Colorado Online Gambling
With over 30 casinos, ten retail sportsbooks, and more than a dozen legal sports betting sites, the Colorado gambling market provides more options than most US competitors. However, not all types of online gambling are legal in Colorado.
This guide will tell you where the Colorado online gambling market currently stands and where you can gamble online in the Centennial State today. We will also cover recent developments and make some predictions for how the market will progress over the next few years.
Best Colorado Gambling Sites
Casino sites and online poker rooms are illegal in Colorado, but that doesn’t mean you can’t gamble online in Colorful Colorado. Here are our experts’ picks for the best Colorado gambling sites currently available:
Is Online Gambling Legal in Colorado?
Many types of online gambling are legal in Colorado, but online casinos are not legal in Colorado. This means you cannot legally play at any US-based casino sites in Colorado. So, if you like to play slots, poker, or other casino games, you must go to a land-based casino in person or play online at sweepstakes casino sites, which are legal.
Online sports betting is also legal in Colorado, and it has been since voters approved Proposition DD in November 2019. The Colorado sports betting market officially opened in May 2020.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS), horse racing betting, and select lottery games are also legal ways to gamble online in Colorado.
Colorado Gambling History
While the gambling market in Colorado is heavily regulated nowadays, nearly two centuries ago, it was beginning to take shape in the Centennial State. Like many western states, Colorado has a long history of casinos, card rooms, and off-the-books gambling establishments dating back to the Old West.
Icons of this era, like Doc Holliday, made their names in part gambling in Colorado casinos and old-time saloons.
As you would expect from an era that’s also called the “Wild West,” there are not many concrete records of the casinos and other gambling dens operating back then. This makes tracing Colorado’s gambling history to one starting point a bit difficult.
There are a lot of theories, but to keep things focused on laws relevant to the modern gaming landscape, covering the developments from the mid-20th century onwards. Here is a timeline of how Colorado gambling has developed since 1943:
- 1943: Centennial State voters approve the Colorado Gambling on Horse and Animal Races Amendment, legalizing parimutuel betting for horse and greyhound races. The Colorado Racing Commission was created to regulate this new industry.
- 1949: After years of development and debate, several racetracks around the state start accepting bets on greyhound and horse racing.
- 1958: Colorado changes its state constitution to allow for charitable gambling events (e.g., bingo, raffles) run by non-profit organizations.
- 1982: The state legislature establishes the Colorado Lottery and a new Lottery Division of the Colorado Department of Revenue to handle funds earned from lottery games. Colorado Lottery tickets officially went on sale in January 1983.
- 1990: Colorado voters approve the Colorado Limited Gaming Initiative by a 57-42 margin, allowing for land-based casinos to open in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City in the following year.
- 2009: Colorado gambling law is amended to allow for larger bets and for casinos to start offering craps and roulette games.
- 2014: Greyhound racing is officially made illegal by Governor John Hickenlooper.
- 2019: Colorado voters approve Proposition DD, legalizing sports betting in the state.
- 2020: Online sports betting sites and retail sports betting sites officially open in Colorado.
Legal Gambling Options in Colorado
Colorado gambling has taken over a century to get where it is today. Most forms of gambling are now legal, but there are still a couple that aren’t. See below for an overview of what’s legal and still illegal in Colorado.
| Type of Gambling | Legal? | When Legalized? |
| Online Casinos | ❌ | N/A |
| Land-Based Casinos | ✅ | 1990 |
| Online Poker | ❌ | N/A |
| Land-Based Poker | ✅ | 1990 |
| Online Sports Betting | ✅ | 2019 |
| Retail Sports Betting | ✅ | 2019 |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | ✅ | 2016 |
| Horse Racing | ✅ | 2022 |
| Lottery | ✅ | 1982 |
| Charitable Gambling | ✅ | 1958 |
Sports Betting
Colorado voters voted yes on Proposition DD in November 2019 to legalize sports betting in the Centennial State. This vote came a little over a year after the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 (PASPA) to prevent states from creating new sports betting legislation in the Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association case.
The Colorado sports betting market officially opened on May 1, 2020. Retail sportsbooks opened a month later in June.
There are currently 13 legal Colorado sports betting sites, including the biggest national brands in the US, like DraftKings and FanDuel, as well as smaller local sportsbooks, like BetMonarch.
Online Casino
While Colorado was quick to legalize online sports betting, online casinos are not legal in the Centennial State. However, this could change very soon.
There are seven states in the US now that have legal online casinos. Colorado Department of Revenue Executive Director Mark Ferrandino has said that lawmakers are already talking about making the Colorado state number eight.
At the National Conference of State Legislatures in Denver in July 2023, Ferrandino revealed that “talks are underway about legalizing online casino gaming in the state.”
It’s been a long time since that conference, but that’s not necessarily bad. These sweeping changes take time, so this is a story you should keep an eye on if you are interested in playing online casinos.
Poker
Poker is legal in Colorado, but not all kinds of poker. Online poker rooms are not legal in Colorado. Because there are no legal Colorado online casino sites, you obviously cannot legally play poker online in the state.
Colorado also requires that all poker games take place at legal, licensed casinos in Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, or Central City. This includes charitable gambling poker tournaments. All charitable organization-sponsored gambling events (apart from some bingo and raffle events) must take place at a licensed retailer/operator.
Daily Fantasy Sports
Daily Fantasy Sports are legal in Colorado and have been formally legal since 2016 when the state passed HB 16-140. That bill set out standard DFS licensing rules and consumer protection laws that Colorado DFS apps and sites would have to follow to be legal in the state.
The 2019 Colorado sports betting bill also regulates some DFS sites that offer competitions the state deems too much like traditional sports betting.
Lottery
Following the success of state lotteries in New York, New Hampshire, and other states in the 1960s and 1970s, Colorado was one of many states to create its own lottery in the 1980s.
Interestingly, the Colorado Lottery was created in 1982 by the state’s General Assembly and not by the voters. Most other state lotteries were created by referendums or amendments to state constitutions that needed voter approval.
The first Colorado Lottery games became available in January 1983. Since then, the operation has expanded and joined the Multi-State Lottery Association, which allows players to play multi-state games such as Mega Millions.
All Colorado Lottery proceeds go to a trust fund administered by Great Outdoors Colorado. The lottery generated over $900 million in revenue in 2024, of which $196 million went to the GOCO trust.
Retail Sportsbooks
Proposition DD legalized both online and in-person sports betting in Colorado. However, the retail sports betting market took just a little longer to get started than online sports betting.
Colorado sports betting sites went live on May 1, 2020. The first retail sportsbook – BetFred Sportsbook at Saratoga Casino– did not open until June 18th, 2020.
That BetFred location was just the start of in-person sports betting in Colorado. There are now 10 great retail sportsbook locations available for Colorado sports bettors to enjoy:
- BetFred Sportsbook at Saratoga Casino Black Hawk
- BetMonarch at the Monarch Casino Resort Spa
- BetRivers Sportsbook at McGills Hotel and Casino
- Bronco Sportsbook at Bronco Billy’s Casino
- Caesars Sportsbook at Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk
- Caesars Sportsbook at Lady Luck Casino
- DraftKings Sportsbook at Bally’s Black Hawk
- Elite Sportsbook at Red Dolly Casino
- Play Maverick Sports at Grand Z Casino
- Woody’s Sportsbook at Wildwood Casino
Land-Based Casinos
Colorado has close to 40 land-based casinos. However, they are all located in the same three places: Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City.
Like New Jersey’s Atlantic City casino restriction, when Colorado voters legalized land-based casinos in 1990, the law restricted where casinos could operate.
The law has not changed significantly since 1990. We doubt it will happen any time soon due to how it will affect the existing markets that have developed over the past 30 years.
Sweepstakes Casinos
Colorado iGaming law does not prohibit sweepstakes casinos. As sweepstakes casinos and social casino sites use virtual currency instead of real money, these operators are not online casinos. Many sweepstakes casinos accept players from CO and let them play casino games for free with Gold Coins. Colorado players can also use Sweeps Coins, which they can redeem for prizes.
How are Gambling Sites Regulated in Colorado?
The Colorado Division of Gaming (CDC) and the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (CLGCC) are the two main agencies responsible for regulating Colorado online gambling.
These agencies work together to draft licensing requirements and ensure that Colorado sports betting sites follow state law and the agencies’ guidelines. For example, the CDC and the CLGCC perform financial assessments to make sure that sites are not ripping players off or laundering money.
The CDC and the CLGCC also work with other agencies, such as the Colorado Attorney General and law enforcement, to track down unlicensed operators. If caught, these operators will be told to cease operations and potentially face substantial fines from the state government.
Responsible Gambling in Colorado
Whether playing casino games or betting on sports in Colorado or any other state, you should always practice responsible gambling. Don’t chase losses, think before you bet, and never wager more than you can afford to lose.
If you need help practicing responsible gambling or just want to learn more, the Colorado Department of Revenue has a comprehensive list of resources available here.
Some of the helpful resources you can find on that page include:
- 1-800-GAMBLER
- Colorado Self-Exclusion list
- The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado
- Gamblers Anonymous
FAQs
Is online gambling legal in Colorado?
Yes, but not all kinds of online gambling. Online casinos are not legal in Colorado. However, you can legally bet on sports online, play Daily Fantasy Sports, bet on horse racing, and even play select lottery games online. Sweepstakes casinos are also legal in Colorado.
Can I bet on sports in Colorado?
Yes! Both in-person and online sports betting are legal in Colorado. The state legalized sports betting in November 2019 via a state-wide proposition. Voters approved the proposition, and sports betting officially went live in Colorado in May 2020.
Does Colorado have any online casinos?
Unfortunately, no. Online casinos are illegal in Colorado, but that could change soon. The state’s head of revenue hinted in 2023 that lawmakers are in talks about introducing legal online casinos to Colorado soon.
Is DFS legal in Colorado?
Yes. Daily Fantasy Sports are legal in Colorado. DFS competitions are regulated and have been since 2016 when the state passed HB16-140 to formally address the issue of whether DFS should be considered sports betting.
Are Colorado online gambling sites safe?
Yes! Colorado has one of the most well-regulated gambling markets in the country. There are multiple agencies whose sole job is to make sure Colorado gambling sites are safe for you to play. You can trust all licensed Colorado iGaming operators.
Do I have to pay taxes on gambling winnings in Colorado?
Yes. All gambling winnings are subject to income tax at both the state and federal levels. You must pay 24% of your winnings to the IRS as federal income tax and 4.4% to the state government under Colorado’s flat income tax.
