A bill to prohibit licensed sports betting operators in New Jersey from offering micro bet markets is gaining momentum after an Assembly subcommittee advanced the measure on Monday.
The state Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee approved Assembly Bill 3258 by a 6-0 vote with one abstention. The bill, introduced by a consortium of Democratic Assemblymembers in January, explicitly bans micro, or “live bets” in the Garden State.
“Micro betting has become an increasingly popular practice whereby bettors can wager on each play in a sporting event,” reads AB 3258. “Examples of micro bets include whether the next pitch in a baseball game will be a strike or whether the next play in a football game will be a pass or run.”
Bill takes live ‘next play’ bets off the menu
AB 3258 provides clarity of what is considered a micro bet, defining the offerings as “a proposition bet which is wagered live, while a sport or athletic event is ongoing, and concerns the outcome of the next play or action occurring in the sport or athletic event.”
AB 3258 prevents operators from offering or accepting micro bets, while also providing penalties for gaming license holders and individuals who fail to adhere to its standards.
- A licensee or person who violates the bill is guilty of a disorderly persons offense
- Fines range between $500 and $1,000
- Each micro bet offered or accepted in New Jersey constitutes a separate offense
NJ senator expresses regret over online sports betting
AB 3258 garnered support amid a willingness to reevaluate New Jersey’s gaming market.
“It was back in 2018 when I voted to allow sportsbook betting in New Jersey. I thought that was a good idea cause we’d have more traffic going to our casinos in Atlantic City. We did that with great intentions,” said Sen. Paul Moriarty during a subcommittee’s hearing.
“But I regret that vote because I didn’t have the forethought that people would soon have casinos in their pocket and that it would lead to what I believe is some dangerous behavior. We were in many ways leaders in sports betting and I think we should be leaders in taking a look at what’s happened and maybe retreat a bit.”
Moriarty is a co-sponsor of Senate Bill 2160, a companion measure of AB 3258 that was introduced in January and referred to the Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee. The committee advanced the SB 2160 by a 4-1 vote, sending the bill to the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee. The bill awaits its first reading by the Senate subcommittee.
In addition to Moriarty, Sen. Jerry Walker and the Campaign for Fairer Gambling also voiced their support for a micro bet ban in New Jersey during the Assembly bill hearing.
“One of my concerns is the integrity of the game,” said Walker. “There’s a lot of moving pieces when it comes to sports, particularly pro sports and amateur sports. In terms of NIL, we’re trying to figure out ways in the state’s perspective to try and even out the score.”
Meanwhile, the Sports Betting Alliance is pushing back against AB 3258.
Not a new legislative effort in New Jersey
The Assembly subcommittee advanced AB 3258 as a carryover from last year’s legislative session. In 2025, Rep. Dan Hutchinson introduced Assembly Bill 5971 as a legislative effort to prevent micro bets from being offered by sportsbooks in the Garden State.
AB 5971 was introduced in November 2025 and referred to the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee. The bill stalled in the subcommittee during last year’s legislative session but received support from the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey. AB 5971 also received pushback from the Sports Betting Alliance.
The bill proposed the same penalties as the active legislative micro effort in New Jersey.
