Colorado gaming regulators want to keep bettors who threaten athletes and others out of the state’s casinos.
The Colorado Division of Gaming is proposing changes to Limited Gaming Rule 29 that would let the Limited Gaming Control Commission place people who threaten athletes, coaches, team staff or their families on its involuntary exclusion list.
“The goal here is to have a tangible and meaningful impact on this issue,” division Supervisory Investigator Chris Krieger said during a virtual stakeholder workshop Thursday. “We’ve worked with some of the leagues in the past and have been told a lot about these issues, and we want to make sure we are having a meaningful impact.”
Colorado is one of several states cracking down on fans and bettors who harass and threaten players and coaches. The proposed rules would also cover insider betting, which is a class 4 felony in Colorado, as well as game manipulation.
The commission can hold a public hearing on the proposal no sooner than 30 days after the division files a formal rulemaking notice. Adopted changes would take effect about 45 to 60 days after a commission vote.
What the proposed changes do
The Colorado Division of Gaming wants to protect those involved in sports, including close family members:
- An athlete or an immediate family member thereof
- A sports governing body or employee
- A sports team staff member, a sports team coaching staff member, or an immediate family member
- Any staff member or patron of a licensed gaming or sports betting establishment
- Any staff member of the division
Someone who has been convicted of a crime against any of those people could also be placed on the list.
The proposal also gives the commission grounds to exclude anyone who bets in violation of the state’s insider betting law. Krieger said the statute applies to athletes, coaches, referees “or someone in a position of trust.”
The division cannot require sportsbooks to ban involuntarily excluded individuals.
“While we are currently unable to mandate that sports operators involuntarily exclude patrons, we strongly recommend they do so,” Krieger said.
The reporting tool
The division created a Google Form for sports participants to report harassment. Victims can input basic information such as name, role, sport and league, as well as provide a brief description of the incident and upload supporting documents.
“Our goal is to increase reporting from athletes about harassment they may be receiving,” Krieger said. “Speaking to the leagues and others, one of the biggest issues they have, and one of the battles they fight, is getting people to report these issues to them.”
Krieger said the division can investigate reports and work with local law enforcement.
“We want to make it clear that we take this seriously,” Krieger said. “Either way, we want to make sure we’re there to support people and find ways to address this.”
States that have stepped up
Colorado is one of numerous states addressing harassment in sports.
Ohio was the first state to let its gaming regulator ban bettors who threaten people involved in sporting events. Last month, the Ohio Casino Control Commission placed an Ohio man on its Sports Gaming Involuntary Exclusion List after an investigation tied threats against Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider during the 2025 World Series to bets on the series. He was the first person placed on the list for threats of harm or violence.
West Virginia and Louisiana have passed bills that allow regulators to exclude bettors who harass athletes, with potential felony charges for offenders.
The Massachusetts Gaming Commission launched “Bet on Respect,” a system backed by operators that lets leagues, players and the public report suspected harassment.
