New Jersey bill would ban micro betting

[The Buzz]

New Jersey Assemblyman Dan Hutchison has introduced legislation (A5971) that would prohibit licensed sportsbooks in the state from offering or accepting micro bets.

According to a press release, the bill defines micro-betting as a live wager placed during a sporting event on the outcome of the next play or action — for example, betting on the result of the next pitch in baseball or the next point in a tennis match. The full text of the bill has not yet been released.

Supporters of the bill, including the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey, say micro-betting encourages impulsive behavior and increases the risk of gambling harm. They point to a sharp rise in help-line calls since the legalization of sports betting, as well as concerns around the integrity of games. Micro-bets have come under scrutiny in recent months following investigations into suspicious betting activity during isolated in-game moments.

From the press release:

“The pace of micro betting is designed to keep people gambling constantly, making one impulsive bet after another with little time to think,” said Assemblyman Hutchison (D-Atlantic, Camden, Gloucester). “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.”

The bill defines a micro bet as a proposition bet placed live during a sporting event that relates to the outcome of the next play or action. It explicitly prohibits any licensed sportsbook operator from offering or accepting these types of wagers.

Assemblyman Hutchison noted that micro bets, which concern the outcome of one particular play or action, are easier to fix than many more traditional forms of wagering. There have already been several reported cases of athletes being investigated for altering their performance to meet the terms of large wagers on a micro bet. This bill aims to safeguard the integrity of sports and preserve the health and well-being of our citizens by prohibiting sportsbooks from offering micro bets in New Jersey.

The National Council on Problem Gambling estimates that as many as eight million people nationwide suffer from problem gambling, and the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ) has reported a 277% spike in calls to their problem gambling helpline since the legalization of sports wagering.

“The evidence underscores that micro betting can accelerate the path to problem gambling, especially among vulnerable populations such as youths and individuals with a history of compulsive gambling. We praise the sponsors for their insight and initiative in addressing this critical public health issue,” said Luis Del Orbe, Executive Director of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ). “By eliminating micro betting, this legislation would take an essential step toward protecting citizens from the harmful effects of reckless gambling practices.”

Read more here: https://www.gpwa.org/article/hutchis...-jersey-260753

[NoDepositCasinos]

In this case, unlike others, they’ve at least provided some logic behind the bill, but if it passes, I think it will push bettors to private/underground groups. At least that’s what I’ve seen in Latin America, so there’s a significant cultural difference, but here betting during events is part of them (not an added activity) and is even seen on a small scale at social gatherings.