Colorado wants you to know about illegal gambling

Colorado has been one of the biggest movers in the regulated gambling space in the United States. The state has greenlighted both land-based gambling and sports betting, and it now wants to make sure that players can have a better understanding of what regulated gambling is, and how it is different from the offshore websites that cater to players locally, and which the state’s Division of Gaming has dubbed illegal.

As part of a new campaign, "Play Legit. Gamble Only Where Legal," the gambling’s watchdog wants to help consumers find out more about the regulated gambling sector and how it works, but the campaign similarly seeks to equip players with the tools to spot illegal websites and even physical venues.

In an official press statement, Colorado Division of Gaming Director Chris Schroder said that the regulator wanted for players to know therisks they were exposed to by opting for illegal gambling websites and also that it’s never worth putting oneself in danger by opting for unregulated gambling.

"Together, let’s play by the rules and ensure that Colorado remains a safe and responsible gaming destination. By recognizing and preventing illegal gambling, we all win," Schroder explained. The initiative is an important step forward as it seeks to highlight the need for better awareness among consumers who may be misled by illegal gambling sites that continue to target even states where gambling is legally available.

Colorado, however, does not have legal online casinos, which means that there is a strong market for unauthorized operators to try and offer players real money gameplay. The Centennial State only allows online sports gambling, but does not allow casinos, which leaves an opportunity for offshore websites.

The regulator wants to address this as does the American Gaming Association, which has been actively tracking how awareness of the regulated gambling market has been improving over the years, with the results since the mass legalization of sports betting in 2018 being constantly improving.

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