Legal Gambling Colorado

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• Legal Gambling Age Colorado

Residents and state visitors can access Colorado legal online gambling from licensed offshore portals. At this time, CO has not moved on state-regulated online gaming (except for sports betting), but we offer immediate solutions here. The state of Colorado has a somewhat pro-gambling stance in general. There are several brick-and-mortar casinos available, as well as lotteries, bingo, card rooms, sportsbooks. 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.

Within days of the launch of Colorado online sports betting, several new platforms debuted in the Centennial State. May 1, 2020, marked the date for the newest big arrival in the legal US sports betting market.

Four new sports betting platforms launched in Colorado shortly after legislation regulating online sports betting went into effect. This paved the way for legal sports betting in the state after residents voted Proposition DD into law the prior year.

Proposition DD legalized both retail and online sports betting in Colorado. In the months since Colorado’s launch, many new operators have started to make their mark in the state.

When the state’s new sports betting industry reaches full maturity, Colorado bettors could have access to 20 or more different online sportsbooks. In its second month, June 2020, Colorado sportsbooks took in over $38 million in wagers, even while virtually no sports played in the US.

Now, we’re starting to see Colorado come into its own as a sports betting leader. New operators are entering the market and making moves to build an audience in the Centennial State.

Best Online Sportsbooks In Colorado

• DraftKings Sportsbook: Claim up to $1000 bonus here.
• FanDuel Sportsbook: Claim up to $1000 bonus here.
• BetRivers Sportsbook: Claim up to $250 bonus here.

All Colorado Online Sportsbooks

DraftKings Sportsbook

One of the top players in the US legal sports betting industry, DraftKings Sportsbook was one of four platforms to launch in Colorado on May 1, 2020.

After going live as one of Colorado’s first operating mobile sports wagering sites, DraftKings Sportsbook appears poised to be one of the leading brands in the Colorado market. DraftKings Sportsbook operates under the license of Golden Gates Casino, which is owned by Twin River Worldwide Holdings.

Take advantage of up to $1000 in bonus offers at DraftKings Sportsbook here.

BetRivers Sportsbook

Owned by Rush Street Interactive, the BetRivers brand is another emerging player in the US legal sports betting market. With the May 1, 2020 launch of its platform, BetRivers added Colorado to the growing list of states in which it operates.

JP McGill’s Hotel & Casino is the land-based casino license partner for BetRivers Sportsbook. Triple Crown Casinos owns the property.

Check Out BetRivers Colorado Bonus Offers Here.

William Hill

Another sportsbook from across the pond, UK-based William Hill is one of the bigger names in sportsbook apps, a status that has only grown following the recent takeover of the bookmaker by Caesars Entertainment. William Hill is partnered with the Isle Casino and the Lady Luck Casino in Black Hawk. William Hill offers new sign-ups a risk-free bet up to $500.

Get up to a $500 risk-free bet at William Hill Colorado here with promo code COSHARPRF.

PointsBet

The PointsBet brand already operates in a handful of US states. The Australian-owned brand features the unique PointsBet betting method. This allows bettors to win more money on a game based on the final score margin. PointsBet Colorado launched in November 2020 under the license of Double Eagle Hotel and Casino.

In August 2020, PointsBet announced a 5-year partnership with NBC Sports, which could see the company expand into the US sports betting market in a way we didn’t anticipate. They also announced a partnership with the University of Colorado and established their US headquarters in Denver, showing a commitment to the state.

SportsBetting.com

The Carousel Group, an international iGaming company, plans to expand into the US with its SportsBetting.com brand. SportsBetting.com launched on May 12 in Colorado is slated as the first US state in which SportsBetting.com will launch. The platform is licensed to Johnny Nolon’s Saloon & Gambling Emporium.

BetMGM Sportsbook

The BetMGM brand continues to expand into the US market, with online casino and sportsbook products in several states. Formerly known as playMGM, the rebranded BetMGM operates in Colorado under the license of Midnight Rose Hotel and Casino. The land-based property is owned by Triple Crown Casinos.

BetMGM is a product of ROAR Digital, which is a collaborative venture between MGM Resorts and gaming brand GVC Holdings. BetMGM was one in the first group of online sportsbooks to launch in Colorado on May 1, 2020.

Start Playing At BetMGM Colorado Here.

FanDuel Sportsbook

The US legal sports betting industry is still evolving, but FanDuel Sportsbook’s status as one of the leading brands in the market isn’t likely to change anytime soon.

FanDuel Sportsbook was among the first legal sports betting platforms to go live in Colorado, launching on May 1, 2020. Golden Gulch Casino, owned by Twin River Worldwide Holdings, is the land-based license partner for FanDuel Sportsbook.

BetMonarch

Unlike the other mobile sportsbook brands on this list, BetMonarch is a homegrown product. The BetMonarch app is owned, operated, and licensed to Monarch Casino.

Located in Black Hawk, Colorado, Monarch Casino is the first land-based property to launch its own Colorado online sports betting site. The product debuted on May 9, 2020, just days after the initial introduction of online sportsbooks in the state.

FOX Bet

Bettors in the US can expect FOX Bet to be a major presence in the legal sports betting industry. The brand operates as a partnership between FOX Sports and the Stars Group, which are giants in the sports media and online gambling industries, respectively.

The FOX Bet Colorado mobile sportsbook app launched on May 19, 2020, as a license partner of Lady Luck Blackhawk. Lady Luck is owned by Caesars Entertainment following the company’s merger with Eldorado Resorts.

Sky Ute SportsBook

Sky Ute SportsBook landed in the Colorado history books as Colorado’s first tribal sportsbook, a partnership between the Southern Ute Indian Tribe-owned Sky Ute Casino and Las Vegas-based USBookmaking. Sky Ute SportsBook promises better odds than most sportsbooks because it’s not bound by Colorado state law.

SBK by Smarkets

Smarkets operates differently than most traditional sportsbooks, with odds created by sports bettors in the company’s native UK. Colorado sports bettors aren’t allowed to participate in the market making, but can reap the benefits: which include some of the best odds available at any Colorado sportsbook.

Circa Sports

Circa Sports started in Las Vegas. They recently expanded into Colorado with its first online sportsbook outside of Nevada after partnering with Century Casino. Circa offers high limits and competitive odds.

ELITE Sportsbook

ELITE Sportsbook launched in Colorado through a partnership with the Red Dolly Casino in Black Hawk. Its app and website are taking bets now, with a variety of props and parlays, including what it claims is the only bookmaker in Colorado to offer a progressive parlay. New players can get a sign-up bonus worth up to $1,000 in free bets.

Betfred

With more than 1,500 locations, Betfred is a big name in sports betting in the UK, but its US expansion is relatively new. Colorado is Betfred’s second US market, the first being Iowa. Betfred’s local partner in Colorado is the Saratoga Casino in Black Hawk. New bettors can get a $500 risk-free bet as a welcome bonus.

theScore Bet

theScore Bet has the distinction of being the first sportsbook to be launched by a North American media company, Score Media. It offers a variety of moneyline, spreads, parlays, props and teasers, and all major sports are accounted for in the app. New Jersey was theScore’s first launch, and it’s partnered in Colorado with Jacobs Entertainment, owners of The Lodge Casino and the Gilpin Casino in Black Hawk.

BetWildwood

BetWildwood was among Colorado’s first home-grown sportsbooks, a product of the Wildwood Casino in the mountain casino town of Cripple Creek. Bettors will find a variety of moneyline and spread bets on the events and sports you’d expect, many of which offer in-game betting. New bettors can receive up to a $50 free bet.

BetAmerica

Owned by Churchill Downs Incorporated, BetAmerica is another emerging brand in the legal US sports betting industry. BetAmerica is approved for operation in Colorado as a license partner of Bronco Billy’s Casino and Hotel, owned by Full House Resorts.

SuperBook

SuperBook’s home base in Las Vegas is the world’s largest retail sportsbook. SuperBook’s expansion plans outside of Nevada include a mobile sports betting platform in Colorado.

SuperBook has a nationwide partnership in place with Jacobs Entertainment. The Lodge, a Jacobs-owned Colorado property, will license the SuperBook mobile platform in Colorado.

SuperBook originally planned for a May 1 launch to coincide with the opening of Colorado’s sports betting market. However, the company delayed the launch due to sports league shutdowns. They ultimately launched in October 2020.

Colorado Online Sportsbooks At A Glance

Check out our Guide To Online Sports Betting In The US.

Coming Soon To Colorado

Wynn Sportsbook

Full House Resorts and Wynn Resorts inked a partnership to bring Wynn Sportsbook to Colorado. The launch date for Wynn Sportsbook is unannounced. When it does go live, Wynn Sportsbook will operate as a license partner to Full House-owned property Bronco Billy’s Casino.

Barstool Sports

A Barstool Sports-branded legal online sportsbook will hit the Colorado market as a licensed product of Ameristar Blackhawk Casino. That land-based property is operated by Penn National Gaming, which also owns Barstool Sports. Barstool CEO Erika Nardini recently suggested a September launch window for the company’s sportsbook. On November 5, the Barstool-branded retail sportsbook opened at Ameristar Blackhawk, but it’s looking like a 2021 launch for the sportsbook app.

Twin River

Twin River Worldwide Holdings owns three retail casinos in Colorado, as well as three internet sports betting licenses. Two of those licenses are already utilized in partnership with DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook. They plan to launch a third online sports betting site in the future.

Bonuses At Colorado’s Online Sportsbooks

Risk-Free Bet

The most common bonus available at Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks comes in the form of the risk-free bet offer.

Risk-free bets offer a rebate, up to a certain amount, on the first bet made at a mobile sportsbook. The rebate is only applied if that first bet results in a loss.

FanDuel Sportsbook, for example, offers a risk-free bet, up to $1,000, for new players. After depositing, the first bet made on the platform is eligible for up to a $1,000 refund, but only if the bet is a loss.

For amounts smaller than $1,000, the risk-free bet refund would match the amount of the bet. A $250 bet, and a loss, would garner a $250 rebate.

On bets larger than $1,000, the maximum refund amount is $1,000.

Deposit Match Bonus

A widely offered bonus found at many online gambling sites, the deposit match bonus awards bonus money that matches a certain percentage of a deposit.

BetRivers Sportsbook presents one of the industry’s most generous deposit match bonus offers to new players. The first deposit at BetRivers is eligible for a 100% match bonus, up to $250.

Utilizing this bonus, a new player can make their first deposit at BetRivers, and earn up to $250 in bonus money. Deposits smaller than $250 are eligible for bonus money that matches the deposit amount.

Deposit match bonuses generally come with a playthrough provision. This requires players to wager a certain amount to unlock the bonus. Many of these bonuses require a 25x playthrough or more, meaning a player has to wager 25 times the amount of the deposit to unlock the bonus.

The BetRivers bonus, however, only requires 1x playthrough, essentially giving new players up to $250 in free bets.

No-Deposit Bonus

One easy way to get started at an online sportsbook is through no-deposit bonus offers. These bonus offers are not as common on sports betting sites. When you do see them, they are often in small amounts, like $25 or $35. New bettors will see the amount in their account just after registering.

Colorado’s Mobile Sportsbooks

The passage of Proposition DD made Colorado one of the latest US states to embrace sports betting after the fall of PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act). PASPA was a federal mandate that outlawed sports wagering. In May 2018, the Supreme Court of the United States overturned the act.

With PASPA overruled, a new era of legal sports betting dawned in the U.S. Now that it’s launched sports betting, Colorado is a significant player in the industry. Colorado officially launched legal sports betting on May 1. Since then, sportsbooks from around the globe have set up shop in the Rocky Mountain State.

Proposition DD

Proposition DD legalized both retail and online sports betting in Colorado. The May 1, 2020 launch date allowed the state’s land-based casinos to operate on-property sports betting for the first time in the 30-year history of Colorado’s casino industry.

The legislation also allowed Colorado casinos to offer online sports betting. The mobile sports wagering platforms authorized by state law likely will produce most of the revenue realized by the state’s sport betting industry as a whole.

Access To Sportsbooks Statewide

Colorado limits land-based commercial casinos to the towns of Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City, apart from a pair of tribal casinos in the southwest region of the state. Players can access mobile sports betting apps offered by these casinos, however, from anywhere within state borders.

Mobile apps give bettors superior ease of access to the entire lineup of online sports betting platforms available in the state. Deposits and withdrawals, line shopping, and research are all far more convenient on mobile wagering sites, versus their land-based counterparts.

Colorado’s mobile betting platforms use geolocation software to determine a user’s location. This gives players the ability to wager from anywhere in the state. It also offers bettors from surrounding states the opportunity to drive into Colorado and place a sports bet with ease.

Early Signs Of Mobile Sports Betting Success

In states like Pennsylvania and New Jersey, mobile sports betting makes up more than 85 percent of overall sports betting revenue. That same trend will almost certainly hold in Colorado.

Colorado’s land-based casinos operate with strategic technology partners for their online sports betting platforms. This new market has attracted just about all of the biggest brands in the sports betting industry.

FanDuel Sportsbook and DraftKings Sportsbook are two of the industry’s leaders in US mobile sports betting. Both companies have sportsbooks live in Colorado, alongside other major players like FOX Bet, BetRivers, and BetMGM.

Other sports betting powerhouses like William Hill, PointsBet, BetFred, and Circa Sports, have all been granted licenses to operate in Colorado.

The presence of these major brands will make Colorado a key player in the US sports betting market.

Early revenue numbers signal that Colorado will have a strong sports betting presence. The state could quickly become an industry leader. In its first month with online sports betting (amid a global pandemic and casino closures), Colorado drew in $25.5 million in gross, unaudited revenue. June 2020 brought an even bigger revenue spike. Colorado sports betting earned $38 million in its second month of operation.

What Sports Can I Bet On In Colorado?

Betting On US Pro Sports

Colorado’s capital city, Denver, holds a professional sports distinction that only a few other US cities can claim.

Denver is home to teams in all four major US sports leagues. Major League Baseball’s Colorado Rockies, The NFL’s Denver Broncos, the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche, and the Denver Nuggets of the NBA make Colorado a major sports hub in the US.

The legalization of sports betting gives Colorado’s sports enthusiasts access to betting markets featuring all of the Centennial State’s major teams. The entire regular season and postseason schedule is available to bet on for all four major leagues.

Ways to bet on these games include point spread, moneyline, parlay, and live in-game betting.

These options are available for virtually every game on the schedule. Futures betting markets and prop bets are also widely offered on the four major US sports leagues at Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks.

Other US Sports To Bet On In Colorado

Colorado sports betting law also allows for betting on the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer, as well as the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth. Betting isn’t just limited to these in-state franchises. Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks offer bets on the entire schedule in these leagues.

MMA, boxing, and NASCAR, as well as major tennis and golf events in the US, are open for betting on Colorado’s legal mobile sports betting apps as well.

See our complete guide on How To Bet On Sports Online.

College Sports Betting In Colorado

Betting on college sports is legal at Colorado’s online sportsbooks. This includes major sports like college football and college basketball, both of which offer plenty of options for betting on Colorado-based teams.

The only restriction on college sports betting in Colorado is a ban on prop betting. Other than that, Colorado bettors can legally bet on numerous sports, including contests involving home teams.

University Of Colorado Buffaloes

The Colorado Buffaloes sit at the epicenter of Colorado’s college sports tradition. A college football staple for much of the past century, the Buffaloes play in the PAC-12 conference.

Annual big games for the Buffaloes include PAC-12 matchups against the Utah Utes, USC Trojans, UCLA Bruins, and Oregon Ducks. The Buffaloes’ yearly schedule also includes a non-conference matchup against their in-state rivals, the Colorado State Rams. PointsBet Sportsbook announced a partnership with the University so expect to see a push for betting of Buffaloes games.

Colorado State Rams And Air Force Falcons

The Colorado Buffaloes, Colorado State Rams, and Air Force Academy Falcons are the three biggest college sports programs in the state. Colorado bettors can legally bet on all three schools, all of which are on the national radar in both college football and basketball.

Both Air Force and Colorado State play in the Mountain West Conference and play against each other in big, cross-state matchups nationally.

In addition to football and basketball, other sports legally available to Colorado bettors include college baseball, softball, hockey, lacrosse, and others.

International Sports Available On Colorado Online Sports Betting Sites

International sports betting markets are aplenty at Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks. Platforms like DraftKings Sportsbook and FanDuel Sportsbook offer bets on a wide array of international contests.

With these international sports on the menu, Colorado players will find no shortage of year-round betting opportunities.

Major International Soccer Leagues

Colorado’s online sportsbooks offer betting markets that feature all of the biggest leagues in the world’s most popular sport.

Teams like Real Madrid and FC Barcelona of Spanish La Liga are open for betting. The English Premier League, and its powerhouse clubs like Arsenal and Manchester United, are available to Colorado bettors as well.

Germany’s biggest league, Bundesliga, offers yet another available betting market for international soccer. Interleague events like the UEFA Champions League are on the menu as well.

International Golf And Tennis

Major events in golf and tennis take place all around the world, and Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks grant bettors access.

International tennis majors like the Australian Open, French Open and Wimbledon, and other overseas events from the ATP and WTA are on the board. Golf majors, like the British Open, are open for wagering in Colorado as well.

Other International Sports And Events

Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks offer a wide scope of other international betting markets. These include international leagues and events in rugby, hockey, basketball, baseball, table tennis, darts, and cycling.

Can You Bet On Esports In Colorado?

Colorado’s expansion into legal online sports betting doesn’t include esports betting, for now.

Esports rising popularity shows no signs of diminishing, as games like Dota 2, Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, and others created robust betting markets at offshore gambling sites.

The future looks bright for esports to continue its ascent into mainstream culture. ESPN began broadcasting competitive events for games like NBA 2K and Rocket League in 2020.

As esports competitions continue to rise in popularity, state-level legislation on esports betting could change to include legal esports betting.

What Else Can You Bet On In Colorado?

The Colorado Division of Gaming, which regulates online gambling in Colorado, has language in place to allow for betting on new sports that might come into the market.

Newly formed leagues can apply for authorization to be included on the menus of Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks.

Can I Place Parlay Bets At Colorado’s Online Sportsbooks?

Throughout the history of sports betting, parlay bets have offered some of the most enticing odds, and biggest potential payouts, of any kind of bet.

Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks offer numerous parlay betting options. Parlay bets will almost certainly be a popular option for Colorado bettors as the state’s legal online sportsbooks continue to launch.

Traditional Parlay Bets

Parlays allow for multiple bets to be combined into one bet, with an exponentially higher payout for a win. For a parlay bet to be a winner, however, all bets in the parlay must be a winner.

For example, standard odds for a single bet are often -110, meaning a $110 bet yields a $100 profit if the bet is a winner. Taking two separate -110 bets, and combining them into a two-team parlay, could yield a 13-to-5 payout. A three-team parlay could yield a 6-to-1 payout, and so on.

Parlay bets allow bettors to dream big, as the odds increase with each bet added. Parlays can involve point spread, moneyline, and over/under bets.

The total payout for a winning parlay depends on the odds of the individual bets. Putting multiple underdog bets on the same parlay could yield an astronomical payout in the events of a win.

Teasers

Is Gambling Illegal In Colorado

The teaser bet takes the traditional parlay and makes it even more enticing, with more favorable points spreads.

For example, if the Denver Broncos were favored by 3 on a given Sunday afternoon in the NFL, that point spread would appear as “Broncos -3” on the betting menu. A teaser parlay could shift that line six-point, and turn that line into “Broncos +3”, which would then give the bettor the Broncos and three points.

A teaser parlay would offer the entire slate of that weekend’s NFL games at teaser odds. The payouts on a teaser parlay are considerably smaller than a traditional parlay. But bettors have a better chance of winning with the more favorable point spreads.

What Do I Need To Register At A Colorado Online Sportsbook?

Signing up at one of Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks takes just a few steps. For example, signing up at DraftKings Sportsbook requires these steps:

• Navigate to the DraftKings Sportsbook homepage, or download the app for iOS and Android devices. For iOS devices, the DraftKings Sportsbook app can be found in the App Store. For Android devices, the app must be downloaded directly from the DraftKings Sportsbook site.
• Click on the “Sign Me Up” link.
• Choose a username and password, and supply a valid email address.
• Provide proof of identity and age. Only players 21 and over will be able to access the site.
• Upon verification of email address and identification documents, new players are eligible to deposit and start betting.

You’ll find that most sportsbooks have near-identical sign up processes. You’ll always need to provide the information above to create your account at a Colorado online sportsbook.

All Colorado Sports Betting Apps In 2021

• DraftKings Sportsbook
• BetRivers
• William Hill
• PointsBet
• SportsBetting.com
• BetMGM
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• BetMonarch
• FOX Bet
• Sky Ute Sportsbook
• SBK buy Smarkets
• Circa Sports
• ELITE Sportsbook
• Betfred
• theScore Bet
• BetWildwood
• BetAmerica
• SuperBook

Online Sportsbooks: Legal Versus Illegal

The development of Colorado’s legal online sports betting market is only just getting started. By the time the industry reaches its full potential, players in the Centennial State will enjoy access to a market that could include more than 20 different platforms.

Colorado Division Of Gaming

The Colorado Division Of Gaming approves and oversees all of the state-regulated, legal online sports wagering sites. The Division of Gaming is a government agency that regulates Colorado’s entire casino industry.

The Division of Gaming’s oversight includes all legalized operators of retail and online gambling in the state. The state’s retail casinos must offer fair games, prompt payouts, and protection of personal information. They also most offer protocols for settling customer disputes.

Land-based casinos are accountable to the Division of Gaming. By extension, the legal online sportsbooks offered by these land-based casinos also operate under the Division of Gaming’s jurisdiction.

Any bet placed at a legal mobile sports wagering site in Colorado comes with the same level of security as placing a bet at a retail casino in the state.

Risky Offshore Gambling Sites

Offshore gambling sites, or any non-approved online gambling site operating within state borders, are operating illegally in Colorado. These sites are not obligated to offer the same level of security as state-regulated online gambling platforms.

All legal online sportsbooks in Colorado will feature the Division of Gaming seal.

Looking for more information? Check out our Comprehensive Guide To Online Gambling In Colorado.

Colorado Online Sports Betting FAQ

The minimum age for casino gambling in Colorado is 21. This age applies to any kind of casino gambling at a retail casino or online. The only exceptions to this rule are lottery and bingo, which carry a minimum playing age of 18.

Legal sports betting in Colorado, both retail and online, requires players to be at least 21 years old. When you register for an account, you’ll be required to confirm your age and identity, usually by providing your social security number.

Yes. Colorado is one of several states in which DraftKings Sportsbook operates legally. The platform launched in Colorado on May 1, 2020, under the license of Golden Gates Casino, owned by Twin River Worldwide Holdings.

DraftKings Sportsbook is available to Colorado bettors as a mobile app for iOS and Android devices. Players can also access the platform directly on a desktop computer.

Yes. FanDuel Sportsbook debuted in Colorado on May 1, 2020, which was the first day any of the state’s legal online sportsbooks could begin operations.

The FanDuel Sportsbook platform is available to Colorado players age 21 and over. Bettors must be located within state borders at the time of a bet to legally place a wager. Golden Gulch Casino operates the FanDuel Sportsbook license. Twin River Worldwide Holdings owns Golden Gulch Casino.

No. Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks do not offer credit lines for betting use. Potential bettors must complete the registration process and deposit funds to start betting at a mobile sports wagering site.

Some sportsbooks do offer site credit as part of various bonus offers. These credits must be used for betting, and cannot be withdrawn on their own.

Yes. The state permits betting on college sports on Colorado’s online sports wagering platforms. Colorado bettors can wager on in-state teams like the Colorado Buffaloes, as well as any in-state college athletic contests.

The only restriction on college sports betting in Colorado is a ban on prop betting. Betters can only make prop bets on professional sports events.

No. Colorado’s legal online sportsbooks are open for registration from anywhere within state borders. Most of these platforms are available as mobile apps for iOS and Android devices, as well as on desktop.

Visiting the parent casino of an online sportsbook is an option for opening an account, but isn’t necessary.

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.

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.

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

Legal Gambling Age Colorado

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.

Legal Gambling Age Colorado

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;

Colorado Gambling News

(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:

Legal Gambling Age Colorado

• 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.