There’s no denying that the gambling industry is changing at a rapid pace, with new offerings being introduced on an almost daily basis by operators.
One of those major changes includes the introduction and expansion of microbetting which moves away from the traditional wagers that were once the only option. Now, people are able to bet on small moments within games, as they play out live. According to research by Optimove, “live betting accounts for more than half of all bets placed in several major markets.”
While many view this feature as being a major area of growth for operators, some regulators are beginning to issue concerns as it fundamentally changes user behavior and regulatory expectations.
What is microbetting in the gambling industry?
The modern bettor has likely come across microbetting without realizing it, as it has become more prominent on live betting apps. It’s where bets are placed on events that could take place during a sporting game and they don’t focus on the overall winner or loser.
For example, microbets in football could be like ‘will the next play be a pass or run?’ or in basketball ‘which team will score the next basket?’ NHL microbets, on the other hand, may involve noting that the Tampa Bay Lightning score on about 28% of their power plays, while the Washington Capitals kill off roughly 79% of their penalties.
It relates to what’s actually happening, whilst it’s happening meaning it’s a lot faster paced than general bets which are placed ahead of the event starting.
Beyond the increased engagement and pace, there are clear commercial advantages for operators. For one, it generally carries higher margins, drives a greater volume of wagers within a single game, and allows companies to deliver personalized, real-time promotions as events unfold. It explains why brands across the industry are leaning heavily into it as a key growth area.
How has microbetting come about?
As the gambling industry has become larger, the output from operators has quickly evolved as has the technology used.
Now, the advancement of technology means brands can operate at an ultra-fast pace, with their feeds updating within seconds. For those with smartphones, this form of betting is easily accessible too and provides greater engagement opportunities for the businesses in the industry.
Some businesses have even led with a live betting focus, including Betr, the Jake Paul-backed app. The company allows people to bet on games in the moment.
This addition is a far cry from what has previously been seen in gambling, dating back to when people in the United States could only legally gamble by going into an approved casino venue. It was only in 2018 when the US Supreme Court overturned a ban on sports gambling.
Since then, states across the country have taken action and legalized sports betting. Now, the industry is growing at breakneck speed. In 2024, the US sports betting market size was estimated at $17.94 billion, with this expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.9% from 2025 to 2030, according to market data company Grand View Research.
Microbets are becoming more commonplace outside of sports too
It’s not just in the sporting world that microbets are rising in popularity, as the reality TV industry has bled even further into the gambling market over the last few years.
While betting on reality TV isn’t something new, the prevalence of it has grown with prediction markets like Kalshi being one of the companies that is leading the charge with pop culture-based markets.
According to data from Kalshi, the markets people seem to like most are the awards categories, where users can bet on who will win or get nominated for things like the Oscars or the Grammys. These markets have already seen tens of millions of dollars in action, and the Oscars alone have brought in about $25 million in trades.
That said, even though Kalshi’s awards markets are technically event-level predictions, they are not real-time micro-events. They’re more like traditional futures bets that are essentially slower, macro-event forecasts. However, this still showcases how prediction culture is expanding beyond sports and is not strictly limited to microbetting.
How does this form of betting impact gamblers?
Microbetting also brings up some important consumer-protection concerns that go beyond just how fast and easy it is to use. Because the betting cycles move so quickly, they’re more likely to feed into compulsive gambling habits, and any delays in live data can put regular bettors at a disadvantage compared to operators who have far more accurate information. All of this creates a bigger information gap than you typically see with traditional bets.
We spoke to Dr Ashwini Nadkarni, assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, who explained how people react to this gambling subtype:
“Microbetting is an important topic because of its increasing popularity in sports. Like any form of gambling, microbetting leverages the brain’s reward system, with the release of dopamine (our brain’s feel-good chemical) that involves the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and projects to the nucleus accumbens of our brain.
“However the pace of microbetting (fast) and frequency of opportunity to bet (high) increase the likelihood of impulsivity. The primary target demographic in microbetting is men, who, based on research, may have more of a competitive motivation as opposed to women.”
While Dr. Nadkarni points out how quick-fire betting can fuel impulsive behavior, tying that to known gambling risk factors makes it easier to see why many experts consider microbetting especially risky for some players.
How have the industry and regulators reacted to this new form of betting?
While microbetting is another chance to entice audiences for the betting operators, not everyone is happy with the rising interest of it.
Regulators have raised concerns about the rise of “subjective” micro-markets, such as bets on which player will commit the next foul or outcomes that depend on an official’s interpretation of a play. These types of wagers can lead to disputes when decisions are open to judgment rather than being based on clear, objective results.
In some regions, this concern has already led to restrictions: several U.S. states have prohibited certain in-play wagers, such as bets on the next foul or referee-driven outcomes, on the grounds that they are too easily influenced or too difficult to adjudicate fairly.
Earlier in the year, it was reported that the Ohio Casino Control Commission (OCCC) announced it is reviewing the types of microbets currently offered by the state’s books on all sports.
Over in the UK, the deputy chief executive of the Gambling Commission, Sarah Gardner, has highlighted concerns about microbets in a speech. She said: “Many have commented on the growth of bet builders and in-play markets in recent years, but what we see now are new challenges for consumers as they can engage with much more subjective micro-markets.”
She went on to explain about how some micro markets are ‘ultimately more subjective’ and says they have seen a notable increase in disputes from consumers about these selections.
“Once we introduce concepts which require a human being to make a subjective judgement, we introduce debate and argument,” she said.
“I’m not saying these micro-markets should not exist, but we have seen a notable increase in disputes from consumers where already higher-margin, multiple-selection bets now have elements which one person might see differently, especially when it makes the difference between winning and losing.”
Operators are beginning to adjust by tightening their market offerings, improving transparency around how micro-events are graded, and exploring safeguards like stricter data latency controls and more robust integrity monitoring.
Microbetting is clearly on the rise, but the concerns around it are growing just as fast. As more people get into it and regulators start paying closer attention, the real test will be whether the industry can keep up by making sure the excitement does not outrun the safeguards needed to keep players protected.
Featured Image: AI-generated via Ideogram
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