Colorado families now have new protections against an industry that’s grown explosively since 2020: sports betting. Gov. Jared Polis signed a law that bans betting apps from advertising to anyone under 21, part of a broader effort to prevent gambling addiction before it starts.
Out in the Centennial State, local communities have banded together to battle any type of addiction. From large inpatient facilities to local clinics, folks of all ages can find a wide range of care.
Now, for parents worried about how easily young people can be exposed to betting apps, the law offers one more resource. The legislation furthermore opens the door to a wider conversation about gambling addiction treatment in Colorado.
Kids are at the Center of This Law
Sports betting has exploded in Colorado since it became legal in 2020. Betting itself isn’t a bad thing; the American Gaming Association reports the industry made $16 billion nationwide last year, an all-time high. Much of that growth has come through mobile apps that are constantly competing for attention.
But the danger comes when it attracts youngsters. State Senator Matt Ball pointed out that betting companies already have the tools to know exactly who they’re reaching, especially when modern digital gambling can resemble video games.
“Sports betting apps can advertise if they know that the audience is more than 50% kids,” Ball noted. “And today’s day and age, we’ve got very sophisticated ways of figuring out exactly what you’re advertising to.”
The new law makes it illegal for betting apps to target ads at anyone under the legal betting age of 21. This closes a gap that lawmakers say left young people exposed to messaging designed to be habit-forming.
Other Protections Built into the Law
Beyond ad restrictions, the law eliminates credit card deposits on betting apps and limits users to six deposits a day. Sportsbooks must also report transaction data to the state starting in 2028, which lawmakers hope will reveal how many Coloradans, including young adults, are showing signs of addiction.
“We want to get the data so that we can see, hey, is it 1% of people who have a problem? Is it 5% of people who have a problem?” Ball observed.
Jeff Gillette, an advertising professor at the University of Colorado in Boulder, relayed that one of the biggest changes for younger users will be the end of push notifications. These are key tools that apps use to pull people back in repeatedly. He hopes removing them will lead to healthier habits, especially among newer, younger bettors.
Understanding Gambling Addiction
Gambling addiction is a behavioral addiction where someone can’t stop betting despite harm to their finances, relationships, or responsibilities. Young people are considered especially vulnerable because their brains are still developing impulse control, and early exposure to betting apps can shape habits that carry into adulthood.
Signs of addiction to watch for in teens and young adults include:
- Secretive behavior around phone use or finances
- Borrowing money frequently or selling belongings
- Mood swings tied to wins or losses
- Skipping school, work, or other obligations to gamble
- Denying or minimizing how much time or money is spent betting
Finding Addiction Treatment in Colorado
Gillette doesn’t expect sports betting to disappear, and as more states legalize it, exposure for young people is likely to grow, too. That makes it important for Colorado families to know their addiction treatment options now, before a problem becomes severe.
Treatment for gambling addiction can include individual and family therapy, support groups like Gamblers Anonymous, and programs that address gambling alongside substance use, since the two often co-occur in young people.
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