Colorado Has a $30 Million-a-Month Table Tennis Problem

Coloradans Are Betting Big on… Table Tennis?
No, you didn’t read that wrong.

Since Colorado legalized online sports betting, residents have wagered over a billion dollars on table tennis. Ping pong, people. The sport your kids play in the basement. Top 10 in the state for sports betting.

We truly contain multitudes.

While it sounds almost funny, experts aren’t laughing. The rapid-fire, nonstop nature of table tennis makes it particularly appealing for problem gamblers — matches are quick, they run constantly and the next one is always just a click away. It’s basically the slot machine of sports betting.

The bigger issue? Colorado doesn’t have great data on who is actually betting or how much. That makes it really hard to identify when someone has crossed the line from casual wagering into a serious problem.

Advocates are now pushing regulators to require gambling companies to share anonymized behavioral data so the state can actually understand the scope of the issue and step in before people get hurt.

It’s a reasonable ask. If we can track which flavors of ice cream are trending globally (hi, Snoop), we should probably be able to track gambling patterns that are putting Colorado families at risk.

If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, call the Colorado Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. It’s free, confidential and available 24/7.