Fanatics Fined $20K By Colorado Regulator
Fanatics Sportsbook has agreed to pay a $20,000 fine to the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission after a VIP host contacted a self-excluded customer with promotional offers on two separate occasions, according to a stipulation agreement approved by the commission.
The stipulation agreement identifies the customer only as ‘T.M.,’ who placed themself on Colorado's voluntary self-exclusion list on January 15, 2026. Despite that status, Fanatics sent the customer a promotional message on February 4, then a second one on February 17, prompting the state's investigation.
Colorado's self-exclusion program is designed to stop licensed operators from sending any marketing material to registered gamblers, and violations are treated as a compliance failure regardless of intent.
Fanatics' Response
As part of the settlement, Fanatics agreed to audit 26 months of its promotional messaging and report the findings back to the Colorado Division of Gaming. The operator has also committed to retraining staff who work as VIP liaisons on the state's self-exclusion rules.
The fine lands as Colorado tightens marketing and deposit rules across online sports betting more broadly, part of a wider state push on responsible-gambling compliance.
The $20,000 figure is modest next to the multi-million-dollar penalties some states have issued for advertising and geolocation breaches, but stakeholders have pointed out that the size of a fine matters less than the signal it sends: even brief, low-value contact with a self-excluded customer is enough to trigger regulatory action.
For operators expanding VIP and retention programs, the case is a reminder that self-exclusion lists must be checked before every outbound contact, not just at signup.
Fanatics' Colorado History
Fanatics has operated in Colorado under its own brand since December 2023, when it took over the market from PointsBet. PointsBet had drawn criticism in the state for a sponsorship deal with the University of Colorado Boulder worth $1.6 million to promote sports gambling on campus, a partnership that predated the Fanatics takeover but shaped scrutiny of how sportsbooks market themselves to Colorado residents.
Colorado's Limited Gaming Control Commission has increasingly focused on how operators manage self-exclusion lists and VIP outreach as the state's regulated market has matured, with this settlement following a broader pattern of enforcement actions tied to responsible-gambling compliance across the sports betting industry.
The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission approved the settlement on August 27, following an investigation by the Colorado Division of Gaming into the two contacts.
Colorado allows gamblers to voluntarily enrol in self-exclusion for a five-year term, during which licensed operators are barred from sending any marketing communication to that person, regardless of how the contact information was obtained.
Refer to Cashback Terms & Conditions for full program terms.
