000 fine for each micro bet that they accept, a penalty that adds up quickly.

Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom