By Brandon Zelasko
As Colorado lawmakers revisit sports betting policy this session, the state has an opportunity to widen the lens. Beyond revenue projections and regulatory frameworks lies a critical question: Are we fully reckoning with the human effect of gambling’s rapid growth?
Senate Bill 131 takes important steps by limiting deposits, banning credit cards to fund accounts, restricting certain in-game “prop bets,” and curbing push notifications and advertising tactics. These guardrails matter. But the bill largely focuses on moderating how betting operates, not on expanding prevention, education, or treatment infrastructure. It treats visible risks without fully addressing the underlying public health dynamics driving them.
Colorado voters legalized sports betting in 2019 through Proposition DD, and the market has expanded steadily since.
According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, the state saw record-breaking sports betting tax revenue in 2025 — a 354% increase compared to the first fiscal year with sports betting.
Though state officials celebrate rising tax dollars, calls to problem gambling resources have also increased. This pattern reflects what public health experts have long warned: When something becomes easy to access and part of everyday life, more people are exposed to harm, even if that harm isn’t immediately obvious.
Today, sports betting is always within reach. Smartphone apps make placing a wager as simple as sending a text. Push notifications promote “live lines” and “in-game opportunities.” Advertising saturates sports broadcasts and digital platforms, keeping betting top of mind.
For many young adults, especially young men, social media normalizes gambling by spotlighting wins and downplaying losses, while hiding the debt and anxiety that often follow.
We’ve seen this pattern before. Tobacco once enjoyed widespread cultural acceptance before decades of research revealed its harms. Social media was embraced for connection long before evidence showed its addictive qualities and mental health effects.
Roughly 16% of people who gamble in Colorado may be at risk for problematic wagering, according to the Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado. Behavioral health providers report growing demand for gambling-related support services. Families and communities feel the effects long before policy adapts to address them.
This is not an argument for prohibition.
Regulated betting provides consumer protections illegal markets do not. But regulation should mean more than collecting taxes. It should mean anticipating consequences and planning accordingly.
A responsible approach to sports betting would include four key components:
- Invest in prevention and education. Colorado has funded public health campaigns addressing tobacco, vaping and opioid use. Gambling deserves similar attention.
In 2025, the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission approved $2.9 million in responsible gaming grants — about 8% of gambling revenue. This is better than many other states — nine of which provide no funding for safe gambling education according to the National Association of Administrators for Disordered Gambling Services. However, it is not yet scaled to the rapid pace of market growth. Public health evidence consistently finds earlier, sustained prevention and education investments are cost-saving over time.
- Support evidence-based treatment. Problem gambling helplines and behavioral health services must be adequately funded and widely promoted so Coloradans can access help before financial or emotional crises escalate. Driving calls isn’t enough — the services must be proven to be effective and useful to those who need them.
- Encourage ethical marketing standards. If we restrict alcohol, cannabis and tobacco advertising because of demonstrated risks, it is reasonable to ask whether gambling promotions, especially those targeting younger audiences, deserve similar guardrails.
- Collect and analyze transparent data. We cannot improve what we do not measure. The state should mandate ongoing analysis of gambling participation, addiction rates, financial harm and treatment access, with results made public. Revenue is tracked monthly; the human effect should be tracked with equal seriousness.
As sports betting grows, so must our commitment to understanding its impact and protecting public well-being.
That’s why legislation to curtail advertising and dedicate a greater share of sports betting tax revenue to prevention and treatment deserves support, which is where SB-131 falls short. As betting expands, prevention funding should expand even faster, because waiting for harm to fully materialize is both costly and reckless.
Colorado lawmakers have an opportunity and responsibility to ensure prevention and education about safe gambling behaviors keep pace with industry growth. Otherwise, the state risks repeating a familiar public health mistake: celebrating short-term revenue while underestimating long-term human costs.
Brandon Zelasko is principal and chief executive of SE2, a Colorado-based behavior change marketing agency. He has more than 15 years of experience leading statewide public and behavioral health campaigns, including work focused on problem gambling prevention.