New Jersey lawmakers recently convened to discuss a proposed measure that would ban in-game prop betting, also called micro-betting, though no legislative action has been taken yet. The hearing served as an informational session, providing a forum for both supporters and critics of the legislation.
Bill Targets High-Frequency In-Game Bets
Assemblyman Dan Hutchinson introduced bill A 597 last month amid concerns about match-fixing in professional and collegiate sports. The measure would prohibit in-game wagers, such as those placed on individual baseball pitches, and impose fines of $500 to $1,000 for each bet accepted. A companion measure with identical language, S, is under consideration in the state Senate.
Hutchinson emphasized his personal exposure to problem gambling while explaining the rationale behind the bill. “As I watched the Eagles play yesterday, I was shocked to find that gambling ads were baked into the programming itself. What these companies want is for you to bet as frequently as physically or financially possible. Yesterday, I’m listening to one ad on the radio, and the little caveat at the end said you have to place 50 bets per day, something like that. It’s these types of enticements that are that are attracting people.”
Advocates Cite Addiction Risks
Representatives from the problem gambling community, including Jean Swain of the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey (CCGNJ), urged lawmakers to consider the potential harm of frequent micro-bets.
“Recent conversations with young people reveal that the allure of in-game betting and having skin in the game increasingly influences their engagement with sports or sports betting,” Swain said. “These high frequency wagers from every player action can trigger instant dopamine releases in the brain’s reward system, fostering compulsive behaviors that can develop into serious addiction.”
Swain also reflected on her own experience with gambling challenges, emphasizing the need for pauses between bets. “We need to have a way to slow down. And if it’s in our face continuously, while we are feeling the action, we will continue to reach for it. We have to be able to breathe in between hits, just at least a breath.”
Opponents Argue Micro-Bets Support Integrity
The sole opposition testimony came from Zachary Khan of the Sports Betting Alliance, who noted the economic contributions of sports betting in New Jersey, including the creation of more than 2,000 jobs and significant office space use. Khan defended micro-betting as a tool for maintaining integrity, despite concerns raised by sports leagues like Major League Baseball .
“I do want to flag for this committee that [micro-betting] is actually one of the more effective tools that regulators and operators rely on. Microbets account for a small share of overall wagering, but they generate highly granular real-time data. Pitch-by-pitch wagers and other microbets often provide the earliest indicators of suspicious activity, because irregular patterns stand out immediately.”
Khan acknowledged the human impact of gambling but did not address its link to micro-bets specifically.
The session concluded without plans for a follow-up vote. While the 2024–2025 legislative session continues until January 16, 2026, any progress on the bill would require additional hearings and deliberation.
Source:
“NJ lawmakers hear both sides on the issue of banning in-game props”, sbcamericas.com. December 15, 2025
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