(1) The commission shall issue the following three classifications of sports betting licenses in addition to any license classifications the commission chooses to authorize in accordance with section 44-30-1504 (4):
Master license;
Sports betting operator; and(c) Internet sports betting operator.
(2) (a) (I) The commission may issue a master license, upon the applicant's payment of any required fees and compliance with all other requirements of this part 15, to a person that holds a retail gaming license as described in section 44-30-501 (1)(c). A person holding more than one retail gaming license may be issued one master license for each retail gaming license it holds.
The purchase of an existing ownership interest in a casino requiring the issuance of anew retail gaming license does not prohibit the transfer of an existing master license with the ownership interest, subject to approval by the commission.
A master licensee shall conduct sports betting on its premises in accordance withthis part 15 and shall not transfer its licensed sports betting operation to be conducted at any facility located outside the city of Central, the city of Black Hawk, or the city of Cripple Creek, regardless of whether that facility is licensed to manufacture or sell alcohol beverages under this title 44; licensed as a class B track or simulcast facility under article 32 of this title 44; licensed as a lottery sales agent under section 44-40-107; or licensed to conduct bingo or raffles under part 6 of article 21 of title 24. This subsection (2)(a)(III) does not prohibit sports betting through a licensed internet sports betting operator by a customer using his or her own computer or mobile or interactive device anywhere in the state.
A master license expires two years after the date of issuance but may be renewedupon the filing and approval of an application for renewal.
(b) (I) A sports betting operator license or internet sports betting operator license entitles the licensee to contract with a master licensee for the purpose of operating a sports betting operation or internet sports betting operation, as applicable. Each master licensee shall contract with no more than one sports betting operator and one internet sports betting operator at the same time. A master licensee may contract with the same entity to provide the services of a sports betting operator and an internet sports betting operator.
(II) An internet sports betting operator may provide only one individually branded website, which may have an accompanying mobile application that must bear the same unique brand as the website for an internet sports betting operation. An internet sports betting operation shall not be opened to the public, and, except for test purposes, sports betting shall not be conducted in the internet sports betting operation until the internet sports betting operator receives its license and the commission approves its contract with the master licensee in accordance with subsection (3) of this section.
(c) A person may hold both a sports betting operator license and an internet sports betting operator license. The commission shall determine by rule the distinctions and specific qualifications applicable to these licenses, including qualifications as to the time, place, and manner of accepting wagers and of verifying the identity of persons seeking to place wagers.
A contract between two or more licensees listed in subsection (1) of this section mustbe submitted in advance to, and is subject to approval by, the division in accordance with rules of the commission.
Each license issued pursuant to this section expires two years after issuance but maybe renewed upon the filing and approval of an application for renewal. The fee for issuance or renewal of a license listed in subsection (1) of this section is as specified by the commission by rule in an amount sufficient to recover the commission's direct and indirect costs of processing the application and conducting background investigations, not to exceed one hundred twentyfive thousand dollars.
(a) A sports betting operation other than an internet sports betting operation must be operated in a designated area within a casino, subject to all requirements concerning design, equipment, security measures, and related matters established by the commission by rule, and may offer sports betting on any sports event authorized under rules of the commission.
All sports betting licenses must specify the portion of the licensee's premises locatedwithin the city of Central, the city of Black Hawk, or the city of Cripple Creek where sports betting will take place. The commission shall not require sports betting to be conducted within a casino's designated gaming area as authorized by the commission by rule, but any sports betting conducted outside of a casino's designated gaming area must be conducted only by a licensed internet sports betting operator, and bets must be placed only through a customer's own computer or mobile or interactive device.
A casino's support services for sports betting, including data aggregation, risk management, computer services, setting of odds, and banking may be sited outside of a casino's designated gaming area.
Notwithstanding any other provision of this article 30, sports betting, other than by acustomer using his or her own computer or mobile or interactive device through an internet sports betting operation, shall not be conducted anywhere in the city of Central, the city of Black Hawk, or the city of Cripple Creek unless sports betting is authorized by the local voters of the respective city in a municipal or coordinated election held in November 2019, concurrently with the statewide election described in section 44-30-1514.
Each licensee shall keep a complete set of books of account, correspondence, and allother records necessary to fully show the sports betting transactions of the licensee, all of which must be open at all times during business hours for inspection and examination by the division or its duly authorized representatives. The division may require any licensee to furnish the information that the division considers necessary for the proper administration of this part 15 and may require an audit to be made of the books of account and records when the division considers it necessary by an auditor, selected by the director, who shall likewise have access to all the books and records of the licensee, and the licensee may be required to pay the expense of the audit.
A sports governing body may petition the commission to restrict, limit, or exclude atype of wager the outcome of which is solely determined by the actions of a single player. Upon receiving such a petition, the commission shall review the request in good faith, seek input from the sports betting operators on the petition, and, if the commission deems it appropriate, adopt rules to restrict, limit, or exclude that type of wager.
Notwithstanding any provision of this section to the contrary, sports betting is notauthorized unless the voters at the November 2019 statewide election approve the ballot question submitted pursuant to section 44-30-1514, enacted in 2019 in House Bill 19-1327.
Source: L. 2019: Entire part added, (HB 19-1327), ch. 347, p. 3222, § 12, effective August 2.