Colorado is known for its progressive residents and its gorgeous natural landscape—as well as its surprisingly strict gambling laws. In fact, the state of Colorado has one of the more limited gambling industries in the United States. As such, you might do well to acquaint yourself with these rules and regulations if you are a resident of this state. By understanding the laws regarding the various forms of gambling, you can confidently engage in legal betting activities while enjoying the games that you have come to love.

• Colorado Gaming Regulations
• Colorado Bingo Law
• Is Gambling Allowed In Colorado
• Colorado Online Gambling Laws
• Is Casino Gambling Legal In Colorado

Read on to learn more about the legal code pertaining to gambling in the state of Colorado. Throughout this article, we will look at these regulations from different angles to ensure that you understand just what is and what is not allowed in this state.

Colorado has a number of laws that dictate how gambling can take place in the state. But none of them extend to online gambling. Because of this, we believe that online gambling is legal in Colorado in all parts of the state. Colorado legalized land-based gambling in 1990. Although the history of gambling in The Centennial State is rather short, Colorado has plenty of tribal and commercial casinos and card rooms, which are mainly located in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City. Other regulated forms of gambling include state lottery and pari-mutuel horse racing. The gaming control’s position is that most online gambling services are prohibited from anyone licensed in the Colorado casino industry. But now, with DFS and sports betting regulated, Colorado gambling laws are starting to evolve slowly. The legal gambling age in Colorado is 18 for lottery and bingo, but 21 for horse racing and casino games. The gambling age for live sports betting would also be 21. Is Bovada legal in Colorado? Bovada, like MyBookie, is an unregulated, offshore sportsbook. As such, it is not legal in Colorado. Colorado Online Casinos This is one of the states that at first glance should hold a large portion of the US online gambling opportunities, with high expectations towards the legalization of online gambling and casinos. This idea is based on the extensive Colorado casinos list existent within the CO state’s borders.

Land-based gambling is pretty restricted in Colorado. The state does allow pari-mutuel wagering on both horse and dog racing, which is actually a bit more extensive than some of the other states in the region. However, it has restricted the activity of casinos so that they offer only slot machines and certain table games, which are limited by state-specific regulations. Charitable gambling is also quite narrowly focused in this state, as charity functions can host bingo games and raffles. But for the residents who are interested in playing the lottery, Colorado regulates a state-run game that many players enjoy.

In terms of online gaming, the law is currently a bit vague. It is important to note, though, that changes to the law are seemingly on the horizon, as word has it that the Colorado Gaming Association, which oversees the gambling industry in the state, is working on a bill to regulate online gambling within its borders; however, the organization has not provided any solid information with this regard

Pari-mutuel is allowed on both horse and dog racing. Otherwise, the general language used within the State of Colorado's legal code indicates that betting pools and land-based sports wagering in Colorado is not permissible.

Colorado sports fans have an embarrassment of riches living so close to one of America’s great sport cities in Denver, but many believe they cannot make bets on sports events. Luckily, that is dead wrong. With the help of legal online sportsbooks for Colorado residents, those in the Centennial State can pick up a sports betting hobby in a moment's notice.

When looking for the most pristine and accessible legal online sportsbook for Colorado residents, look no further than Bovada. This sports betting site boasts one of the sleekest and fastest performing designs out there, and it’s a good thing too. Once customers get a look at the millions of game lines and propositions available in the sportsbook, it takes some of the most powerful servers and software in the world to keep up with all the bets being placed. Colorado residents don’t have to miss out on the action as they are free to sign up with the most popular and longest running sports betting site in the nation purely at their own discretion, no wait is necessary.

Sign-up with Bovada is not only simple, but rewarding. Once a new user makes a deposit to their account using Bovada’s renowned, secure financial system, they will find that not only is their entire deposit in the account safe and sound, but that they have been awarded an additional 50% of their deposit on top in the form of bonus money to be used anywhere in the sports book. Using this promotion, Colorado residents can score an additional $250 with which to bet, an unprecedented deal in the sports betting industry.

Casinos are legal in this state, but they are much more restricted than in many of the other states in the country. The casinos are heavily regulated and are subject to restrictions on the games that they can offer—and on the way that these games are run. In fact, these venues can only offer slot machines and certain table games.

It’s safe to say that if you live in Colorado, you know what a dose of the good life tastes like. One of the only things that can make that mountain air smell any better is knowing you can participate in all of the excitement of legal gambling from anywhere you please. Luckily, with the legal online casinos indexed on this page, you can! Join the thousands of Colorado residents who are already in on the fun.

If you want the absolute best and most high quality legal casino the internet has to offer, you simply need to check in with Club World. Whether your game is slots, video poker, black jack, or any variation thereof, this fantastic legal gambling site has you covered. With certification officially from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission, you never have to worry about the fairness or security of your games. Club World without a doubt delivers all the quality and assurances that a land based casino can offer to anywhere in the world with an internet connection.

Do you like free stuff? Of course you do. Club World takes care of all Colorado residents by always assuring there are various bonuses and rewards up for grabs. When you join this casino, you’ll find there are always opportunities to earn money, in fact, there is a different, insane deal for every day of the week. How about 65% off all games on Monday, or 10% cash back on weekends? The beat goes on, and the savings always rack up at Club World.

Colorado Gaming Regulations

Poker is legal and popular if enjoyed in a licensed, regulated setting. This includes a casino or a social game during which no profit is made from the activity's operation. Poker, as a game, is one that can be interpreted as gambling or not given the broad definition of gambling provided by the state's legal code; however, a case that spanned 2008 to 2010 established a precedent in terms of categorizing this game as gambling when a court did so and the State Supreme Court declined the appeal.

The deal of the century is coming to the Centennial State. What is it exactly? Online poker. Whereas in the past people were too scared to try it because they feared it was illegal the news is finally out that online poker has never been illegal in Colorado or any other state. This means that those who were interested can finally take the leap and see for themselves how much they can win in the world of online poker.

Where to start the online poker journey though? Perhaps the best place would be Bovada. In fact Bovada is so good that most people won’t want to leave the site. They are innovative, they treat their customers well, and they have more guaranteed tournaments than just about any other site on the web. It isn’t hard to see why Bovada is the first and only online poker room for many players.

One of the ways they show their dedication to their customer is by rewarding dedication to them. If a new player continues to play with this legal poker site long enough they will incrementally earn back their initial deposit. Once they have been playing enough they will have all of the first deposit made back as money to play or withdraw with. Then look at the fun new ways to play that Bovada brings to its users. Like the Zone, where players go on a rapid fire run across tables every time they fold. Switching up tables, switching up hands, switching up the fun. Then last but not least Bovada brings out the mother of all guaranteed tournament prize pools. It is estimated that in the course of a year that the poker room gives away more than 2 million dollars in guaranteed tournaments. If that doesn’t make a poker pro drool then nothing will.

Online gambling is not explicitly dealt with in the state's legal code; however, the Attorney General did informally opine that online gambling isn't something that is regulated by state. It is important to note that this was an informal announcement, though, and that many individuals still turn to the internet to access their favorite gambling activities.

In 2012 reports began to circulate that the Colorado Gaming Association was going to create a bill that would regulate online gaming within the state's borders. Due to the fact that such a bill is not in place, many residents have interpreted this as an indication that, currently, online gambling is safe. There are no records of individuals playing online poker being prosecuted by the State of Colorado, so the risk of engaging in online games is perceived by many to be minimal. Because Colorado has such restricted land-based gambling opportunities, numerous residents have taken to the World Wide Web to engage in the games that they enjoy.

Colorado has a fairly limited gambling industry; however, the world of online gaming offers its residents a way to participate in their favorite wagering activities without having to travel to one of the state's few casinos. While the legal regulations regarding online gambling are not cut and dry, they are general enough that many players have felt it safe to turn to this alternative.

Colorado, aka the Centennial State, is the 21st most populous state. It had
an estimated population of over 5.5 million in 2016.

Colorado offers regulated and tribal casinos, horse racing, social gambling,
lottery and charitable bingo and raffle games. Overall, Colorado is a
pro-gambling state, but their online gambling regulations are a gray area.

Here’s an overview of what you should know about Colorado gambling sites.

Online Gambling and Colorado Law

Is online gambling legal in Colorado?

According to the Colorado Department of Revenue Enforcement Division:

“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.

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.”

Based on this information, we would say that online gambling is illegal in
Colorado.

The thing is, the laws referenced above were not specifically written for
online gambling.

Also, Colorado has no laws specifically disallowing online sports betting at
offshore companies or race betting in other states through the Internet. We
offer several recommendations for reputable offshore sports books on our
site – most of them are happy to do business with residents of Colorado.

Can I get arrested for gambling online in Colorado?

Based on the information above, gambling online seems to be a gray area in
Colorado. While the Colorado Department of Revenue says that online gambling is
illegal, the laws they reference are aimed at professional gamblers–not casual
gamers or online gamblers.

The state government is against online gambling, and has tried to rid the
internet of sweepstake cafes, but no one has ever been arrested in Colorado for
online gambling.

If you try to start an online casino, bookie or other gambling organization
in Colorado, you’ll almost certainly be arrested. The state’s enforcement
activities focus almost entirely on people running illegal gambling businesses.
Customers of those businesses are usually ignored.

Our advice, of course, is to obey the law no matter where you live. But
realistically, if you’re just placing bets online, you shouldn’t have any
worries.

Also On This Page

More Gambling Laws in Colorado

• Casino Games (Legal With Restrictions)
• Sports Betting (Illegal With Exceptions)
• Race Betting (Legal With Restrictions)
• Lottery (Legal)
• Bingo (Charitable Games Only)
• Social Gambling (Legal)

According to section 18-10-101 of the Colorado Revised Statutes, gambling is
defined as,

“‘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”

Casino games: Legal with restrictions

The only legal casino games in Colorado are blackjack, poker, craps, roulette
and slot machines.

Here’s what section 47.1-104 of the Colorado Code of Regulations says about
authorized games:

“Limited gaming permitted pursuant to article 47.1 of title 12, C.R.S., shall
include only the following games: blackjack (21); poker; slot machines; craps;
and roulette. All such games shall be conducted by licensees only in accordance
with rules and regulations promulgated by the Commission.”

Here’s what section 47.1-105 of the Colorado Code of Regulations says about
unauthorized games:

“No licensee shall conduct or permit on its licensed premises any wagering or
gambling, except limited gaming which is conducted according to all the rules
and regulations promulgated by the Commission and except other wagering
activities licensed or approved by an agency of the State of Colorado.”

According to the section 18-10-103 of the Colorado Revised Statues:

“(1) A person who engages in gambling commits a class 1 petty offense.

(2) A person who engages in professional gambling commits a class 1
misdemeanor. If he is a repeating gambling offender, it is a class 5 felony.”

Sports betting: Illegal with some exceptions

Colorado has no regulated sports betting, and has prohibited live bookies or
online sports betting organizations.

Colorado residents can bet online at offshore sports betting businesses. We
discussed that earlier, but we’ll mention it again here. If you’re looking for a
legitimate, trustworthy Colorado sports betting site, most of the sports books
we recommend here are happy to do business with sports bettors in Colorado.

According to a letter from Attorney General Suthers and the Gaming
Commission, you can also participate in sports betting, if it qualifies as
social gambling.

Here’s what the letter says:

“office sports pools are allowed under a ‘social gambling’ exception under
state law. For an activity to be considered ‘social gambling’, all participants
must have a ‘bona fide social relationship’, meaning that they have an
established social relationship based upon some other common interest other than
the gambling activity, and no one other than the participants can profit from
the game or activity in any manner”

Race betting: Legal with restrictions

Horse Racing

Pari-mutuel betting is the only legal horse race betting in Colorado. Here’s
what section 12.212 and 12.213 of the Colorado Racing Commission Rules says
about methods of wagering on horse racing:

“12.212 – All wagers on any race meet licensed or approved by the Colorado
Racing Commission shall be made in person at a licensed facility unless the
wager is incidental to a bona fide social relationship.

12.213 – Association and Simulcast facilities shall set up wagering accounts
in conjunction with an onsite portable wagering unit that is checked out to an
individual customer of the facility. Accounts shall only be opened with a cash
deposit, and shall at no time have a negative balance. Units used in conjunction
with the account must be approved in advance by the division.”

Colorado has only one horse race track: Arapahoe Park. There are 12 off-track
betting locations for Arapahoe Park.

Several locations statewide offer simulcast horse and greyhound racing for
different parts of the United States.

Arapahoe Park

26000 East Quincy Ave.

Aurora, CO 80016

Phone: (303) 690-2400

Dog Racing

Colorado outlawed dog racing in 2014.

Here’s what section 12-60-604 of the Colorado Revised Statues says about
greyhound racing:

“No live greyhound racing involving the betting or wagering on the speed or
ability of the greyhounds racing shall be conducted in Colorado. The commission
shall not accept or approve an application or request for race dates for live
greyhound racing in Colorado.”

Lottery: Legal

Colorado has a state regulated lottery. Some of the games they provide are
listed below:

• Powerball
• Mega Millions
• Lucky for Life
• Lotto
• Cash 5
• Pick 3
• Scratch

Bingo: Charitable games only

According to the Colorado Secretary of State:

“Only non-profit organizations that have been in existence in Colorado for
five or more years are eligible to be licensed and conduct bingo and/or
raffles.”

Colorado Bingo Law

Any for-profit organizations are prohibited from holding bingo or raffle
games.

A maximum of $15,000 worth of prizes can be given out at bingo or raffle
games. Alcohol as a prize is prohibited.

Social Gambling: Legal

Social gambling in Colorado is legal, but only under two conditions:

• It cannot be professional gambling.
• The players must have some social relationship besides gambling.

Here’s what the Colorado Department of Revenue says about social gambling:

“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 there from’. 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.’ “

Gambling Venues in Colorado

You can find a variety of casinos in Colorado. But the only cities they’re allowed in are Central, Black Hawk and Cripple
Creek.

All other casinos in Colorado are Indian reservation casinos.

1) The Golden Hotel

800 11th St

Golden, CO 80401

Phone: (303) 800-5045

2) Ameristar Casino Resort Spa

111 Richman St

Black Hawk, CO 80422

Phone: (720) 946-4000

3) Colorado Grande Casino

300 E Bennett Ave

Cripple Creek, CO 80813

Phone: (719) 689-3517

4) Golden Gates Casino

261 Main St

Black Hawk, CO 80422

Phone: (303) 582-1650

5) Century Casino & Hotel Central City

102 Main St

Central City, CO 80427

Phone: (303) 582-5050

6) Ute Mountain Casino, Hotel & Resort

3 Weeminuche Dr

Towaoc, CO 81334

Phone: (970) 565-8800

7) Reserve Casino Hotel

321 Gregory St

Central City, CO 80427

Phone: (303) 582-0800

8) Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk

401 Main St

Black Hawk, CO 80422

Phone: (303) 800-9903

9) Wildwood Casino

119 N Fifth St

Cripple Creek, CO 80813

Phone: (719) 244-9700

10) Midnight Rose Hotel & Casino

256 Bennett Ave

Cripple Creek, CO 80813

Phone: (719) 689-0303

History of Gambling in Colorado

The first full U.S. casino opens. The Brown’s Salon casino was opened on the land where Utah, Whyoming, and Colorado meet. Brown’s was a popular gambling establishment for fur trappers who were common in that area. 169 years later, Colorado legalized their first casino.

The Colorado state lottery begins with scratch off cards. The state lottery game Powerball is introduced in 2001, and Mega Millions is introduced in 2009.

The law allowing casinos to be opened in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City is passed. This law barely passes with over 41% of the Colorado population against it. Stakes are limited to a maximum of $5, and the only games allowed are poker, blackjack and slot machines. Even though almost half the state opposes this law, it brings a developmental boom to these three towns.

Colorado signs two compacts, one with the Ute Mountain Tribe and the other with the Southern Ute Indian Tribe. These compacts allow casinos on their reservation land. These casinos are free from taxation, but they’re required to keep their betting limits and games offered in line with the state guidelines. Keno is added t othe list of allowed casino games.

Is Gambling Allowed In Colorado

The Bingo-Raffle Advisory Board is created to license non-profit organizations to run charity casinos, bingo, and raffle events to raise funds for their causes.

The Attorney General of Colorado makes a statement about online gambling. He claims that online gambling can be covered by the existing laws and definition of gambling.

Amendment 50 becomes a law. This amendment allows residents of Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City to vote on extending the operation of their casinos. The original curfew is set at 2 am.

Additional Resources

Colorado Online Gambling Laws

Colorado Gambling Future

Is Casino Gambling Legal In Colorado

Colorado offers a variety of gambling to choose from. These include a handful
of casino games, horse betting, online sports betting, social gambling, a state
lottery and charitable bingo and raffle games.

While Colorado has relaxed gambling laws, they have gone out of their way to
speak out about online gambling. Their gambling laws were not written originally
for online gambling because it didn’t exist then. They have yet to act on
statements of online Colorado gambling sites being illegal, and no one is
getting arrested for it.

Based on Colorado’s track record of continuously approving more gambling
options, we would say that state regulated online gambling is not far out.
Colorado gambling sites aren’t going anywhere. In fact, we’re predicting they’ll
become more common.