One of those states where the exhilaration of gambling is fully alive is Colorado, which offers a mix of nearly two dozen casinos in Colorado and a burgeoning online betting scene. Despite prohibition over the past century, with venues both legal and clandestine, the thrill of trying to beat the odds lured Coloradans to the game. A pair of bets placed in ‘93 helped kick-start the expansion of gambling in Colorado that now includes 33 land-based venues. When it comes to putting your money at risk, though, there are more ways than one to get the job done. And that’s where Colorado’s online gambling scene comes in.

Top Online Casinos in Colorado

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Gambling Laws in Colorado: Quick Summary

Yet it’s not only the brick-and-mortar casinos. Colorado’s online gambling scene has taken off, allowing players even more opportunities to partake in casino-style gaming, sports betting, and poker from the safe and secure environment of their own homes. If you’re not going to the physical casinos, you’re just as likely to hit up the online versions of your favorite casino games. Here are a few options to consider if you’re going to stay in but still want a taste of the casino life.

  • Legality: Yes, gambling is legal in Colorado and is regulated by state laws.
  • Legal age to gamble: 18 for most gambling activities; 21 for casinos serving alcohol.
  • Number of land-based casinos: 33 casinos (all commercial, located in Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek).
  • Gambling Authority: Colorado Division of Gaming.
  • Best Colorado gambling site: Online sports betting is legal and popular, along with online poker and casino games.

Colorado Gambling Timeline & History

Colorado has a colorful gambling history. Here’s a timeline of Colorado’s gambling history.

  • Colorado Gambling Laws: A Timeline

    Colorado Gambling Laws

    Casinos existed in most of the Colorado mining towns in the late 1800s, though the state later banned casinos during the Age of Reform. They returned again in 1991 and the number has grown ever since. Colorado also allows pari-mutuel wagering, sports betting, lottery gaming, and charitable bingo.

  • 1877: Leadville is Founded

    Leadville Colorado Saloons

    Leadville is a Colorado city founded as a mining town during the Colorado Silver Boom of 1877. At one point in the 19th Century, Leadville boasted a population of 10,000, making it the largest city in Colorado.

    When it sought to take the state capital away from Denver, the effort failed in part because Leadville was home to an estimated 150 casinos. These existed in saloons, public theaters, and concert halls.

  • 1879: Texas House Faro Games

    Leadville Colorado Saloon

    Texas House, a Leadville saloon owned by Bailey Youngston and “Con” Featherly, operated a dozen faro tables 24 hours a day. Texas House was one of a handful of famous Leadville casinos.

    Others included Tom Kemp’s Dance and Gambling Hall, which boasted Eddie Foy, a famous vaudeville song-and-dance man at the time. Pop Wyman’s Great Saloon also hosted gaming. It had a sign that read, “Don’t Shoot the Pianist — He’s Doing His Darndest.”

  • 1880s: Frontier Gambling Stories

    Doc Holliday Colorado Saloons

    The Leadville casinos hosted a number of famous gamblers. Sometime lawman and gambler Ben Thompson shot the lights out at a Leadville casino when he dropped $3,000 in one session — the outburst sent patrons scrambling out of the casino.

    In another incident, Doc Holliday shot a sporting man (gambler) named Billy Allen over a $5 bet. Bat Masterson and Luke Short also were known to have gambled in Leadville’s saloons.

  • 1800s: Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek Founded

    Black Hawk Casinos

    Coloradans founded the state’s chief casino destinations in the 19th Century. Black Hawk was founded in 1859. Central City was founded in 1878, while Cripple Creek was founded in 1892. All came about during the successive gold rushes of the 2nd half of the 19th Century.

    During the gold rush of the 1899, Black Hawk (pictured right) reached its peak population of 2,000. After the gold rushes, though, all three cities had population decline.

  • 1940s: Arapahoe Park Opens

    Arapahoe Park

    Arapahoe Park opened as a horse racing track in the 1940s. Since then, the track has had its ups and downs. Since 1990, the park has featured continuous races and pari-mutuel wagering. Its owners sought to turn it into a racino in 2014, claiming they could not remain open without such gaming.

  • January 24, 1983: Colorado Lottery Begins

    Colorado State Lottery

    The Colorado Lottery was established on January 24, 1983. The state lotto had its first drawing on April 23, 1983.

  • November 1990: Land-Based Casinos Legalized

    Colorado Casino - Buffalo Gold Slots

    By the 1990s, the economy of all three mining towns needed a boost. In November 1990, Colorado voters approved land-based casinos. By 1991, licensed casinos began to appear, with most situated in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. The Colorado casino industry in all three have grown since.

  • 2001: Colorado Joins Powerball Lottery

    Powerball Lottery

    Colorado became a member of the Powerball multi-state lottery association in 2001.

  • May 16, 2010: Colorado Joins Mega Millions Lottery

    Mega Millions Lottery

    Colorado also joined the Mega Millions multi-state lottery associated on May 16, 2010. It joined the same day as South Dakota.

  • 2014: Arapahoe Park Casino Referendum Fails

    Arapahoe Park Vote

    Amendment 68, a ballot initiative to bring casino gambling to Arapahoe Park, the state’s only full horse racing track, failed.

  • November 2019: Colorado Passes Licensed Sports Betting

    Colorado Sports Betting

    In early 2019, State Rep. Cole Wist (pictured) and Rep. Alec Garnett introduced a bipartisan sports betting bill. This led to a November 2019 referendum on sports betting. With 1.5 million people voting, Colorado passed sports betting by 45,000 votes. Sites would begin launching in 2020.

  • May 1, 2020: 4 Mobile Sportsbooks Launch

    Colorado Online Sportsbooks

    DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, and BetRivers launched mobile sports betting apps on May 1, 2020. Each of the gaming apps were tied (respectively) to land-based casinos: Golden Gulch Casino, Golden Gates Casino, Midnight Rose Casino, and JP McGill’s Casino.

    Monarch Casino Resort & Spa launched the BetMonarch sports betting app. FoxBet and Isle Casino Hotel & Lady Luck Casino launched their own sports betting app on May 19.

     

  • June 2, 2020: Sky Ute Sportsbook Launched

    Colorado Sports Betting Apps

    Sky Ute Casino Resort launched its own sports betting app on June 2. Two days later, Sportsbetting.com and SBK by Smarkets launched their own licensed sports betting app.

    Later in the summer, SportsBetting partnered with Johnny Nolon’s Casino to launch their own licensed sports betting app. Johnny Nolon’s online sportsbook partner should not be confused with Sportsbetting.ag, which operates in the unregulated gaming market.

  • Fall 2020: Barstool Bets and Ameristar Casino Launch Sportsbook

    Ameristar Casino Sportsbook

    Ameristar Casino partnered with Barstool Bets to launch its own licensed sportsbook. Bet365, BetFred USA, SuperBook, William Hill, and Wynn Sports all plan their own mobile sports betting operations, though these haven’t launched yet.

Online Gambling in Colorado: The Future of Fun

What gets my heart racing is the blossoming of online gaming opportunities. While Colorado doesn’t yet have statewide laws to regulate the online casino industry, that hasn’t stopped my home from bursting forth as one of the premier online gambling locations in America. And the best part? You can enjoy all that online wagering from the comfort of your living room, with no worries about getting in trouble, and with no reason to pause before plunging into the action.

Twice the Casino Fun!

Both land-based and online betting have taken off in Colorado, giving residents and the many tourists who flock to the state ample opportunity to tempt Lady Luck and gamble. The state lays claim to 22 actual gaming establishments, ranging from the familiar to the downright strange. Of these, 15 are found in Black Hawk; 6, in Central City; and 1, near the abandoned mining ghost town of Cripple Creek. These Colorado casinos are hardly like the mothership establishment on the Las Vegas Strip, but that shouldn’t be held against them. Indeed, many of the casinos in this state are downright charming, with decor as varied and whimsical as some of the attractions found in Disneyland.

A Range of Betting Sites and Live Dealer Games

There are 16 online betting sites, mobile applications, and a variety of offshore poker and casino games at your disposal. Options abound for betting on almost anything you can think of. And it’s not just for immersive experiences that online casinos provide but also for interactive ones, where you can play with live dealers in real-time. Cutting-edge technology means that those live dealers are right there with you in high-definition, and if you’re betting at a Pennsylvania online casino, then that casino is making sure that, as per the law, the dealer is also in Pennsylvania.

However, we should remember sports betting, which has hit the state like a thunderstorm. Colorado’s sports betting market is a fast-growing industry, with players able to use their mobile phones to place bets on the games as they’re happening. The ability to make in-the-moment wagers, to parlay, and to cash out has completely revolutionized the experience. If you’re a devotee of football, basketball, or even the niche sport of MMA, Colorado’s sportsbooks are right there with you, providing a heart-pounding, nonstop way to be in concert with your chosen athletic events.

Social Gaming and Casino Nights: The Fun Never Stops

For folks who dig the atmosphere of a private game but want to bring the thrill of the casino to their cardiac lairs, Colorado truly has it covered. The people behind the poker monument ensure that the Mile High City is in on this action, too. And, in typical Colorado fashion, our private poker scene has its sights set on social gaming. That means: If you’re hosting a poker night at your place, you can play along with your pals, sans rake. And what’s even better is that you can have all the legal fun you want, win or lose, with one simple caveat: Test your skills and enjoy friendly competition without pursuing profit.

Nights at the casino, however, are a well-liked means of fundraising for nonprofit organizations, where patrons can find anything from online blackjack to poker for their playing pleasure. Such events create a “Vegas vibe” that’s hard to replicate, and the responsible gaming that takes place benefits many well-deserving charities. On a personal note, I know that the good work done at the nonprofits mentioned above is very real.

The Future of Online Gambling in Colorado

The future of online gambling is bright in Colorado. Not only does the technology that powers the gaming experience continue to advance, but the current crop of internet casinos and sportsbooks is already betting on making the future even more engaging and putting more skin in the game as they attempt to out-compete one another in attracting and retaining players. Casinos are as good as ever at providing entertainment, both in-person and online, and soon they might be even better.

Should you not be part of the action that is Colorado’s online casinos yet, now is a perfect time to join in. Be it slots, sports, or poker, the fight for your fortune in Colorado’s online gaming scene has never been more accessible. So, take your phone, download the app of your choice, and get ready to experience the virtual adrenaline rush of spinning wheels, placing bets, or trying to remember the last time your stack of chips was this high.

Online Games in True Colorado Style!

There you have it. Not only does Colorado boast stunning mountain vistas and invigorating, fresh mountain air, but it is also the site of several exhilarating forms of gambling. You might be familiar with the old mining towns that dot the landscape of the Colorado Rockies. Well, in those towns, as well as in a few other sweet spots, you can experience gambling the way it was meant to be experienced—in person, in an actual casino—and with the added bonus that half your time there will be spent marveling at the mountainous scenery surrounding you.

Did You Know?

  • Online Sports Betting Boom: In 2024, Colorado experienced a sports betting revenue explosion, with more than 80% of the total bets placed in the state using mobile apps. You can hardly beat the convenience and exhilaration of that platform!
  • Leading Slot Machine Jackpot Awards: In 2023, the state of Colorado served as the backdrop for some colossal windfalls, with one fortunate lucky person winning upwards of $1.5 million on the “Wheel of Fortune” slot machine, in what would arguably be referred to as the top award in that year for the slot machine genre.
  • Live Dealer Gaming: Some of the most immersive live dealer games on the internet are in Colorado. You can play blackjack and roulette with real dealers, and you can do it all from your couch.
  • Poker Face: Colorado’s poker atmosphere seems vibrant and lively, with both face-to-face and internet-based poker tournaments that obviously appeal to the types of serious players who enjoy them. Indeed, some of Colorado’s most popular poker rooms even host national qualifiers, which are used to send good players to really big poker events like the World Series of Poker.
  • The Social Gaming Craze: Were you aware that it’s permissible to hold a poker night with pals in the Centennial State, as long as you don’t rake in any profits? You could do it on a Tuesday evening—or any other night you’re feeling particularly pokerish. I once played a game with five excited buddies.
  • Casino and Charity Nights: Residents of Colorado enjoy mixing pleasurable activities with good causes. They like to combine fun and philanthropy, which is why events called casino nights—where the money goes to support charity—have become so popular.

Disclaimer:

This article is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Gambling laws vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. We do not provide legal advice, and it is your responsibility to ensure compliance with local laws before participating in any gambling activities. We are not liable for any actions taken based on the information provided in this article. If you have (legal) concerns, please consult a qualified professional.