Colorado Lawmakers Propose Banning Prop Bets on Sports Apps

Bill aims to curb gambling addiction and betting scandals in professional sports

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Colorado lawmakers have filed a bipartisan bill that would prohibit sports betting apps from offering proposition bets on individual athletes' performances. The bill also seeks to slow down gambling habits by eliminating credit card usage, limiting deposits, and banning push notifications from betting companies. Lawmakers are concerned about rising gambling addiction and betting scandals in professional sports.

Why it matters

The rapid growth of sports betting in Colorado has caused unexpected problems, including financial debts and integrity issues in professional and collegiate sports. Lawmakers are looking to implement guardrails to protect people and the integrity of sports while still allowing legal sports betting.

The details

The bill, SB26-131, would ban prop bets, which are popular with gamblers but seen as risky by lawmakers. It would also attempt to slow down gambling habits by eliminating credit card usage, limiting deposits, and banning push notifications from betting companies like DraftKings and FanDuel. The bill has bipartisan support in both the state Senate and House.

  • Colorado voters legalized sports betting in 2019 after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned a law prohibiting it.
  • Sports betting apps launched in Colorado in May 2020, just after the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted most sports.
  • The amount Colorado bettors have wagered has steadily increased each year, reaching over $6 billion in 2025.
  • The number of people calling the state's problem gambling hotline has also risen, averaging about 350 calls per month in 2025.

The players

Sen. Matt Ball

A Democratic state senator from Denver and one of the bill's sponsors.

Sen. Byron Pelton

A Republican state senator from Sterling and the other sponsor of the bill.

Joshua Ewing

The executive director of Healthier Colorado, an advocacy group that pushes for better health policies in the state.

Joe Maloney

The president of the Sports Betting Alliance, an industry group that is prepared to push back on the legislation.

Nicola Jokic

The star player for the Denver Nuggets.

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What they’re saying

“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.”

— Sen. Matt Ball, State Senator (Denver Post)

“It's not about rolling back voter-approved betting. It's about guardrails. The goal is smart policy, not prohibition.”

— Joshua Ewing, Executive Director, Healthier Colorado (Denver Post)

“Colorado should seize this moment to strengthen its state-regulated market — not hand it back to illegal operators or chase bettors to federally regulated platforms. This proposal undermines the very consumer protections it claims to advance, rewarding actors who openly flout Colorado law and contribute nothing to the state's communities by way of tax revenues.”

— Joe Maloney, President, Sports Betting Alliance (Denver Post)

What’s next

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The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.