Colorado Looks to Restrict Sports Betting Ads

Sports betting ads have become common on sports telecasts. But they might soon see their visibility greatly reduced in Colorado.

Senate Bill 131 has moved forward through the Colorado legislature, with the legislation intended to sharply restrict the visibility of betting in the Centennial State. The legislation focuses on three key tenets: limiting deposits, ending credit card deposits and blocking advertising for sports betting.

The last of these could greatly change the sports experience in Colorado. Currently, no restrictions exist on sports betting ads, and sportsbooks routinely advertise during live games. SB 131 would end this practice, banning all forms of sports betting ads during live sporting events at any time of day. Additionally, no sports betting advertisements could run in Colorado between the hours of 8 a.m. and 10 p.m., regardless of the nature of the program.

Colorado legislators intend to use this measure to reduce sports betting’s visibility to those under legal age. Historically, certain products haven’t been allowed to air ads during the hours where those underage are most likely to be watching television.

The other aspects of the bill take more traditional steps. Under SB 131, sportsbooks in Colorado could accept no more than six deposits from a customer within a 24-hour period. Additionally, credit card deposits would be banned in the state, a practice nine other states already follow. The state’s largest six sportsbooks already do not accept credit card deposits, leaving them unaffected by this provision.

Has This Legislation Been Tried Anywhere Else?

Yes. At the federal level, Rep. Paul Tonko (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) have introduced the SAFE Bet Act, which SB 131 appears modeled after. The SAFE Bet Act would put the same restrictions on sports betting ads, while reducing the number of deposits in a 24-hour period to five. Neither Tonko nor Blumenthal’s version of the bill have made it out of committee.

In other countries, sports betting ads face bans similar to SB 131’s proposal. The United Kingdom, which has allowed legal sports betting since 1960, has a “whistle-to-whistle” ban on advertisements for sports betting. Essentially, no ads for sports betting can happen once the action starts until its conclusion.

Additionally, the UK requires anyone who appears in sports betting ads to be over 25 and look over 25, in an effort to minimize appeal to underage viewers. Finally, the UK went a step further this year in the Premier League, removing all gambling-related sponsors from team shirts.

SB 131 doesn’t address partnerships that Colorado teams have with sportsbooks. The Denver Nuggets and Colorado Avalanche have partnerships with bet365, while the Denver Broncos partner with BetFred and FanDuel and the Colorado Rockies partner with BetFred. Presumably, their in-arena advertisements for their partners would not be subject to the legislation.

How Common Are Sports Betting Ads?

Despite their seeming appearance everywhere, sports betting advertisements have declined since 2021. In 2024, sportsbooks accounted for less than 1% of all television commercials. During the NFL season that year, tracking websites found that sports betting ads actually dropped by more than 3% from the prior season. Overall, sports betting ads have declined for four consecutive years.

The rise of prediction markets, such as Kalshi and Polymarket, appears to have changed the equation. These companies have been more aggressive with their advertising, causing them to stand out.

How Will This Affect Sports Consumers?

Most consumers would see little effect, other than a blanket ban on sports betting ads in the state. Colorado’s geography could lead to a small impact on consumers in Wyoming, Nebraska and New Mexico.

Parts of Wyoming and Nebraska are part of the Denver media market, which would mean elimination of sports betting ads on these stations. A small part of southwestern Colorado is part of the Albuquerque media market in New Mexico. It’s unclear if SB 131 would apply, as the signal generates in New Mexico and might have to be exempted from Colorado law.

Will the Bill Become Law?

Colorado Gov. Jared Polis has mostly taken a pro-sports betting stance during his time in office. He has opted to rein in parts of the industry, such as going after prediction markets for allowing certain types of bets. With this legislation getting mostly support, it seems more probable than not that Polis would sign a final bill.