Having worked for the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) in regulatory enforcement for over thirty-one years, Dan Hartman brought an extensive background when joining the Colorado Division of Gaming. As Director of Gaming, he was responsible for leading the efforts to stand up the state’s Sports Betting program. Under Dan’s guidance and leadership, the Colorado Sports Betting program is considered one of the best in the nation for its regulatory framework and industry growth.
Before coming to the Division of Gaming, Dan established the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division as the Division’s first director. Colorado was the first state to begin regulation of this newly legalized industry, which put him at the forefront of one of the nation’s more controversial issues. Dan was the first person to build a regulatory framework and take marijuana from its illegal environment to a legal one. Aware of the intense level of scrutiny in which this placed him, Dan did not change his approach to regulation – maintaining his focus on education and bringing members of the industry into compliance with unambiguous and fair regulation that protects the public and legitimizes industry business practices. This was only one of the qualities that led department management to involve Dan, from the beginning in December 2009, in the legislative process that created the Division, tasking him with building the Division and appointing him as the Division Director in January 2011. The simple formula of education, compliance and enforcement was the Division’s mantra regarding interaction with industry members. While in no way hesitant to take whatever steps necessary to address and rectify any illicit behavior, Dan and the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division showed a willingness to work with legitimate industry members and law enforcement to complete their mission of ensuring public safety and the availability of quality medical marijuana for those legitimately entitled to its use in Colorado. The framework created has become the cornerstone for most states and governments that have legalized medical marijuana and made it seamless for Colorado to move to a retail adult-use environment.
Dan began his career in regulatory law enforcement in 1992; he has worked as the Director of the Colorado Division of Gaming, Director of the Medical Marijuana Enforcement Division, Director of the Racing Events Division, and acting Director of the Liquor Enforcement Division.
Prior to his career with the State of Colorado, beginning at the age of 14, Dan spent 17 years working in the greyhound racing industry. Starting at entry-level summer jobs, by the age of 25, Dan was part of the management/operating team that built one of the three newly authorized greyhound tracks in Iowa, built in the city of Waterloo. He then took the reins as General Manager of a small track in Rapid City, South Dakota. In the early 1990s, he left the private sector and returned to his home state of Colorado to begin his career in public service.
Also active nationally, Dan served as 2010 Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (RCI) and President of the North American Pari-Mutuel Regulators’ Association. He has received NAPRA’s Pacesetters Award (2003) was an honored recipient of the RCI’s award for achievement and leadership: the Len Foote Award (2007) and was named International Masters of Gaming Law Regulator of the Year (2022).
Dan attended the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School of Government, Executive Education program receiving accreditation in Digital Transformation in Government: Innovating Public Policy and Service and Strategic Management of Regulatory and Enforcement Agencies.
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