Colorado Proposing Major Overhaul to Sports Betting Laws
Jesse M. Cox Published 25/03/2026
The landscape of Colorado sports betting could look dramatically different if a new bill proposal is passed into law.
Senate Bill 131-26 would enact numerous changes to Colorado’s sports betting law. Among the proposals are the elimination of all prop betting, the placing of limits on sports betting activity, and a significant prohibition on when and where sports betting can be advertised in the state.
The bill has bipartisan support. Democrat Senator Matt Ball and Rep. Steven Woodrow are included in the sponsors of SB 131-26, as are Republican Senator Byron Pelton and Rep. Dan Woog.
Called The Responsible Gambling Bill, the stated objective of SB 131-26 is to slow down the rampant pace at which sports betting is affecting the lives of the state’s bettors.
“Frankly, the more I looked into it, the more I became really, really alarmed by everything that has happened as a consequence of legalized sports betting and, in my view, placing very few restrictions on it,” Senator Ball told the Denver Post.
Other elements of the bill call for the elimination of the use of credit cards to fund accounts on sports betting apps. Customers would also be limited to no more than five separate deposits to their sports betting account over 24 hours. Push notifications to the cellphones of account holders by sports betting apps would be banned.
Advertising restrictions that would be implemented include prohibitions on broadcasting advertisements or promotions for sports betting operations between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., or during the live broadcast of any athletic competition.
Perhaps the most dramatic change recommended is calling for a complete ban on prop betting in the state. While many states limit or prohibit prop betting on college sports, Colorado would be the first state to implement a total prohibition on prop wagers.
Violations of any of these proposed regulations could result in fines as steep as $25,000.
Colorado lawmakers worry about the impact of sports betting on the state’s younger population
Colorado legalized sports betting in 2019. Over $6 billion was wagered on sports through legal and regulated sports betting sites across the state in 2025. Public health officials believe that the amount of tax revenue gained from legal sports betting has not offset the costs for treatment of gambling addictions in the state.
Ball believes the state rushed into sports betting without first doing the due diligence on what sort of impact it would have on the state’s population, especially its impression on young people. He cited studies showing that more than 50% of 18-to-22-year-olds have placed a sports bet. Further surveys indicate that between 60-80% of high school students have gambled for money within the previous 12 months.
“We just didn’t know what we didn’t know,” Ball said. “It’s just exploded, and it’s happened very fast. I think we can see the harm that’s happened very clearly.”
SB 131-26 is currently before the Senate Finance Committee. The bill has not been scheduled for a hearing.
Bet $10, Get $150 in Bonus Bets If You Win
+10
- 20+ sports available for wagering
- Pre-match and in-play betting
- Unique features like live streaming and boosted odds
up to 100€ Bet Credits
Find out more on bet365's website
- Over 20 sports
- Extensive betting markets
- Live betting feature
New Users – Bet $5 Get $150 If Your Bet Wins!
+8
- Deep market coverage across major U.S. sports and leagues
- Same Game Parlay builder is fast and easy to use
- Live betting interface updates quickly with real-time odds