Colorado Enacts Groundbreaking Sports Betting Restrictions

Colorado’s legislature approved SB 26‑131, the first state law to prohibit sportsbook push notifications and text messages to bettors. The bipartisan bill passed the Senate 20‑15 and now awaits Governor Jared Polis’s signature. In addition to the notification ban, the measure bars credit‑card deposits for sports‑betting accounts, caps the number of daily deposits, limits advertising near youth audiences, and requires operators to provide anonymized player data to regulators.

The Sports Betting Alliance, representing major operators such as FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM and bet365, argues the restrictions could drive players to unregulated offshore platforms and reduce state tax revenues. Responsible‑gambling groups supported the bill, noting that limiting aggressive digital marketing can help curb problem gambling, though some suggested an opt‑in notification model instead of an outright ban.