Rev. Sharpton calls on Colorado to block mobile betting

Civil rights activist reverend Al Sharpton has urged Colorado lawmakers and the state’s Gaming Commission to block mobile sports betting in the state.

In a letter to Governor Jared Polis, Speaker of the House Kathleen Becker, Sharpton said legal online and mobile betting would lead to job losses – particularly among minorities – at Colorado casinos and would only benefit out-of-state companies.

“Online gaming in Colorado will inevitably attract unsavory characters who profit off of job loss,” Sharpton said. “That’s almost a given. But in looking at who specifically benefits from the legislation, it’s difficult to understand why the state would want to reward bad behavior.

“Out-of-state hedge funds with long records of mass firings and shady dealings have come into the state to capitalize on mobile sports betting and based on their track record—middle class workers and minorities will be the first to be negatively impacted. My job is to spot those problems before they occur and to speak up about them before it’s too late.”

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