Online CasinosColorado

Q: 🤔 Are online casinos legal in Colorado?

According to Colorado’s gambling laws , online casinos are illegal in Colorado. This means that you are unable to pay real money slots and table games without breaking the law.

Q: 🎰 Are social casino sites legal in Colorado?

Yes, social casinos are legal in CO. These sites allow you to play traditional gambling games such as slots, table games, and bingo. The only caveat is that you are unable to wager real money on these games.

Q: 🔎 How do I spot a fake Colorado online gambling site?

If you want to make sure that you are legally gambling , don’t sign up with any unauthorized casinos . Any site that offers real money slots or table games to Colorado players cannot be trusted as these activities are explicitly outlawed in the state unless playing at land-based casinos.

For the time being, online casinos Colorado are illegal and the state takes a pretty strong stance against those who attempt to sign up to unauthorized sites. For this reason, rather than recommending online casinos in Colorado, we have dedicated this article to exploring the current laws, legal online gambling options, and the future of the industry.

Expert-reviewed Colorado gambling sites
Overview of Colorado’s gambling laws
The future outlook of online casinos Colorado

0 Legal Online Casinos
40 Legal Land-Based Casinos
10 Legal Social Casinos
7 Legal Bingo / Lottery Games

Colorado gambling history Popular games in the USA

Responsible Gaming
Colorado Division of Gaming

Colorado Online Casinos Laws

Colorado outlines its position on gambling within its Colorado Revised Statutes. Here, the statute states that unauthorized gambling is a criminal offense. The only legal gambling activities include charitable raffles, the state lottery, land-based casino gambling, horse race betting, and sports betting.

Unlike many states, Colorado’s stance on online casino gambling is quite clear. The statutes highlight that transmitting gambling information by an internet connection is against the law and is punishable as a petty, misdemeanor, or felony. While there is no indication that online casinos Colorado will be authorized in the future, you can follow any law progress here.

Online Gambling Colorado

In many states that don’t offer legal online casinos, locals may have the opportunity to place sports bets, buy lottery tickets, make daily fantasy sports (DFS) drafts, or enjoy other gambling activities online. Fortunately, online gambling Colorado is authorized in the form of sports betting, horse race betting, and DFS.

In fact, Colorado was the fourth state to offer legalized sports betting after voters approved of expanded gambling through Proposition DD in 2019. This allowed for 33 of the state’s land-based casinos to partner with an online sportsbook. Unfortunately, the measure didn’t approve real money online casinos or online poker.

Colorado’s Gambling History

After decades of lawless gambling thrived throughout the Weste, a federal ban was put on all forms of gambling in several states including Colorado in 1910. It wouldn’t be until 1947 that pari-mutuel wagering on horse races is authorized, and three years later the state’s first horse tracks are opened.

Four decades later, land-based casinos were approved to be built in three historical towns, with slots and table games allowed. After daily fantasy sports were legalized in 2014, Colorado voters approved to legalize sports betting in 2019. The online gambling Colorado laws are enforced by the Division of Gaming.

General US Gambling History

Although individual states have the right to create their own gambling laws on certain matters, there are certain federal laws that must be adhered to unless states legislate otherwise. This means that states must specifically legalize online casinos for them to be legal. The following are the only US states with legal and licensed online casinos:

New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement
Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board
Delaware Division of Gaming Enforcement
West Virginia Lottery
Michigan Gaming Control Board

The Federal Wire Act of 1961

The Federal Wire Act was introduced in an effort to curb the rise of criminal organizations. The law outlawed making interstate sports bets through phone connections. However, the law has later been interpreted to ban sports betting online. This informed the Colorado online gambling laws until its referendum permitted retail and mobile sports betting.

Black Friday

Black Friday is the name given to a day in 2011 when the Department of Justice shut down three of the largest poker sites in the US for breaching its ban on online poker. Overnight, the entire online poker industry was wiped out and left thousands of professional poker players without income.

As the legalization of online casinos is a fairly new development in the US, it has taken some time for the industry to rebound. If Colorado online casinos were to be legalized, it would be possible for lawmakers to approve of online poker. Other states have approved online poker, proving it’s possible to create a safe, regulated market.

Popular Online Casino Games Available in Legal States

While it may be some time before online casinos Colorado are legalized, we can make some educated guesses about what the market could look like. We can do this by observing how other players in legal states have responded to the game options as well as seeing what land-based casino games are popular in Colorado.

As online casinos have been legal in other countries for decades, the game options and software are already very advanced and we’re certain that Colorado players will respond to many popular games. The following are the most popular games in US states where online casinos are legal:

Blackjack
Roulette
Slots
Poker

Online Blackjack

Blackjack can be played in Colorado at many of its 60 land-based casinos. The game, which sees players compete against dealers to get to as close as 21 as possible, is best played with some experience and strategy. However, until there are legal Colorado online casinos, you will not be able to play paid versions of blackjack online.

Many online casinos in legal states offer numerous ways to enjoy blackjack. There are several high-quality video variants as well as live dealer games that allow for side bets and multiple hands. Even better, the game has the highest return to player rate of any game, so we’re sure online roulette in Colorado would be a hit.

Online Roulette

Roulette has been legal at Colorado’s casinos for two decades, adding plenty of elegance to casino gaming floors. The classic game is one of the most social, high-energy games you can find at casinos and often appeals to high-roller players for its high buy-ins and versatile betting options.

The game has been beautifully translated to online casinos, with several variants available. If online casinos Colorado were available, you could play fairer European versions or more traditional American-style roulette. There are even games with extremely low minimum bets. Like blackjack, the game is also available on live dealer platforms.

Online Slots

In Colorado, there are several land-based casinos that are entirely dedicated to slots. This goes to show just how popular these types of games are in the state, are we’re certain that online slots in Colorado would also make up the majority of game offerings if they were legal.

One of the biggest perks to gambling at online casinos is that there are usually hundreds of unique slot titles. There are endless variations on themes, betting options, and special features and new games are always being released. Furthermore, many games also offer progressive jackpots.

Online Poker

There are dozens of poker tables spread throughout Colorado’s gambling towns and single cash events and tournaments are readily available, making it a premier destination for poker players. However, until Colorado’s gambling laws are altered, online poker remains illegal. Unfortunately, there is no effort to make this change any time soon.

In states where online poker is legal, players are able to compete in games and tournaments at all hours. There are video game variants that see participants play against computers and online games which pit players against one another. If online poker in Colorado were available, you could play Texas Hold’em, Stud, and Omaha among other games.

Land-Based Casinos in Colorado

In 1991, Colorado voters approved a large gambling expansion initiative, which allowed casino gambling in the historic mining towns of Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City. As was intended, the move helped to revive these struggling towns and brought jobs and tourism to the area.

There are now more than 60 gambling establishments in these towns, with each offering everything from slot machines to table gaming. Some even offer Vegas-style entertainment and facilities, including hotel accommodations and fine dining. Many casinos in Colorado are located in historic buildings, providing an experience like no other.

Colorado Land-Based Casinos Overview

Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

Ameristar Casino Blackstar	🍒 1,513 slot machines, 🃏 25 table games
Monarch Casino Restor	🍒 1,200 slot machines, 🃏 40 table games
Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino	🍒 1,080 slot machines, 🃏 18 table games

What’s Better? Land-Based or Online Casinos?

If gambling in Colorado were expanded to allow online casinos, you may wonder which of the experiences are better. The truth is that both options have their own perks. Land-based casinos are unique in that they provide a more social and immersive experience, with many offering free food and beverages.

Online casinos, however, are more convenient and can be accessed on mobile and desktop devices. They also offer special promotions to new players and will regularly release new titles from a wide array of software developers. If the industry were ever legalized, online casinos would probably have to be affiliated with land-based casinos, which could mean cross-over rewards programs.

The Future of Online Casinos Colorado

For the time being, there are no plans to legalize online casinos in Colorado. In fact, no lawmakers have been very vocal about expanding the industry. It’s likely that if the market was ever legalized, the proceeds would need to either go toward the mining towns or fund state social programs.

This is not to say that the move is entirely out of the question. The fact that voters approved of expanding sports betting online indicates that the public supports expanded online gambling in Colorado. It’s likely that the government will keep an eye on how beneficial online sports betting is to its budget before considering more expansion.

The Future of Gambling in Colorado

With sports betting and DFS already legalized, Colorado has already proved itself to be one of the most progressive states when it comes to gambling. There are no indications that CO is considering any more state law changes at the moment, but it appears that the final frontier will be the legalization of online casinos Colorado.

Conclusion: Limited Online Gambling in Colorado Available

Although there are no online casinos in Colorado, the state is home to some other online gambling options. These include online sports betting, DFS, and horse race betting. Unfortunately, states with legal online casinos are on the west coast of the country, so it’s not too easy for locals to get a taste of the action. When considering its existing land-based gambling industry, it’s clear that locals are very accepting of gambling expansion. Hopefully, this means that we will be able to recommend the best Colorado online casinos to you soon, though there isn’t any clear indication when these laws may change.

Colorado has a rich land-based gambling industry and was one of the first to legalize online sports betting. Hopefully, it won’t take too long for Colorado online casinos to be legalized too.

Fred Williams Author and Casino Expert

Gambling in Colorado

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have some questions about the legality of online casino gambling in Colorado? If so, keep reading. In this upcoming section, we’ve provided easy-to-read answers to commonly asked questions about the CO gambling industry.

🤔 Are online casinos legal in Colorado?

According to Colorado’s gambling laws, online casinos are illegal in Colorado. This means that you are unable to pay real money slots and table games without breaking the law.

🃏 What forms of gambling are legal in Colorado?

Although you can’t enjoy online casinos for now, you are able to gamble on several activities at the state’s land-based casinos. This includes slots, blackjack, roulette, and poker. You are also legally able to bet on sports and horse racing, play the lottery, and draft DFS teams.

🎰 Are social casino sites legal in Colorado?

Yes, social casinos are legal in CO. These sites allow you to play traditional gambling games such as slots, table games, and bingo. The only caveat is that you are unable to wager real money on these games.

🔎 How do I spot a fake Colorado online gambling site?

If you want to make sure that you are legally gambling, don’t sign up with any unauthorized casinos. Any site that offers real money slots or table games to Colorado players cannot be trusted as these activities are explicitly outlawed in the state unless playing at land-based casinos.