Colorado Sports Betting

The activity of gambling is now legal and live in the state of Colorado, thanks to a 2019 law that will enhance robust competition and bring benefits to bettors. The first legal bets were placed around May 1, 2020, after BetRivers, BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel launched their sportsbook software in the state on the very same day. This was a significant milestone for the industry. With each of Colorado’s more than three dozen casino properties permitted to offer online wagering and already 26 currently operational in the state, Colorado has become the largest, most diverse marketplace in the U.S.

The first legal bets were placed on May 1, 2020, after BetRivers, BetMGM, DraftKings and FanDuel launched their sportsbook apps in the state on the same day. With each of Colorado’s more than three dozen casino properties allowed to offer online betting and already 26 currently live in the state, Colorado has become the largest, most diverse market in the U.S.

Colorado online sportsbooks: Where you can bet

Here is a list of Colorado’s active online sportsbooks and announced partnerships, followed by a complete list of licensed Colorado brick-and-mortar casinos and their locations.

Colorado casinos — full list by city

Black Hawk

• Ameristar Casino Black Hawk
• Bull Durham Saloon and Casino
• Gilpin Casino
• Isle Casino and Hotel
• Lady Luck Casino
• Lodge Casino
• Golden Mardi Gras/Golden Gates/Golden Gulch Casinos
• Monarch Casino
• Red Dolly Casino
• Saratoga Casino
• Sasquatch Casino
• The Wild Card Saloon & Casino
• Z Casino – Black Hawk

Cripple Creek

• Billy’s Casino
• Brass Ass/J.P. McGill’s/Midnight Rose Casinos
• Bronco Billy’s Casino
• Century Casino-Cripple Creek
• Century Casinos
• Christmas Casino
• Colorado Grande Hotel & Casino
• Double Eagle Hostel and Casino
• Johnny Nolon’s Casino
• Wildwood Casino

Central City

• Century Casino
• Dostal Alley Casino
• Easy Street Casino
• Famous Bonanza Casino
• Grand Z Casino
• Johnny Z Casino

Other

• Sky Ute Lodge and Casino – Ignacio
• Ute Mountain Casino Hotel & Resort – Towaoc

Land-based sportsbooks

The following land-based casinos offer sports betting:

Black Hawk

• Ameristar Black Hawk (Barstool Sportsbook)
• Isle Casino and Hotel (Caesars)
• Lady Luck Casino and Hotel (Caesars and FOX Bet)
• Bally’s Black Hawk (Bally Bet, DraftKings, and FanDuel)
• Monarch Casino (BetMonarch)
• Red Dolly Casino (Elite)
• Saratoga Casino (Betfred)
• The Lodge Casino (theScore Bet and SuperBook)
• Bull Durham Casino (PlayUp)

Cripple Creek

• Bronco Billy’s Casino (WynnBET, Smarkets, and TwinSpires)
• Brass Ass/J.P. McGill’s/Midnight Rose Casinos (BetRivers and BetMGM)
• Colorado Grande Casino (Elite and SI Sportsbook)
• Johnny Nolon’s Casino (Elite and MaximBet)
• Wildwood Casino (BetWildwood)
• Century Casino Cripple Creek (Circa)
• Double Eagle Casino (PointsBet)

Central City

• Century Casino (Circa and Tipico)
• Grand Z Casino (Play Maverick Sports)
• Famous Bonanza Casino (Betway)

Other

• Sky Ute Casino Resort – Ignacio (Sky Ute Sportsbook)
• Ute Mountain Casino Hotel & Resort – Towaoc

Getting started at Colorado online sports betting sites

Before you register an account with a Colorado online sportsbook there are a few things that you need to consider. These are state-wide rules and are applicable to every online sportsbook in Colorado.

Age limit

The first thing to note is that all players within the state need to be aged 21 or older. This is one of the most common rules across the U.S.

Location

You need to be within the CO state boundaries to place a bet online. All mobile apps or browser-based sportsbooks require usage of a geo-location service or plugin to verify your location. Again, this is state law. Using a VPN is extremely difficult, and illegal – so bear that in mind in case you were thinking of getting one over on the system.

As in most states, you don’t need to be in Colorado to open an account with any of the active online sportsbooks. In fact, you’re even able to deposit and withdraw from outside of the state. This is because the laws are in place to limit where you can place a bet, not create an account. Given that Colorado is one of few legal states in the West, it’s attracts bettors from neighboring states as well.

Other

Colorado also forbids people from wagering on amateur sports for those aged 18 and under, which is pretty standard. The law also prohibits wagering on eSports and prop bets involving collegiate athletics (like total receiving yards for a specific football player).

Registering

Registering accounts with any online platform takes a few minutes to complete and is generally broken down into three steps.

1. User name: The first part requires information such as your name, a username, and a password. Your username will need to be unique, and passwords will likely have to hit some minimum strength settings, such as a certain number (or type) of characters.
2. Basic info: Throughout the second part of the registration process, you will need to provide your address, phone number, email address, and contact information. Sportsbooks may ask you to add security questions that are linked to your account as well.
3. SSN: The final part to note is that you will need to include the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number. This is one of the few ways that sportsbooks can verify your name, age, and location. Your SSN will not be stored on any sportsbook, it’s used as an initial reference and then removed from your account. You will never be asked for the full number, so keep that in mind.

Depositing and withdrawing at online sportsbooks

Banking in Colorado falls in line with other states around the country, which means a variety of safe and convenient options.  Below are some of the more popular banking options, but note that it will vary from one online sportsbook to another.

• PayPal
• ACH/eCheck
• Online bank transfers
• Site-specific prepaid debit cards
• Electronic wallets
• Cash at casino cage
• Visa/MasterCard
• Skrill
• Check

Laws and regulations

After the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the federal ban on sports wagering in 2018, the online sports betting sector in the U.S. has grown dramatically. Colorado’s move was one that was somewhat expected, given their history in gambling, and the law passed will open one of the most robust, competitive markets.

Good news for bettors, especially since the casinos are concentrated in just three cities: remote registration is allowed to sign up for accounts, meaning you can register and verify your identification info from your computer or mobile device.

The state levies a 10% tax on gross sports betting revenue. This is considerably lower than the likes of Pennsylvania (36%), but a little higher than Nevada (6.75%). Any license that is agreed by each of the casinos will last for two years at a cost of $125,000.

One of the benefactors of this tax revenue is the state’s water management plan, which is going to receive the majority of the money. The remaining funds will be pumped into problem gambling, which was part of the deal that was struck when the bill was passed.

Colorado sports betting journey

Colorado has always been a pretty liberal state. Casinos have been prevalent since 1822, and they even legalized recreational marijuana in 2012.

As soon as PASPA was struck down, the bill HB19-1327 was set into motion for online sports betting.  In May 2019, the initial bill passed. It was backed by House Majority Leader, Alec Garnett, and the public referendum corresponding to it was named “Proposition DD”.

For much of the time that the bill was being crafted, polls suggested that the decision to legalize could go either way. Some polls stated that there was a majority against, while others said it was for. Either way, it was going to be too close to call. It didn’t help that the language of the bill was awkwardly worded, to make it seems like a new tax was going to be imposed on residents.

Ultimately it was a tight vote — a majority of just 51.5% voted in favor. While it was close, it was all that was needed, and in November 2019, the green light had been given.

DraftKings, FanDuel, BetRivers, and BetMGM all went live on May 1, 2020, accepting the state’s first bets. Sports betting is alive in the Centennial State.

Unfortunately, online casino and poker have not been legalized. Both are accessible from land-based locations, but they won’t be available online.