Colorado Division of Gaming Targets Harassing Bettors for Involuntary Exclusion
Colorado regulators propose expanding the Involuntary Exclusion List under Rule 29 to ban bettors who threaten athletes, coaches, and related personnel. The move follows September appeals from the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS and the NCAA's Bad Actor Program partnership. It coincides with U.S. legal sports betting reaching nearly $167 billion in 2025.
SCCG Take — This gives operators a clearer compliance tool to protect partnerships with leagues but requires robust identification systems. Other states may adopt similar measures as betting volumes grow.
The Colorado Division of Gaming has recommended amending Rule 29, Section 3-2907 to expand the Involuntary Exclusion List. The change would classify threats of physical harm against athletes, coaches, team personnel, officials, sportsbook employees, Division staff, or their immediate family members as threats to the interest of the State. Convictions for crimes against this group or any compromise of a sports event's integrity would also qualify individuals for exclusion from state-licensed sportsbooks.
If the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission adopts the proposal, harassing bettors would lose access to legal wagering in the state. The step directly addresses rising complaints tied to sports betting activity.
Leagues Demand Action on Harassment
The recommendation arrives after the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, and MLS urged state gaming regulators in September to protect players and officials. The leagues stated that legal sports betting has introduced negative consequences for those involved in professional events.
"While the expansion of legal, state-regulated sports betting has brought new ways for fans to engage with their favorite sports, it has also introduced some negative consequences for players and other personnel involved with professional sporting events," they wrote. "Too often, individuals who lose sports bets direct threatening and harassing messages toward players, coaches, and their families via social media and in-person interactions."
The NCAA joined IC360 and Signify Group's Bad Actor Program in October to identify online abuse of student-athletes and support bans from betting and events, with possible law enforcement referrals.
Scale of Betting Activity and Regulatory Limits
Legal sports bets in the U.S. totaled almost $167 billion, with oddsmakers keeping about $17 billion of the bets. Through August, the American Gaming Association (AGA) reports that oddsmakers kept $10.45 billion of the sports bettors’ wagers, a 4% gain on the same eight months in 2025, according to Casino.org News.
One risk is that online threats can be difficult to trace to specific bettors, limiting enforcement even with expanded lists. Regulators must still define clear processes for adding names and notifying operators. How Colorado implements this rule will test whether exclusion lists can curb harassment without broader effects on market participation.
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