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Pennsylvania legislators propose package mimicking Colorado gambling laws

Legal Writer

Publish Date: Jun 08, 2026

Fact checked by: Matt Moreno

Key Points

Bipartisan effort could redefine many aspects of bettors’ experiences with online gambling in Pennsylvania.
Trio of bills strongly resemble recently enacted statute in Colorado.
Proposals aim to restrict marketing practices, enhance penalties for advertising directed at people under the gambling age, and refine bettor depositing controls.

One of the most robust markets in the United States for online gambling could be at the forefront of responsible gambling regulation, although Colorado has outpaced Pennsylvania on many aspects of a new set of legislative proposals in Harrisburg. Two members of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives are collaborating on a package of bills that mirror the content of a law that Colorado enshrined mere days before the Pennsylvania pair filed their measures.

Under the proposals, standards affecting Pennsylvanians who gamble online with licensed platforms would include more rigorous deposit limits. Licensed online casino and sportsbook operators in Pennsylvania would also face new restrictions on how they can advertise their products.

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Flick, Khan submit trio of bills affecting online gambling in Pennsylvania

According to a press release from Pennsylvania Rep. Tarik Khan, he and Rep. Jamie Flick plan to file three bills in the interest of “addressing problem gambling as a public health issue and strengthening consumer protections for Pennsylvanians.” Khan adds that the legislative package “draws from bipartisan legislation introduced in Pennsylvania and Colorado.”

To that point, two of the three bills will be House companions to existing bills in the Pennsylvania Senate. Those Senate filings are SB 265 and SB 266.

SB 265 would officially prohibit online gambling deposits made with a credit card. While many online gambling companies with Pennsylvania licenses have already altered their policies to exclude such payment sources, the bill would force the outliers to do the same.

SB 266 toughens penalties for gambling licensees found advertising their products to people who have voluntarily excluded themselves from gambling in Pennsylvania. Such activity violates existing regulations, but this bill would give that rule the force of law, with potential criminal penalties for non-compliance.

The other forthcoming piece of legislation has no current Senate companion in Pennsylvania. It will resemble the new standards in Colorado, according to Khan.

Bill could place time constraints on deposits and ban advertising channel usage

Khan’s statement goes onto state that the forthcoming “Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act” will have several effects. For most bettors, two of the aims could produce the most significant changes in their experiences.

The release says that the bill will feature “reasonable limits on the frequency of deposits into online gambling accounts within a 24-hour period.” The statement does not specify the exact number, though.

Additionally, Khan says that the proposal will “restrict predatory marketing practices such as push notifications and text message solicitations.” More specifics will be available when Flick and Khan actually file the bill.

However, Khan’s statements about Colorado suggest potential parameters for these restrictions. Colorado recently enshrined similar laws governing its system for sports wagering.

Under the new statute, Coloradans may not make more than six deposits into their online sports wagering accounts in a 24-hour period. The law also bans online sportsbooks using push notifications or text messages to solicit bets from account holders.

Responsible gambling education in focus for Pennsylvania

Other provisions of the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act that Khan’s statement includes would increase responsible gambling education and resources. Khan adds that the bill will feature stronger protections around marketing deemed to target people under the age of 21.

Current Pennsylvania gaming regulations already ban marketing that regulators decide targets the portion of the state’s population that is too young to legally gamble. Like with Colorado’s law, though, the Pennsylvania Online Consumer Protection Act could add more severe criminal penalties for violating that standard.

With nearly 30 licensed online gambling brands for Pennsylvanians to choose from, which collectively produce billions in revenue on an annual basis, Pennsylvania is a keystone market for the U.S. iGaming industry. If these bills become law, Pennsylvania will also have some of the most robust bettor protections in the country.

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