In this work, most interesting optical investigations are carried out with the glass composition (20 − x) CdCO3 + 15 Li2CO3 + 15 Na2CO3 + 50 H3BO3 + xSm2O3 (where x = 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, 3.0, 4.0 and 5.0 mol%) prepared with conservative melt-quenching technique. DSC verifies the annealing temperature and thermal stability of the prepared glass. X-ray diffraction technique is employed to inspect the amorphous structure of the glasses. FTIR technique helps to view the vibrational band positions of the host material. For optical studies, optical absorption and emission measurements are used. From the absorption spectra, Judd–Ofelt (JO) parameters (Ω2, Ω4, Ω6), rms value of oscillator strength (δrms), nephelauxetic parameter (β¯ ), bonding parameter (δ) and optical band gaps are evaluated. Radiative properties such as radiative transition probabilities (AT), branching ratios (βcal, βexp) and stimulated emission cross section (σemi) are calculated using JO theory. The higher stimulated emission cross section (14.39 × 10−22 cm2), optical gain (36.69 × 10−25 cm2 s) indicate that 1.0 mol% of Sm3+-doped borate glass would be a potential gain medium for solid state laser application at 603 nm. Color coordinates of the glasses located in the reddish-orange region could be useful for white light-emitting application. © 2019, Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.