I wouldn't say that's true.
It's easier to initiate a spark when the arm and tip are closer together, but with a wide center pin, the spark can form anywhere on the surface of the center pin. With a tiny center pin, there's a lot more heat that the pin has to endure (which is why they chose irridium), and the spark is more focused.
Besides, if you look at it in slow-mo, there's not one, but several sparks that appear every time the plug ignites. It goes so fast, we barely can see it, but it are several sparks, that cause ignition.
When you lengthen the gap, the bike needs more power to overcome to create a spark, and there will be fewer energy releases (or sparks) seen in slow mo.
When you shorten the space between arm and center pin, the spark will be smaller, but more sparks will be fired in that millisecond.
It's actually healthier for the bike to have a small spark plug gap, than a big one.
But like with anything, there's a middle road you'll have to figure out what works best for your bike.
On my taotao ATM50, no question, a 0.012" gap is optimal!
I set that same gap for my 150cc, and it works fine.