Colorado Sports Betting Starts May 1. Should It?

The sports gaming industry, newly authorized by voters last November, can legally start May 1 and plans to turn on the online programs.

In a new edition of Gambling.com, I make the case for a delayed opening based on the obvious fact that there is little sports action to bet on and the lack of media space for non-pandemic stories, like on gaming openings. But, it is a sign of the industry’s optimism and its collective desire to get back to normalcy, which sports is an important part.

I mostly argue that it’s a question of timing in an article online April 16 by reporter/columnist Ron Fritz:

Floyd Ciruli, a longtime pollster and political observer in Colorado, said two things make it difficult to launch sports betting in Colorado on May 1.

"One, there are no sports," said Ciruli, director of the Crossley Center for Public Opinion Research at the University of Denver. “And two, it faces the same problem anything but the pandemic is having. In general, it is extremely hard to get any kind of attention these days.

"If you can hold off on the Olympics, you can hold off on this. Starting up with the cycle of sports returning makes sense. That would put it in position of being with the good news. It would be another positive sign of returning to normalcy."

Colorado became just the second state to legalize sports betting by ballot measure — after Arkansas — when Proposition DD was approved by voters in November. The law earmarks the tax revenue for water conservation projects.

Ciruli said when sports betting does launch he expects there to be a robust market in Colorado, especially in Denver.

"It is a very sports-oriented town. Better-educated and youngish," Ciruli said. “They fill stadiums here. There is a tremendous sports base. Since the money goes to water, I think the civic community is more than happy to support it.

"But what we’re talking about is the question of timing."