New Jersey Bill To Ban ‘Micro Betting’ Markets in Garden State

• Assemblyman Dan Hutchinson (D-4) introduced a bill to ban micro betting in New Jersey
• Will prohibit sportsbooks from offering or accepting micro bets in the state
• Cites concerns around “excessive and impulsive gambling”

A new piece of legislation in New Jersey, according to its author, will prohibit a betting market that encourages “excessive and impulsive gambling.”

Assemblyman Dan Hutchinson (D-4) recently introduced A5971, a bill to prohibit sportsbooks from accepting or offering micro betting in the Garden State.

“The pace of micro betting is designed to keep people gambling constantly, making one impulsive bet after another with little time to think,” Hutchinson said in a release. “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.”

Commonsense Measure To Slow Gambling

Micro betting, a market-type that allows users to bet on the outcome of a play or moment rather than the outcome of the game itself, encourages a higher volume of fast-paced gambling with limited time for deliberation, Hutchinson noted.

His legislation defines a micro bet as a prop bet placed during a live sporting event that relates to the outcome of the next play or action.

A violation of the bill, if approved, would result in a disorderly person’s offense and a fine ranging from $500 to $1,000 per violation. The proposed penalty is consistent with penalties for other unauthorized gambling practices under state law.

“This legislation isn’t about banning sports betting. It’s about setting boundaries to ensure it’s done responsibly,” Hutchison said. “By banning micro bets, we would be taking a clear stand against predatory practices that push people toward irresponsible gambling habits.”

The bill has yet to be assigned to an Assembly committee.

Micro Betting Resulted in MLB Investigation

Hutchinson said the bill is also designed to safeguard the integrity of sports in the state, as the market has already led to several professional sports investigations.

Micro betting markets have led to the latest MLB investigation of one its athletes. Cleveland Guardians starting pitcher Luis Ortiz remains on non-disciplinary paid leave through Aug. 31. Ortiz went on leave on July 3 as he became the subject of an MLB gambling investigation. A firm that monitors betting activity reported suspicious wagering on two separate pitches thrown by Ortiz during two games he started.

The firm noted suspicious betting volumes on two separate pitches during his June 15 and June 27 starts against the Seattle Mariners and St. Louis Cardinals, respectively.

Larger than normal amounts of money were placed on whether Ortiz would throw a strike or ball in a certain inning.