Looking into the prospect of allowing New Jersey residents to bet on a wide variety of sporting events, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo (D-Essex) has sponsored legislation to permanently include additional skill-based competitions such as electronic sports (eSports) in the state’s legal sports wagering industry.
Caputo released the following statement after the bill (A-637) was discussed in the Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee on Monday:
“I would say eSports are the ‘next big thing’ when it comes to sporting events, but the fact of the matter is that video game tournaments are already a prominent form of skill-based competition.
“Throughout the country and the world, video game enthusiasts are flocking to see expert players compete in all kinds of digital games. Whether they follow along online or in person, hundreds of millions of people watch eSports each year – and that number is only growing.
“With online sports betting now legal in our state and a rapidly expanding eSports industry already in existence, the time is right for New Jersey to expand legal wagering beyond traditional sports.”