Colorado Casino Guide

The Lodge Casino at Black Hawk was built in June 1998 at a cost of $73 million, becoming the largest casino in the state of Colorado at the time. It was also the very first casino in the area to offer hotel rooms and restaurants on-site, providing full-service accommodations for its out-of-town visitors. While Colorado’s residents are treated to a wide variety of gambling activities in land-based casinos across the state, unfortunately gambling at online casinos is illegal.For the time being, there isn’t much in the ways of introducing Colorado online casinos in the near future, but the state has a reputation for being progressive, so this may change.

The recent gambling expansion bill and referendum in Colorado did not include provision for online casino games. Bill 1327 has bought sports betting online. This joins pari-mutuel horse racing bets and daily fantasy sports contests on the statutes of the Centennial state.

There are options for online casino fans – via sweepstakes gambling sites. These sites have slots and (limited) casino games. You can play for ‘sweeps coins’ instead of dollars, which means that the games are considered sweepstakes contests in the eyes of the law. Those sweeps coins can be exchanged for dollars if you win.

Best Online Sweepstakes Casinos:

This guide looks at online casino games in Colorado in depth. You’ll find information about the sweepstakes casinos, social casinos and a preview of what any future regulated online casino scene in Colorado could look like below.

Colorado online casinos: Introducing sweepstakes

Sweepstakes contests are usually associated with retail businesses. They offer drawings or other games as an incentive to buy from them.

Map Of Casinos In Colorado

Every state has laws allowing these contests – including Colorado.

There are casinos online operating around the country that turn slots and casino table games into mini sweepstakes contests. From the perspective of players, the spin of a slot or shuffle of cards looks exactly the same as you’d find in any casino.

To make this model legal, the casinos have to:

There needs to be some way to let players enter the contests without needing to make a purchase. The casinos give you free sweeps coins if you send them a letter or in some cases, award you with free sweeps just for logging in.

This does sound complex, although when you strip away the terms the model is simple. You buy gold coins, get sweeps coins for free and then use those sweeps coins to enter contests (casino games). If you win, then you can exchange those sweeps coins to dollars and legally withdraw them to your bank.

Online casino brands available in Colorado

There are two major brands offering legal online casino gambling under sweepstakes rules:

• Chumba Casino: The online casino for Chumba has slots, video poker, blackjack and keno available. Most of the game titles are slots, many of which have big progressive jackpots. Titles are colorful with many complex and entertaining games. They include Triple Double Fever, Viking Odyssey, Cupids Fortune, Crazy Bunny Spin and Stampede Fury. You will get $2 in sweeps coins at Chumba simply for registering. If you like what you find, a matched deposit bonus is also available.
• LuckyLand Slots: This brand exclusively offers slot games. There are 60+ titles available, covering all the popular slot themes. These are unique games, not the same titles that you’ll find in live casinos or at online casinos in regulated states. Look out for the big progressives. LuckyLand Slots casino offer new players a matched welcome bonus. Slot titles include Vaults of Valhalla, Amazonia 3D, Buffalo Rush, Clover Cash and Mayan Gold. This casino can be accessed via a website or Android app.

Social online casinos in Colorado

Many players enjoy casino games but don’t want to gamble real money. Social casino apps and websites fill this niche. They provide access to online slots, along with leaderboard contests and social network features.

You’ll find some of the slots at social casinos are online versions of popular live slots – for example Dancing Drums or Zeus.

Chips can be purchased via social casino apps, though these are for play-money purposes only and can’t be redeemed or exchanged for real money. Social online casino brands include House of Fun, Viva Vegas Slots and Doubledown Casino.

What would future regulated online casinos look like?

It will take new legislation to bring regulated online casinos to Colorado. These are already allowed in other states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan and West Virginia.

By looking at how things work in those states – we can get a good idea of how a future legal casino setup would operate.

There are more than 30 live casinos in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek. If CO followed other states, these venues would all be able to apply for licenses to operate online casinos. It is unlikely that you’ll see ‘Gilpin Casino’, ‘Wild Bills Casino’ and so on appear as websites. In the regulated states, the pattern is that local casinos partner with the big online casino brands.

These casinos then appear online as 888 Casino, Bet365 Casino, Unibet Casino and so on. The ties with the brick and mortar venue goes beyond the license. Players can make deposits at the cage of the linked live casino (as well as depositing directly through the apps or casino websites).

Some brands will have a single wallet for sports betting and casino games (and poker, where this is also available). Others will treat their casinos separately.

With so many potential online casinos in Colorado, competition would be fierce. This would be a boost for players – who would be able to take advantage of many different bonus offers and promotions.

In regulated states, casinos offer a mix of no-deposit free play, and matched deposit bonuses on your first deposits. You’ll also find loyalty rewards and regular promotions on offer. By signing up with several different brands, players can make sure they are always clearing one bonus or another while enjoying their favorite slots and table games online.

What kind of games are available at online casinos?

Casino games have come a long way since the early days of online gambling. The number of titles, especially slots, has expanded massively. There are also plenty of table games, video poker variants and scratch card style games available.

The biggest single change at online casinos has been the shift from software-based table games to live dealer games. Better networks and computers make it possible to stream games from remote studios based in casinos. You then bet on these using your computer. Live dealer games have a social feel – though they do tend to be slower than the software-based equivalents. You’ll find blackjack, roulette, baccarat and casino poker style games at live dealer online casinos.

If you enjoy slots from WMS, IGT, Aristocrat and others, then you’ll now find many of them at online casinos. In a future regulated online casino market in Colorado, you can expect these to be listed among titles created especially for online use. Slots work well on casino apps, fitting perfectly onto your smartphone screen when you flip into landscape view. There are slots with progressive jackpots, interactive bonus games and games themed on big movie and TV franchises online.

Video poker also has multiple variations online. You’ll find many more titles than just the Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild standards. These include many multi-hand variants, plus games with bonus multipliers (Bonus Poker and others).

New technology has enabled innovative new titles. These include virtual betting games involving horses, soccer and auto-racing. Keno, Bingo, scratch cards and novelty titles (some based on TV game shows) complete the list.

Live casinos in Colorado

Casinos in Colorado have been legal since 1991. These are located in 3 places, namely Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City. There are also tribal casinos in Colorado, at Ute Mountain. This setup is different to many other states. Instead of a smaller number of large ‘resort’ type venues, Colorado has many smaller casinos – many with a rich history going all the way back to days of pioneers.

Here are the casinos you’ll find, grouped into the 3 areas:

Casinos in Black Hawk

• Bill Durham Saloon and Casino
• Bullpen Casino
• Bullwhacker’s Black Hawk Canyon and Grand Plateau Casino
• Colorado Central Station Casino
• Dan Cooper’s Eureka! Casino
• The Gilpin Casino
• Golden Gates Casino
• Golden Gulch Casino
• Mardi Gras Casino
• Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino
• The Lodge Casino
• Red Dolly Casino
• The Richman Wild Card Saloon and Casino
• Riviera Black Hawk Casino
• Saratoga Casino
• Silver Hawk Saloon and Casino

Casinos in Cripple Creek

• Black Diamond Casino and Saloon
• Brass Ass Casino
• Bronco Billy’s Casino
• Colorado Grande Casino
• Creeker’s Gaming Hall
• Double Eagle Hotel and Casino
• Gold Creek Casino
• Gold Diggers Casino
• Gold Rush Hotel and Casino
• Imperial Casino
• J.P. McGills Hotel and Casino
• Johnny Nolon’s Casino
• Midnight Rose Hotel and Casino
• Uncle Sam’s Casino
• Wild Horse Casino
• Womacks Casino and Hotel

Casinos in Central City

• Century Casino
• Doc Holliday Casino
• Dostal Alley Brewpub and Casino
• Easy Street Casino
• Famous Bonanza
• Reserve Casino Hotel
• Scarlet’s Casino
• Teller House

Other forms of Colorado online gambling

While the options for online casino games are currently limited. There are several other ways to legally gamble online in Colorado.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contests are legal and regulated. These games involve picking line-ups of players and entering them into contests including one-on-one cash games and bigger tournaments. The most popular DFS sites are FanDuel and DraftKings.

You can also legally bet online on horse races. This involves entering pari-mutuel betting pools at tracks around the country. Horse racing betting sites offer data and sometimes live streams of the races. Brands include Bet America, TwinSpires and TVG.

Sports betting was the most recent addition. This went live in May of 2020. Many of the casinos listed above have retail sportsbooks. You can also bet online via sports betting apps anywhere within state lines.

Wrapping up: Online casinos in Colorado

As things stand, there is no legislation on the books or in plan to legalize online casinos in Colorado. With the introduction of sports betting via mobile devices, the Centennial state has recently expanded online gambling significantly. Tax revenues from sports betting could potentially lead to a further expansion – which would pave the way for future legislation covering online casinos and poker rooms.

With so many live casinos in Colorado, competition for licenses would be fierce. This would not only give residents the choice of many major brands – it would mean a big choice of welcome bonus offers too.

In the meantime, there are legal options for online casino fans. Sweepstakes casinos operate with a dual-currency model, keeping them legal under existing sweepstakes contest laws. While their range of games and slots is limited, these are high quality. You can use sweeps cash to play, and if you win (including progressive jackpots), you can exchange these back to dollars and withdraw to your bank.

Colorado casinos update:As of Nov. 16, table games in Gilpin County (Central City & Black Hawk) have closed down again. This was due to the county’s two-week coronavirus case total exceeding the threshold set by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment. The casinos are open with slot machines operating and a reduction in capacity. We will be closely monitoring the situation on the ground and will update this spot with news as more develops.

Colorado Casinos

Colorado now offers several options for betting in state. Although online sports betting launched in Colorado in 2020, the state still does not permit online casino gaming for real money. For players who love casino games, there are a few options available. The gaming landscape includes more than 30 Colorado casinos located in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City. Many of these casinos now also offer retail sportsbook locations as well.

Colorado players also have access to sweepstakes casino sites. This means that players can access online casino games and play any time for cash prizes.

Looking to stay home but want to play casino games? We recommend Sweepstakes online casinos where you can play your favorite casino games for cash prizes. Our #1 recommended site is Chumba Casino.

Best Colorado Online Casino For Cash Prizes

Best For: Playing Online Casinos Games From Home

$10 Bonus Package

Available On: Web And Mobile Browser

Best For: Playing Online Casinos Games From Home

Chumba Casino

3.6

Chumba Casino is a great option for Colorado players who want to play online casino games without heading to a retail casino. Colorado has one of the strongest networks of retail casinos in the US, with plenty of options in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. But, Chumba offers casino fun from the comfort of home.

Play online casino games for cash prizes, including slots, progressive jackpot slots, and table games.

Colorado Casino Locations

The Centennial State has 31 land casinos and two more on tribal lands to the south. The state-sanctioned casinos can be found in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek, all of which have walkable central downtowns offering multiple casino options within close proximity, as well as plentiful dining and lodging options in all price ranges.

Colorado gamblers have no shortage of options when it comes to finding a venue to play their favorite casino games, no matter the time of day. Poker fans have dozens of tables offering live-action seven nights a week. Fans of table games like blackjack, three-card poker, roulette, and craps can always find a dealer ready. And of course, there are thousands of slot and video poker machines in the state waiting to be taken for a spin at any given time.

Minnesota Casino Guide

Colorado sports betting is a relative newcomer, but with almost two dozen active or upcoming online sportsbook apps in the state, and more than 30 master gambling licenses granted so far, Colorado is well on its way to claiming its place as a Mecca for sports bettors. Kiosks and retail sports betting windows will also be popping up all over the state, for those who prefer the in-person casino action to the app experience.

Black Hawk Casinos

Best Black Hawk Sportsbook – William Hill

Licensed in Colorado

Sportsbook Rating Excellent
William Hill Review

Although Cripple Creek is the most historic Colorado casino town, Black Hawk, also landed on the Colorado map when gold was discovered along the north fork of Clear Creek in 1859. The small mountain town was soon beset by thousands of miners and prospectors looking for a big strike of their own.

Today the population has dwindled from mining boom highs, but Black Hawk still sees up to 20,000 visitors a day looking to strike gold in a totally different way: at one of the city’s 15 casinos.

Located about 35 miles outside of Denver, Black Hawk has the most casinos out of any of Colorado’s three main gambling areas, including Ameristar, the biggest casino in the state.

Sports Betting In Black Hawk

Colorado sports betting launched on May 1. Multiple Black Hawk casinos will offer betting windows on-site or self-service kiosks like at William Hill, in addition to their sportsbook apps.

In-person sportsbooks in Black Hawk were slow to open due to the pandemic. As of right now, several Black Hawk casinos have retail sportsbook locations or sports betting kiosks. Many Colorado sportsbooks offer bonuses to new bettors, but only on their app or website.

Black Hawk Retail Sportsbook Locations:

• William Hill at Lady Luck Casino & Isle Casino >> Join William Hill and get a $500 Risk-Free Bet by depositing $250
• DraftKings Sportsbook at Mardi Gras Casino >> Join Draftkings Sportsbook and get up to a $1000 deposit bonus
• BetMonarch at Monarch Casino
• Betfred at Saratoga Casino
• ELITE Sportsbook at Red Dolly Casino
• Barstool Sportsbook at Ameristar Casino
• PlaySports powered by IGT at Sasquatch Casino & The Wild Card Saloon
• PlaySports powered by IGT at Z Casino (Coming soon)

Other casinos in town have formed partnerships to offer online sports betting but do not offer retail sportsbook kiosks, including:

• Bull Durham (Coming soon)
• The Lodge (Coming soon)
• The Gilpin (Coming soon)

Casino Games

Most casinos in Black Hawk have at least a few table games, many of them running 24/7. You can find classic casino games like blackjack, craps, and roulette, along with a few other, more niche games like Mississippi Stud and three-card poker. There are thousands of slot machines in Black Hawk as well, so whether you prefer the tables or trying your luck at the slots, Black Hawk has you covered.

You’ll find these table games in Black Hawk casinos:

• Blackjack (live dealer and video)
• Craps (live dealer and video)
• Roulette (live dealer and video)
• Mississippi Stud
• Three-Card Poker
• High Card Flush
• Pai Gow Poker
• Head’s Up Hold’em
• Baccarat (video only)

Blackjack Variants In Black Hawk

Blackjack comes in many different varieties these days. In addition to standard 6- or 8-deck shoe games, Black Hawk casinos offer several variants, including:

• Buffalo Bonus Blackjack
• STREAK Blackjack
• Buffalo Blackjack Extreme
• Blackjack Pair Square Bonus
• Double-Deck Pitch

Poker Rooms

Poker rooms or house-banked tables are available at the following properties:

Cripple Creek Casinos

Best Cripple Creek Sportsbook – PointsBet

Licensed in Colorado

Sportsbook Rating Excellent
PointsBet Review

Located about an hour south of Colorado Springs and two hours south of Denver, Cripple Creek is a former gold mining town turned gambling resort. Historic East Bennett Avenue traverses much of the downtown, where most of the city’s nine casinos can be found.

Visiting Cripple Creek is a bit like stepping back in time, with the building facades, many original, resembling that Old West style of architecture. But you’ll find the latest slots and table games at just about every casino in town, with locals and out-of-towners alike hoping to hit the jackpot.

Sports Betting In Cripple Creek

New to Colorado in 2020 is sports betting, both in-person and online through sportsbook apps. Multiple Cripple Creek casinos have partnered with global sports betting brands and will offer betting windows on-site or self-service kiosks.

Cripple Creek Retail Sportsbook Locations:

• BetWildwood at Wildwood Casino
• BetAmerica at Bronco Billy’s
• PointsBet at Double Eagle Hotel & Casino (app available and retail coming soon) >> Claim up to $1,500 in risk-free bets using bonus code BIGBONUS
• ISI-powered Kiosks (app in partnership with Sportsbetting.com coming soon) at Johnny Nolon’s
• ISI-powered Kiosks at Colorado Grande

Other casinos in town have formed partnerships to offer online sports betting but do not offer retail sportsbook kiosks, including:

• Midnight Rose/McGills/Brass Ass
• Sir William’s Casino formerly known as Christmas Casino & Inn (Coming soon)

Casino Games

Cripple Creek casinos offer all of the table games you would expect, from blackjack and three-card poker to roulette and craps. Not all casinos have table games, but if slots are your game of choice you will find plenty of one-armed bandits at any casino you find yourself in.

You’ll find these table games in Cripple Creek casinos:

• Blackjack
• Craps
• Roulette
• Ultimate Texas Hold’Em
• Three-Card Poker
• Wild Six Card Draw Poker

Blackjack Variants In Cripple Creek

Blackjack comes in many different varieties these days. In addition to standard 6- or 8-deck shoe games, Cripple Creek casinos offer several variants, including:

• Buffalo Bonus Blackjack
• Buffalo Bonus Blackjack 2
• Double-Up Blackjack
• Double-Deck Pitch

The minimum bet is usually $5, but some casinos in town have special days where the minimum bet is $2 or $3. Colorado’s maximum allowable bet is $100.

Poker Rooms

Poker rooms or house-banked tables are available at the following properties:

• Bronco Billy’s
• Wildwood Casino
• Century Casino
• Double Eagle Casino
• Midnight Rose Hotel & casino
• Brass Ass Casino
• Johnny Nolon’s Casino

Central City Casinos

Just up the street from Black Hawk is Central City, which saw the very same rush of prospectors invading the city during the mining boom. In its heyday, Central City had a larger population than Black Hawk. Today, it’s the smaller of the two casino towns, featuring about a third of the number of casinos. Central City is a slot lover’s paradise and a perfect gambling spot for people who value the personal service offered by smaller casinos.

Sports Betting In Central City

For the moment, there are no operational sports betting windows in Central City. However, there have been some prominent partnerships made between global sportsbook brands and casinos in town:

• Dostal Alley (Betsson)
• Century Casino (Circa Sports)

In late November 2020, Grand Z Casino and Johnny Z’s announced a partnership with IGT and Maverick Gaming. Both casinos, along with Z Casino in Black are expected to launch the PlaySports online sports betting platform and retail kiosks sometime in the next few months.

Casino Games

Not all casinos in Central City have table games, it’s a more slot-focused casino town. Table games are still closed at casinos statewide until further notice, but the town does offer several table game options.

You’ll find these table games in Central City casinos:

• Blackjack
• Roulette

Poker Rooms

Poker rooms or house-banked tables are available at the following Central City properties:

Colorado Casinos COVID Closures

Have Colorado Casinos Opened?

Colorado casinos are open for business, thanks to a pair of variance approvals exempting Teller and Gilpin Counties from provisions of Colorado Governor Jared Polis ‘safer-at-home’ order. Teller county is home to Cripple Creek casinos. Gilpin county is home to Black Hawk and Central City casinos.

For now, all guests and employees must wear masks at all times, and you’ll find mandatory temperature screenings at the entrance of every casino. Only slots are open for now, with table games slated to be revisited by health officials at a later date.

Are Cripple Creek Casinos Open?

Cripple Creek casinos initially reopened on June 15, 2020 after receiving a variance from Teller County health officials. The casinos were limited to 50% occupancy and all visitors required to wear masks and follow social distancing guidelines.

In mid-November 2020, Cripple Creek casinos again faced the prospect of complete closure due to the county entering the “Orange Zone” laid out by its COVID-19 action plan. After appealing to the county, casinos were allowed to remain open at 25% capacity.

The opening was restricted to slot machines only, with table games set to reopen later as long as there isn’t a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases in the county.

Are Black Hawk and Central City Casinos Open?

Gilpin County, home of Black Hawk and Central City, reopened casinos on June 17, 2020 without table games. Tables games were reintroduced in September 2020, and they closed again in mid-November 2020.

Tribal casinos in the southern part of the state are holding off on reopening for now, however. Read our report for more information on the state of casino reopenings in La Plata and Montezuma County here.

Further Reading

We’ve been extensively covering the reopening. Here’s some of our additional coverage in case you missed it:

• What changes you can expect to see at Colorado’s newly reopened casinos
• An account of our visit to newly reopened Central City and Black Hawk casinos
• We talked to Colorado physicians to get their take about the reopening plans

What About Tribal Casinos In Colorado? Are They Open?

The two tribal casinos in Colorado remain closed. La Plata and Montezuma counties, home of Sky Ute and Ute Mountain casinos, will not be allowed to open until the trajectory of their Covid-19 cases starts trending downwards.

When Did Online Sports Betting Launch In Colorado?

As of May 1, online sports betting is officially live! Colorado sports bettors can join the action right now with big-name players like DraftKings Sportsbook, FanDuel Sportsbook, BetMGM, and many more.

Colorado’s retail casinos have yet to open in-person sports betting windows or kiosks, with Saratoga Casino in Black Hawk the first of two exceptions. DraftKings has opened a temporary sportsbook window at the Mardi Gras Casino, also in Black Hawk, on Friday, July 10.

Learn everything you need to know about legal sports betting in Colorado.

Colorado Casino FAQ

Utah Casino Guide

Harrah's Casino In Denver Colorado

Colorado’s 33 casinos are chiefly located in Black Hawk/Central City and Cripple Creek. Black Hawk and Central City share a main thoroughfare, and are about 45 minutes from downtown Denver. Cripple Creek is about a two hour and 15 minute drive from Denver.

Colorado Casino Reopening Guidelines

The state’s tribal casinos are located in Montezuma and La Plata counties, and are located about a 6-7 hour drive from Denver.

When Colorado casinos first opened in 1990, the maximum bet allowed by law was just $5. In 2008, the maximum wager was raised to $100. These caps do not apply to sports betting, however.

There are initiatives in the works that would remove the cap on the max bet, including Proposition 257, but so far none have materialized.

The American Casino Guide

Nearly all casinos in Colorado offer beverage service to players, most for free. What will change casino to casino is whether the free drinks for players are limited to certain items (just beer, for instance.) Other casinos provide free top-shelf alcoholic drinks to all players. If drink service is important to you, check with the casino to see what they offer.

List Of Casinos In Colorado

Many of the casinos in Colorado offer lodging, especially the larger ones. Check the casino website to find out if they have rooms available and make reservations if you plan an overnight stay.