Colorado lawmakers advanced new restrictions yesterday on sports betting to limit what the bill sponsor calls "a culture that normalizes constant gambling."

Why it matters: The legislation acknowledges an increase in problem gambling since the state legalized it in May 2020, even as opponents suggest it will lead to more black-market bets and potentially cost jobs.

Driving the news: The bill, sponsored by state Sen. Andy Ball (D-Denver), would:

• Restrict advertising and social media to venues that don't target children.
• Prohibit the use of credit cards for bets.
• Limit deposits to five in a 24-hour period.
• Block promotional bonus payments for placing an online bet.
• Eliminate mobile push notifications and text messages to solicit bets.

What he's saying: "What the apps do is they allow everybody to have a casino in their pocket," Ball said in an interview before the measure won narrow approval 5-4 in the Senate Finance Committee.

• "That creates a culture that normalizes constant gambling, which we know … can quickly spiral out of control and harm people's lives."

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The Democratic Party and its candidates are scrambling to assess the political damage after a busted online app and misinformation led to disenfranchised delegates at chaotic caucuses and assemblies.

Why it matters: Colorado's caucus process can make or break campaigns and serves as an early test of party support that can keep candidates off the primary ballot entirely.

How it works: Democrats held straw-poll votes at caucuses and assemblies over the past two weeks and assigned delegates to the state assembly, which happens in Pueblo next week.

• Those delegates represent votes for certain candidates, though some are uncommitted and not all are bound to stick to their assignments.
• To qualify for the ballot at the state assembly, a candidate needs 30% of the support from delegates.

Yes, but: How votes were taken and tallied is disputed. Campaigns and delegates tell us that Airtable, a business workflow app used to count votes, was overwhelmed and eventually crashed.

• In some cases, party activists waited hours to vote, while others went home.

The intrigue: Now, a handful of high-profile candidates are below or just above the 30% threshold, according to unofficial numbers shared with Axios Denver by one of the campaigns.

• In the 1st Congressional District, 15-term U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette lost the overall vote to progressive challenger, Melat Kiros, but DeGette's advisers say they're confident she'll make the ballot.
• In the 4th District, Trisha Calvarese, the party's nominee in 2024, did not get 30%, her team told CPR.
• In the secretary of state's race, state Sen. Jessie Danielson took 29.7% of the vote. Her opponent, Amanda Gonzalez, finished with 54%. Another 17% of delegates are uncommitted.
• In the treasurer's race, state Rep. Brianna Titone finished with 21% support, while state Sen. Jeff Bridges took 38%. Another 20% are uncommitted.

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Rocky Mountain is no longer among the top 5 national parks.

Why it matters: The Colorado park's summer timed-entry permit system is helping limit visitors, even as others abandon similar policies.

State of play: 4.1 million visitors passed through the gates at Rocky Mountain National Park in 2025, a small increase from the prior year, according to new National Park Service tallies

• Colorado's other three national parks saw visitation decreases, in part because of last year's federal government shutdown, officials said.
• 2025's visitation totals: Mesa Verde (463,130), Great Sand Dunes (432,498) and Black Canyon of the Gunnison (250,086).

The big picture: The top five national parks in 2025 were:

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina (11.5 million visitors)
2. Zion National Park, Utah (4.9 million)
3. Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming (4.7 million)
4. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona (4.4 million)
5. Yosemite National Park, California (4.2 million)

💭 My thought bubble: I'm looking at some of the least visited parks in the lower 48 for my next trips.

• Those include North Cascades in Washington state, Great Basin in Nevada and Voyageurs in Minnesota.

The full list

⚖️ The Department of Corrections found imprisoned former Mesa County clerk Tina Peters not guilty of assaulting another inmate during a fight in January, though she was convicted of a lesser charge. (Denver Post 🔑)

🏈 The Denver Broncos traded for Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, swapping the wideout plus a fourth-round pick for three future Denver draft picks. (ESPN)

🥩 Some workers striking at the JBS plant in Greeley say they were routinely exposed to risky work conditions, including using knives more likely to cause injuries and clothing with holes in protective material. (Colorado Sun)

"Making skis is not eco-friendly, no matter what you do," says Ted Eynon, an energy-tech founder turned president of Meier Skis.

Why it matters: His Denver startup is taking steps to change that mindset — one ski and one beer at a time.

The big picture: Meier Skis produces skis and snowboards made with sustainably sourced wood, such as domestic maple and beetle-kill pine, reducing emissions associated with importing timber from overseas.

• The company also uses a plant-based epoxy and omits single-use plastics, such as the shrink wrap most brands use to ship new skis.

Between the lines: Eynon, with a dozen investors, has contributed about $2 million in Meier since 2012.

• He backed the company a few years after selling his utility mapping and data startup, MapFrame, to GE for an undisclosed price in 2008 and became full owner in 2016.

The latest: Meier runs a roughly 6,000-square-foot factory, tune-shop and store on South Broadway, where the skis are made.

• The company plans to open a bar, the Couloir, at the site this month.

Alan's thought bubble at Axios Pro