Colorado’s Senate concurred with House amendments to SB 26-131 on May 13 and repassed the bill. The final Senate vote was 20-15, while the concurrence vote passed 28-7.
Bill Moves to the Governor
The bill now awaits action from Colorado Gov. Jared Polis. Should he sign it into law, the legislation would change the way sportsbooks can fund accounts, communicate with bettors, and report betting data.
SB 26-131 is classified as a consumer protection bill. It focuses on account funding and direct marketing communications rather than licensing of sportsbooks. In addition, the proposal comes at a time when U.S. states are reviewing how mobile betting apps are handling high-frequency users.
Deposit Rules Take the Lead
The most obvious change is the deposit cap. Online sports betting providers would be prohibited from accepting more than six separate deposits from one person per gaming day. According to the bill, a gaming day is a continuous 24-hour period that the operator uses for regulatory and taxation reporting.
The bill would also ban credit card deposits if it becomes law. The text of the bill states that an internet sports betting operator may not allow any deposit to be made through a credit card (both directly and indirectly), including through an account financed through a credit card.
According to the fiscal note, DraftKings ceased operations with credit cards in August 2025, while FanDuel terminated them in early March 2026. These two providers are estimated to occupy more than two-thirds of the sports betting market.
Push Alerts and Youth Ads Face New Limits
Direct messaging via the app is another area that SB 26-131 would limit. Operators may not send push notifications or text alerts to Colorado account holders that encourage bettors to place bets or deposit money.
The advertising language is narrower than previous iterations of the bill. The current text addresses advertising that would target underage individuals. Sports betting operators and marketing affiliates would be barred from targeting people under 21 or creating ad content clearly meant for that audience.
This same clause prohibits advertisements on any medium where the primary demographic audience will be under the age of 21. This provision covers broadcast, cable, radio, print, and digital mediums. The bill excludes public venues where audience demographics cannot be determined.
Data Reports Add a Longer-Term Layer
The bill also proposed a new reporting requirement. Starting by February 1, 2028, online sportsbook operators in the state would have to provide the Colorado Division of Gaming with the data on transactions and operations for the previous calendar year.
This information should be anonymized and would be used to produce the state internet sports betting report. The first report would be due by January 1, 2029, with later reports every three years. According to the estimates made by state analysts, this bill will cut down Sports Betting Fund revenue by the following amounts:
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$652,597 in FY 2026-27;
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$676,056 in FY 2027-28;
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$709,859 in FY 2028-29.
The fiscal note also projects higher state spending for compliance and data systems.
What’s Next to Watch
If signed, SB 26-131 would give Colorado a tighter sportsbook rulebook without closing the legal market. The practical test will be enforcement. Deposit limits and credit card bans are easy to identify. Marketing conduct and data quality will require closer supervision from regulators.
