Welcome to ColoradoBetting.com, your source for legal Colorado sports betting and gambling information. We aim to provide a concise and straightforward roadmap to all things gambling in Colorado. This includes news and reviews, industry updates and recommendations of CO betting sites that are licensed and legal.

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• Is Gambling Legal In Colorado
• Legal Online Gambling Colorado

Legal Gambling Age Colorado

Our primary focus here is on sports betting, both online and in-person, but we are committed to covering major developments and providing information to all forms of gambling. Whether it’s the latest sports betting bonuses or big news out of Black Hawk, we cover it all to some extent.

The Colorado Constitution and Colorado law allow only certain types of 'gambling.' In addition to limited gaming in Colorado casinos, the following forms of gambling are legal: Colorado Lottery. Colorado Division of Racing -Live and off-track betting on horse racing events. It is officially legal to place wagers on sports in the state of Colorado. First of all, yes there are still some sports you can gamble on. Second, the whole idea of that can be pretty. As of May 1, 2020, sports betting is legal in Colorado as long as you place legal bets with a licensed sports betting operator within the borders of Colorado. Sports betting is only legal if you’re betting at a sportsbook licensed and authorized by the state of Colorado. Offshore sportsbooks are not. Colorado legalized casino in gambling in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek with the passage of the Limited Gaming Act in 1991 following a statewide referendum approved by voters the previous year. The first casinos were up and running by the end of 1991.

Legal CO Betting Sites

Colorado regulates a wider range of online gambling activities than many people realize. Sports betting was authorized by voters in November 2019 as you may have heard, but that is not the only form of online gambling that is legal in Colorado.

Legal Forms of Online Betting in CO:

• Sports betting
• Daily fantasy sports
• Horse racing betting
• Games of skill

Mobile Sports Betting in Colorado

Colorado legalized sports betting through a two-part process in 2019. First, the state legislature passed HB 1327 to authorize sports betting and establish some basic regulations. The governor signed the bill in May 2019.

Second, Colorado voters had to approve the bill via statewide referendum before it could become law. That happened in November 2019. The bill required a public referendum due to Colorado’s TABOR Amendment, which requires all legislation that includes a tax increase to be approved by the voters before it may take effect.

Even though the CO sports betting law does not increase existing taxes, it had to survive a statewide vote because it establishes a new tax on licensed sports betting operators. Despite the ballot question’s awkward phrasing, voters approved the bill to formally legalize in-person and mobile / online sports betting.

The first Colorado sportsbooks opened one year later, in May 2020. Colorado betting sites and mobile apps licensed by the Limited Gaming Control Commission (LGCC) may offers wagers on professional and college sports, including major events such as the Super Bowl and March Madness.

Colorado Sportsbook Reviews

The Colorado sports betting market is competitive thanks to favorable legislation with low taxes and plenty of openings for operators to set up shop.

ColoradoBetting.com is in the process of reviewing all legal sportsbooks in Colorado based on a variety of factors, check out our featured sportsbooks below:

• DraftKings
• BetRivers
• BetMGM

Additional Reviews

How Sports Betting Works in Colorado

In-person and online sports betting is legal in Colorado for customers who are 21 or older and physically present within state lines when placing wagers via desktop computer or mobile device.

Under state law, Colorado casinos hold a monopoly over sports betting. Each casino that acquires a sports wagering license may accept wagers in-person through a retail sportsbook and online through a single website and mobile app.

Casinos are also allowed to form partnerships with third-party providers such as FanDuel and DraftKings for assistance in running their sportsbooks and to capitalize on brand name recognition.

For example, PointsBet got an early start on CO sports betting by forming a partnership with Cripple Creek’s Double Eagle Hotel and Casino months before the referendum was even held. Under the terms of that deal, PointsBet is tasked with managing the casino’s retail and mobile sportsbook operations.

Double Eagle gains an experienced partner while PointsBet gains access to the CO market. This is emblematic of the win-win relationships local casinos and online betting companies are reaching across the country.

BetAmerica has a similar deal in place with Bronco Billy’s Hotel and Casino for a retail sportsbook and online betting.

How Sports Betting is Regulated

HB 1327 established some basic regulations governing sports betting in Colorado and tasked the Limited Gaming Control Commission with overseeing the industry. The Commission is now in the process of drawing up more detailed regulations, but some of the basic requirements set forth by HB 1327 include:

• Sets a minimum age of 21 to bet on sports
• Sports betting operators taxed 10% on net proceeds
• Each Colorado casino may apply for a sports betting license for a fee not to exceed $125,000
• Each casino may offer in-person betting and a single online betting site / mobile app
• Each casino may contract with a third-party provider to manage its retail and online betting operations
• Casinos may offer wagers on professional, collegiate and Olympic sports events
• Esports betting is prohibited on events that are not sanctioned by a sports governing body

Retail Sportsbooks in Colorado

In addition to mobile sportsbooks, casinos located in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek that acquire sports betting licenses may also construct retail sportsbooks to accept wagers in person.

With reasonable licensing fees and a 10% tax rate, most casinos in Colorado have found it financially viable to launch retail sportsbooks. Sportsbooks that are fully approved were given the go-ahead to begin accepting wagers after May 1^st, 2020 and numerous locations have opened since.

Read more: Colorado Sportsbooks

Daily Fantasy Sports

Colorado formally legalized and regulated daily fantasy sports with the passage of HB 1404 in 2016. The bill created the legal framework under which fantasy sites may operate, established a licensing process for operators and set the ground rules for the conduct of operators.

Under CO law, fantasy contest operators are registered and licensed by the Office of Fantasy Contest Operator Registration and Licensure under the Division of Professions and Occupations. State law distinguishes between large operators and small operators for the purposes of registration and licensing.

Large fantasy operators are defined as those with more than 7,500 active players and must be licensed in Colorado. Small fantasy operators are defined as those with 7,500 or fewer active players and only need to be registered.

Currently, just two daily fantasy providers are licensed in Colorado as large operators:

• FanDuel.com
• DraftKings.com

A larger number of fantasy providers are registered as small operators. Some of the more well-known small operators registered in Colorado include:

• Yahoo Daily Fantasy
• Boom Fantasy
• SidePrize (now PrizePicks)

Under Colorado law, fantasy contest operators must:

• Ensure all customers are at least 18 years of age
• Prevent employees and family members who live in the same household from participating in fantasy contests
• Prevent the sharing of confidential information that could be used by third parties to gain an advantage in fantasy contests
• Prevent athletes and officials who participate in or officiate sports events that are the subject of fantasy contests from participating in those contests
• Provide a means by which customers may self-exclude from participating in fantasy contests
• Segregate customer funds from operational funds
• Distinguish highly experienced players and beginners and ensure highly experienced players are identified as such to all players
• Disclose the number of lineups customers are allowed to enter into each contest
• Prohibit the use of third-party scripts that can be used to gain an advantage over other players
• Clearly disclose all rules that govern its fantasy contests
• Take reasonable steps to limit each customer to a single account
• Contract with a third party to perform an annual audit to ensure compliance with CO fantasy sports law

Colorado Racing Betting

Horse racing betting is legal in Colorado at racetracks, off-track betting facilities (OTBs) and licensed betting sites / mobile apps for customers 18 and older.

Horse racing and parimutuel wagering are regulated by the Racing Division under the Colorado Department of Revenue. The Racing Division is also responsible for issuing licenses to advance deposit wagering providers (ADWs), which is just a fancy term for racing betting sites.

The three most popular racing betting sites that are licensed in CO are:

• TVG
• TwinSpires
• WatchandWager

Wagers can also be placed in-person at the state’s last remaining racetrack, Arapahoe Park. Arapahoe Park hosts live racing from May through August each year in addition to simulcast wagering on races held around the country during the live racing season.

Eleven other off-track betting facilities in Colorado also offer year-round simulcasting and wagering. The full list of other OTBs includes:

Greyhound racing fell out of favor in Colorado over the early and mid 2000s until the last remaining greyhound track closed in 2008. Governor John Hickenlooper signed a bill to formally outlaw greyhound racing in 2014 to permanently end the sport in Colorado.

Licensed OTBs and betting sites may still accept wagers on greyhound races found elsewhere, but live racing is nowhere to be found in Colorado.

Colorado Casinos

Colorado legalized casino in gambling in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek with the passage of the Limited Gaming Act in 1991 following a statewide referendum approved by voters the previous year. The first casinos were up and running by the end of 1991.

Under the law at the time, casinos could only offer accept maximum wagers of $5 on slots, blackjack and poker games. Casinos were also required by close by 2 AM.

Those rules were relaxed in 2008 when voters approved Initiative 50 during the November election. The passage of Initiative 50 increased the maximum wager at Colorado casinos to $100, authorized craps, authorized roulette and allowed casinos to remain open 24 hours a day.

Poker in Colorado

Online poker is illegal across the board in Colorado, but in-person poker games are permitted at casinos and in other locations if certain conditions are met.

Online Poker

State law strictly prohibits online gambling in all its forms, including online poker. Despite what you may read online elsewhere, there are no legal Colorado poker sites operating anywhere in the state.

Certain offshore websites do offer online poker games to CO residents, but those games operate contrary to multiple state and federal laws. These games are unregulated, unlicensed and cannot guarantee the safety of your funds or fairness of the games. We recommend staying far away from such sites.

Poker at Casinos

Licensed casinos in Colorado may host real money cash games and tournaments. Cash poker games in Colorado are subject to the same $100 maximum wager that is applied to all forms of gambling at casinos.

As a result, true no limit cash games do not exist in Colorado. Instead, spread limit games such as $1/$2 and $2/$5 allow players to wager anywhere between $1 and $100 no matter how much is in the pot at any given time.

A number of Colorado poker rooms have closed over the years, leaving four active poker rooms today:

Black Hawk

• Ameristar Poker Room: 22 tables, $1/$3 spread Holdem, $2/$5 spread Holdem, $30/$60 limit Holdem, $50/$100 limit Holdem, $2/$5 spread Big-O and additional game types/limits available on request – most popular poker room in Colorado
• Isle Casino Poker Room: 10 tables, free drinks and table side service, $60 tournaments on Friday sand Saturdays
• Golden Gates Poker Room: 17 tables + a five-table overflow room for tournaments and home of the Colorado Poker Championship

Cripple Creek

• Midnight Rose Poker Room: 8 tables, $1/$2 spread Holdem, $1/$2-$20 spread Holdem, $5/$10 7 Card Stud Hi-Lo, $5/$10 Omaha Hi-Lo, open Tuesday through Sunday

Social Poker Games

Social poker games are permitted in Colorado as long as the players have a “bona fide social relationship” outside of gambling.

Home poker games also cannot be run for a profit, either directly or indirectly. This means the host of a poker game cannot charge a rake, entry fee, sell drinks or come up with other creative ways to profit off the game.

Games of Skill

Games of skill played for money are legal in Colorado. CO Rev Statutes § 18-10-102 defines gambling as follows (emphasis ours):

(2) “Gambling” means risking any money, credit, deposit, or other thing of value for gain contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, the operation of a gambling device, or the happening or outcome of an event, including a sporting event, over which the person taking a risk has no control, but does not include:

(a) Bona fide contests of skill, speed, strength, or endurance in which awards are made only to entrants or the owners of entries;

(b) Bona fide business transactions which are valid under the law of contracts;

(c) Other acts or transactions now or hereafter expressly authorized by law;

(d) Any game, wager, or transaction which is incidental to a bona fide social relationship, is participated in by natural persons only, and in which no person is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling; or

(e) Repealed.

(f) Any use of or transaction involving a crane game, as defined in section 12-47.1-103 (5.5), C.R.S.

In other words, state laws on gambling do not apply to real money skill games in Colorado.

A handful of online skill gaming sites headquartered in the United States offer games of skill to CO residents:

• WorldWinner.com: Offers simple games of skill such as Solitaire, Bejeweled, Angry Birds and Scrabble among others. Players compete either heads-up or in tournament fashion for real money payouts.
• GamerSaloon.com: Compete in esports matches or tournaments for real money. GamerSaloon supports all the latest competitive console games.
• PlayersLounge.co: Similar idea to GamerSaloon – compete on your PC or console for real money across a wide range of popular games.

The Colorado Constitution and Colorado law allow only certain types of 'gambling.' In addition to limited gaming in Colorado casinos, the following forms of gambling are legal:

• Colorado Division of Racing-Live and off-track betting on horse racing events
• Secretary of State's Office - Licensing & Regulations for bingo, raffles and charitable games.
• 'Social' Gambling (See Social Gambling Exception below)

All other forms of gambling are prohibited.

Information and commonly asked questions about both legal and illegal gambling activities:

Although the Division of Gaming cannot provide any legal advice, the following is some guidance based upon what has been deemed illegal under Colorado law. Counties and municipalities would have jurisdiction over these matters and may have local ordinances that also address gambling issues, so we encourage you to contact your local district attorney or city attorney's office for guidance because the Division only regulates casino gambling in Central City, Cripple Creek and Black Hawk.

Colorado law does allow charitable organizations to sponsor gambling events at a licensed retailer/operator. (This means a licensed casino in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk or Central City, Colorado.) The provisions governing these events are found in Colorado Revised Statutes, sections 12-47.1-901, 902 and 903. (View Colorado's gaming statutes.)

Outside of the gaming towns, criminal statutes govern gambling activity. For 'gambling' to occur, three elements must be present: consideration, chance, and reward. These elements are sometimes expressed as 'payment, luck, and prize.' The first level of inquiry, then, is whether all three of these components are present, because by eliminating any one of them, the activity would not meet the definition of 'gambling' as set forth in Colorado law.

For example, if the consideration component is eliminated and no fee, buy-in or other money is required or solicited from the participants, then prizes may be awarded to the player(s) who perform well in a casino type game. This is how several organized poker tournaments are able to operate legally outside the three gaming towns. On the other hand, if an organization charges a donation, fee or other buy-in for the casino games or just for the event, then it cannot legally distribute prizes or money based upon who wins or plays well in the casino type games. Such an organization could legally conduct a drawing, door prize or raffle as long as the prizes are awarded randomly and are not tied to success in the casino type game(s). Likewise, the organization could legally conduct the casino type games for the pure entertainment value alone. By disconnecting any prize or money from the risk element of the casino type game(s), such activity would arguably not meet the definition of gambling.

Although there is a social gambling exception in statute, the Colorado Supreme Court has held that charitable events do not qualify. Charnes v Central City Opera House 1989.pdf

Because a charity event typically seeks to raise money, the only way to hold a casino night where participants pay or donate money, is to hold the casino games for entertainment value only. In other words, there can be NO cash or other prizes awarded as a result of the games played. However, a raffle or door prize scenario where anybody can win the prize without regard to how they played or if they played the games is an option.

Companies do exist that will rent the needed equipment for casino type games. Lastly, if the charitable event will involve a liquor license, the Division of Liquor Enforcement could provide guidance on these issues.

Colorado Division of Gaming

May 2014

'Find a penny, pick it up,' might be a familiar childhood rhyme, but in Colorado casinos, keeping found money in or from a casino is a violation of state gaming law.

When Colorado voters legalized limited gaming in 1990, slot machines typically used coins: pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. In many jurisdictions outside of Colorado, people would walk around casinos, glancing at empty slot machines, looking for any coins left behind. The name 'silver miners' was coined to describe people who looked for money around casino games.

Slot machines keep track of how much money has been played and how much money has been won or lost, but in recent years, most slot machines have migrated to modern technology where the machine does not spill out coins when there's a jackpot. Electronic bells and whistles have taken the place of the happy jangle of a pile of coins spilling into a metal tray.

The problem of people 'mining' for dropped coins has also evolved along with technology. People may be questioned or even charged with Fraudulent Acts if they sit down at a slot machine and play off credits another player has left behind.

Buckets of jackpot coins have been replaced with slips of paper, called 'TITO‚' slips for 'ticket in, ticket out.' When a player finishes playing a slot machine and has credits accumulated on the machine, he or she can cash out the winnings, which is a printed slip of paper showing the balance. That TITO slip can be reinserted into another slot machine, redeemed at a kiosk, or turned into a casino cashier in exchange for cash.

So if a person sits down at a slot machine and plays someone else's credits, how do casino staff and Division of Gaming investigators determine just whose money is being played? For starters, every slot machine is under surveillance. Surveillance video can determine who played, how much they bet, how long they played, and whether jackpots were won. Event logs maintained on each slot machine can verify every transaction that took place, including game play history.

Likewise, if the first or second player used a player card (a player-specific card issued by the casino to track player use as well as link the player to promotions and marketing opportunities), transactions that took place on the slot machine after the card was inserted by the patron can be accessed to view the details.

Sometimes the second player sits down at a slot machine and simply doesn't recognize that there are credits on the machine, and may insert additional money on top of existing credits. The slot machine event logs, as well as the visual information from surveillance, is usually enough to determine if either player is owed credits or money. A player who finds someone else's credits and plays them off can be issued a citation under the Fraudulent Acts law.

If you find a lost ticket, cash or coins on the casino floor, let a casino staff member know. If you want to play a vacant slot machine and discover someone else's credits are waiting, you can find another machine or notify a casino staff member to properly document and remove the existing credits so you can play. If a patron returns to the casino looking for the lost ticket or money, the casino will return their property. If they return to a slot machine where they have left credits, the casino can return those as well. But there is no allowance under Colorado law for 'finders keepers' to keep a windfall.

2014

Colorado law allows a 'social gambling' exception, which allows 'gambling' that is incidental to a bona fide social relationship and is participated in by natural persons. A 'bona fide social relationship' means that the parties must have an established social relationship based upon some other common interest other than the gambling activity.

Further, one participating in such social game cannot directly or indirectly participate in 'professional gambling,' which is defined in Colorado law as 'aiding or inducing another to engage in gambling, with the intent to derive a profit therefrom.' This generally means that no one other than the players can profit from the game or activity in any manner. The profit does not need to be direct profit. Colorado law defines 'profit' as any 'realized or unrealized benefit, direct or indirect, including without limitation benefits from proprietorship, management, or unequal advantage in a series of transactions.'

These two criteria - a bona fide social relationship and no profit motive - must be present for a gambling activity to be considered legal 'social gambling.'

Legal Gambling Age In Colorado

Legal Gambling Age Colorado

The Colorado Attorney General's Office and the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission have worked together to put together this response for information purposes only. This response should not be construed as a legal opinion, and you should consult with legal counsel before taking final action regarding the information in this response. Further, this response only encompasses Colorado State statutes. County and municipal jurisdictions may have local ordinances that may also address gambling issues. You should contact your local district attorney's office to determine these ordinances.

Online Gambling Colorado

The first consideration in determining if a poker tournament or 'casino night' is allowed under social gambling laws is whether the activity is defined as 'gambling.' For gambling to occur, three factors must be present - consideration, chance and reward. These can be better described as 'payment, luck and prize.' If any of these three factors is not present, then the activity is not considered gambling. For example, if no donation, fee, buy-in, tips, drink minimums or any other monetary consideration are required or solicited from the participants in a poker tournament or casino night, then prizes may be awarded to the player(s) who perform well during the tournament or games.

On the other hand, if an organization charges a donation, fee or other buy-in for a poker tournament or casino night, then it cannot legally distribute prizes based upon who wins or plays well in the tournament or event. Such organization could legally conduct a drawing, door prize or raffle as long as the prizes are randomly awarded and are not tied to success in the tournament or event. Likewise, the organization could legally conduct the tournament or casino night for the pure entertainment value alone. By disconnecting the prize from the risk element of the poker or other event, such activity would arguably not meet the definition of gambling. The Colorado Secretary of State handles permits for bingo and raffle events. This paragraph applies even if the poker tournament or casino night is for charity and/or the prizes are donated.

Once the activity has met the legal definition of 'gambling,' it can still be a legal activity if it meets the 'social gambling' exception in Colorado statute.

Legal Online Gambling Colorado

Internet gambling is illegal under state and federal laws. Colorado law prohibits the transmission or reception of gambling information by any means. The federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, signed into law in October 2006, prohibits online gamblers from using credit cards, checks and electronic fund transfers to place and settle bets. Further, the federal 1961 Wire Act also prohibits the use of wire communications in interstate or foreign commerce for the placing of bets or wagers or information assisting in the placing of bets or wagers.

Unlike participants in legalized forms of gambling, persons who wager on online casinos have no recourse with any state agency should they not be paid for winning wagers or have any other dispute with the entity with which they are placing their bets. Furthermore, players are not guaranteed odds. By statute, slot and video machines in Colorado casinos must pay out between 80 percent and 100 percent. Online casinos are not required to have minimum payouts and are under no form of regulatory control to ensure compliance with any payout controls.

Is Gambling Legal In Colorado

Many online sites advertise they are 'legal' and 'licensed' forms of wagering. They may be legal or licensed where the bets are received, but it remains illegal to place bets from Colorado with these businesses.

Legal Online Gambling Colorado

In addition, the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission prohibits persons and businesses licensed in the casino industry in Colorado from having any involvement with internet gaming sites that can be accessed by Colorado residents.