Sports Betting Protections

The bill creates certain requirements and prohibitions related to sports betting.

      Section 2 of the bill adds definitions to the statutes regulating sports betting.

      Section 3 prohibits a person licensed by the Colorado limited gaming control commission (commission) to operate an internet sports betting operation (internet sports betting operator) from:

• Accepting more than 5 separate deposits from an individual in a 24-hour period;
• Limiting the size and frequency of deposits or bets because an individual obtains a financial benefit as a result of placing the bet or due to the individual's betting activities, unless the betting activities constitute a suspicious betting activity or are indicative of a gambling disorder; or
• Initiating or sending mobile device push notifications or text messages to account holders in the state soliciting bets or deposits.

      Section 4 prohibits a person from:

• Including enhanced payout promotions or information on how to place a sports bet in an advertisement or promotion for a sports betting operation; or
• Broadcasting an advertisement or promotion for a sports betting operation from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. or during a live broadcast of an athletic competition.

      Section 4 also requires:

• A sports betting operator or internet sports betting operator to comply with certain requirements in contracting with and compensating a third party for marketing and advertising services; and
• An internet sports betting operator to provide to the division of gaming in the department of revenue data and metrics related to the operator's sports betting operation for the preceding calendar year. The division must comply with certain confidentiality requirements and compile the data into a public report every 3 years starting on January 1, 2029.

      Section 5 prohibits an internet sports betting operator from offering or accepting a proposition bet or directly or indirectly accepting deposits using a credit card in connection with the acceptance of a sports bet (prohibitions). A violation of a prohibition constitutes a class 2 misdemeanor.

      Section 6 allows the commission to assess a maximum penalty of $25,000 against a violator of a prohibition.

      Section 7 requires that the amount of money annually transferred from the sports betting fund to the water plan implementation cash fund is no less than the amount transferred to the water plan implementation cash fund in the previous state fiscal year, to the extent the unexpended and unencumbered money in the sports betting fund permits.(Note: This summary applies to this bill as introduced.)