{"id":1731,"date":"2026-06-18T13:04:41","date_gmt":"2026-06-18T13:04:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\/?p=1731"},"modified":"2026-06-18T13:04:41","modified_gmt":"2026-06-18T13:04:41","slug":"colorados-gamble-on-sports-betting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\/?p=1731","title":{"rendered":"Colorado\u2019s gamble on sports betting"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Getting your Trinity Audio player ready…<\/strong><\/div>\n
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When sports betting debuted in Colorado in May 2020, the state had no plan to address an oncoming addiction crisis.<\/p>\n

Read more Does the Denver Post\u2019s reporter who covers sports betting bet on sports?<\/a><\/p>\n

It\u2019s not clear how many Coloradans are struggling to control their online sports gambling, but those who work in the mental health field say it\u2019s a growing problem in the state. Since May 2020, more than 45,000 people have called 1-800-GAMBLER, a hotline for those who need help, and 1,245 people are currently on the state\u2019s self-exclusion list, which means they have banned themselves from betting for at least five years.<\/p>\n

The Denver Post is publishing this three-part series examining the impact of sports betting in Colorado in the six years since it was legalized.<\/p>\n

Teams and leagues that once kept sports betting at arm\u2019s length have embraced sportsbooks as business partners. That relationship is evolving as scandals have erupted, most recently involving Texas Tech\u2019s quarterback, and as athletes report increasing harassment from angry gamblers who lose money.<\/p>\n

Still, thousands of Coloradans regularly bet without going overboard, saying putting a little money on games makes them more exciting to watch.\u00a0And bettors have generated more than $154 million in taxes, money that has gone toward funding water conservation projects across Colorado, helping preserve the state\u2019s reservoirs, rivers and creeks for people and wildlife.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what we learned:<\/p>\n

Part 1: Sports betting threatens to be Colorado\u2019s \u2018next big public health crisis\u2019 if addiction isn\u2019t addressed<\/h2>\n

Colorado plunged headfirst into legalized sports betting in 2020, and residents have bet more than $30.6 billion since then on games and the athletes who play them. But mental health experts are sounding the alarm about a growing addiction crisis that the state was not prepared to handle. Read more \u25ba<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more How sports betting became Colorado\u2019s ticket to funding $140 million in water conservation projects<\/a><\/p>\n

Part 2: How sports betting became Colorado\u2019s ticket to funding $140 million in water conservation projects<\/h2>\n

Since sports betting became legal, Colorado has collected more than $154 million in taxes and funneled $140 million to projects that preserve and conserve the state\u2019s water. Supporters say the gambling money is a godsend for ranchers, fishermen, paddlers and more. Read more \u25ba<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 3: Sports betting is changing the game for Colorado\u2019s fans and athletes as big money adds new pressures<\/h2>\n

Legalized sports betting is changing the face of sports and fandom in Colorado as people wager billions annually. Athletes are feeling the pressure to perform or provide inside information, and gambling is threatening the integrity of sports itself. Read more \u25ba<\/span><\/p>\n

Interactive dashboard: What sport does Colorado bet on the most?<\/h2>\n

Colorado sports betting has taken in more than $30.6 billion since 2020. Explore the data in an interactive dashboard that looks at what sports make the most money. Read more \u25ba<\/span><\/p>\n

Plus: Does the Denver Post\u2019s reporter who covers sports betting bet on sports?<\/h2>\n

Reporter Noelle Phillips answers the question she asked everyone she interviewed about Colorado sports gambling: Do you bet on sports? Read more \u25ba<\/span><\/p>\n

Get more Colorado news by signing up for our daily Your Morning Dozen email newsletter.<\/em><\/p>\n

Read more Three Colorado coal plants are staying open longer. Experts say that only prolongs their impacts on public health.<\/a><\/p>\n

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A Denver Post special report examining how the legalization of online sports betting impacted addiction, water funding and athletes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1730,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1731","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-interesting"],"yoast_head":"\nColorado\u2019s gamble on sports betting - Colorado Springs Moverss<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\/?p=1731\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Colorado\u2019s gamble on sports betting - Colorado Springs Moverss\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A Denver Post special report examining how the legalization of online sports betting impacted addiction, water funding and athletes.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\/?p=1731\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Colorado Springs Moverss\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-06-18T13:04:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4857af3bff7f66cee0c97667a8e70c1c\"},\"headline\":\"Colorado\u2019s gamble on sports betting\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-06-18T13:04:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731\"},\"wordCount\":554,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/0155c003e2a0621c03b630e3fd80f5d3.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Interesting\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/coloradospringsmoverss.com\\\/?p=1731\",\"name\":\"Colorado\u2019s gamble on sports betting - 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