UNLV Research Examines Sports Betting Trends in Colorado Through Ongoing Survey

Preliminary results from an ongoing University of Nevada, Las Vegas study of 500 randomly selected Colorado residents have begun to outline participation rates in various gambling activities, with particular attention to sports betting and associated concerns, and the work continues to gather responses through the fall months of 2026.

The effort draws from a mixed group that includes both individuals who gamble and those who do not, which allows researchers to establish baseline figures across the broader population, while the sample size supports initial statistical observations that the team plans to refine with additional data collection.

Study Design and Data Collection Process

Researchers selected participants at random to reflect a cross-section of Colorado residents, and the approach incorporates responses from people with differing levels of involvement in gambling, which produces a dataset that captures both active and non-active segments of the community. Lead researcher Shane Kraus has guided the project, and the team expects to release complete findings after the Super Bowl period when final response tallies become available.

Data gathering remains active as of October 2026, so the numbers released so far represent an interim snapshot rather than a finalized report, and the methodology continues to emphasize consistent questioning across all participants to maintain comparability between early and later returns.

Initial Participation and Problem Gambling Figures

Early analysis shows that 4 percent of Coloradans reported placing bets on sports, while 7 percent of those individuals indicated serious problem gambling issues, and Kraus described the latter rate as comparable to levels observed in Nevada. The study also recorded problem gambling rates that stood 2 percent higher among women than among men within the responding group.

Lottery play emerged as the most frequently reported activity at 41.4 percent, followed by sports betting at 17.4 percent, and additional questions explored online gambling participation along with levels of exposure to advertising for these services. These breakdowns provide a starting point for tracking which forms of gambling draw the largest share of resident involvement at this stage of the research.

Observers note that the 7 percent figure among sports bettors aligns with patterns seen in other states where legal sports wagering has expanded, yet the gender difference introduces a variable that the full dataset may help clarify once more responses arrive. The interim release highlights these points without projecting future trends, keeping the focus on the numbers collected to date.

Context Within Broader Gambling Research

The project builds on established approaches to measuring gambling prevalence, and the inclusion of both gamblers and non-gamblers allows direct comparison against statewide population estimates. Interim findings from state-funded study on gambling behavior, sports betting, and problem gambling prevalence in Colorado (led by psychology professor Shane Kraus) supply the foundation for these early releases, with links to supporting coverage available through detailed project summaries.

Additional details on online gambling participation and advertising exposure appear in the preliminary data, offering context for how residents encounter and engage with betting platforms beyond traditional lottery or sports channels. These elements receive attention because they reflect current market conditions in Colorado during the 2026 cycle.

Timeline and Upcoming Updates

Final results remain scheduled for release after the Super Bowl, which will allow the team to incorporate any seasonal shifts that occur during the peak sports betting window. The extended collection period supports efforts to reach a more complete sample and to cross-check responses for consistency across demographic categories.

Researchers continue to monitor response rates and adjust outreach as needed, which keeps the process aligned with the original random-selection framework. Updates will appear once the full dataset undergoes review and the comparative analysis with Nevada figures receives final verification.

Conclusion

The ongoing UNLV study supplies an initial set of figures on sports betting involvement and problem gambling indicators among Colorado residents, and the interim release establishes benchmarks that the completed report will expand upon once data collection concludes after the Super Bowl. Continued work through October 2026 and into early 2027 will refine these observations and provide additional detail on lottery participation, online activity, and advertising reach within the surveyed population.