A measure that makes sweeping changes, including enhancing responsible gaming standards and procedures in Colorado, continues to gain momentum after two House subcommittees advanced the legislation.
Earlier this week, the House Finance Committee approved Senate Bill 26-131 by a 9-2 vote, subsequently sending the bipartisan measure to the House Appropriations Committee for further consideration. The House Appropriations Committee discussed SB 26-131 on Thursday and took a vote on the omnibus sports betting protections bill.
The committee advanced the measure unanimously days before the end of Colorado’s legislative session on May 13, giving the full House just under a week to vote on the bill. The House Appropriations Committee approved the bill by a 11-0 vote with no discussion.
If the House approves SB 26-131, the measure will head to Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for a potential signature. The Colorado Senate passed the legislation by a 20-14 vote last week following a series of amendments.
Potential new sports betting rules in Colorado
The bill aims to make several procedural changes to Colorado’s gaming market, including a ban on credit card deposits for online sports betting in the state.
The measure also proposes other major gambling-related changes in the Centennial State:
- Operators and marketing affiliates are barred from targeting people under the age of 21
- A limit of six separate deposits for a sportsbook account holder in 24 hours
- The prohibited delivery of push notifications or texts to solicit wagers or deposits
- A ban on “bonus bet” or “no sweat” language in marketing for sports betting
A previous iteration of SB 26-131 included a provision that proposed prohibiting prop wagers from being offered by licensed sportsbooks in Colorado. The ban extended to officiating decisions, injuries, penalties, and the performance of an individual athlete.
Colorado lawmakers removed the provision after a fiscal note estimated a $2.4m decline in state tax revenue from sports betting in the next year if a prop ban is implemented. An updated projection estimates an $800,0000 decline derived from the bill’s credit card ban.
Another amendment included the removal of a provision that banned broadcast channels from delivering sports betting ads during live sporting events between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. A previous version of SB 26-131 also proposed five deposits in 24 hours, compared to six.
