Denver Co Gambling
OVER A DOZEN CASINOS AND ENDLESS GAMING FUN
There is a very fine line between problem gambling or Denver gambling addiction and gambling too much. The critical sign of problem gambling is often hidden from awareness, with denial. Some CO casino venues are smaller than others, ensuring visitors have options for both loud and quiet casino atmospheres. Types of Casinos in Colorado Black Hawk, Colorado Casinos The closest Colorado casinos near Denver are about a 40-mile drive.
Looking for the nearest casinos to Denver and Boulder? Whether you’re visiting for a day or planning a multi-day vacation, Black Hawk Casinos are some of the best destinations in Colorado. Immerse yourself in Black Hawk, Colorado by visiting historic casinos and newer ones alike. No matter where you land, you’ll be happy you did.
Learn more about each individual casino below and be sure to check out some of the featured casino games available in Black Hawk.
Z Casino
Make Z Casino your first stop for fun. With plenty of parking in our convenient surface parking lot right on the corner of Gregory Street and SH 119 (via Selak St), Z Casino features hundreds of your favorite slots (many hot, new slots arriving daily), live-action black jack, craps and cards along with two bars, two restaurants and the friendliest team in town. When you are in Black Hawk—Win at the Z!
AMERISTAR CASINO
With over 1,500 slot machines, table games and poker, Ameristar brings outstanding gaming to the Denver metropolitan area. Its hotel, spa and dining options have transformed Ameristar into your ultimate weekend getaway and gaming destination.
Gilpin Casino
Come Experience All The Gilpin has to Offer! Fabulous food, the newest machines, friendly staff and 24-hour gaming excitement – The Gilpin’s Got It! Winning comes easy with our non-stop casino action and the most rewarding Winners Club in Colorado.
Golden Gates Casino
Visit Golden Gates Casino to win big on any one of the 180+ slot machines, live table games or in our custom built Poker Room, home of the Colorado Poker Championship. Enjoy the coldest beer on the hill at the Gold Bar or try the famous Double Up Burger in Full House Café.
Golden Gulch Casino
Golden Gulch Casino offers the most unique gaming experience in Black Hawk with 100% all-coin in slot machines! Enjoy the classic gambling experience with big payouts.
Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk
Experience the best action in Colorado at The Isle Casino Hotel® Black Hawk. The good times are waiting just an hour from Denver. Try your luck at any of our 1,000+ slot machines, 30 hot tables or try your bluffs at the 2nd-floor live-action poker room. Enjoy tasty dining options of your choosing including The Roxy Restaurant and Grill, Farmer’s Pick Buffet, or Dash Cafe. And when you’re ready to call it a day, just make a night of it by staying in our fantastic 402-room hotel.
Lady Luck Casino
The inviting Lady Luck® Casino Black Hawk offers a homegrown destination for nonstop gaming action high in the Rockies. Just focus on the fun you are going to have; from the latest and greatest slots machines to action-packed table games to live-action poker. Odds are, we’ve got just the game for you! And you can take your excitement to a whole other level by signing up for our Fan Club®. Membership makes you eligible for great promotions, amazing rewards and outstanding mail offers based on your play – that’s enough to make anyone a fan.
Lodge Casino
The Lodge Casino is Colorado’s 1st Choice for Fun! Play the newest slots at The Lodge or join in the action at our table games. Win more cash and prizes in our monthly promotions and events, enjoy our delicious dining options and the comfort and convenience of our hotel. Experience all that The Lodge Casino has to offer!
Mardi Gras Casino
Mardi Gras Casino offers more than 650 of the most popular slot and video poker machines. Choose from a wide selection of machines ranging from penny machines to $25 machines in our High Limit area. Plus, visit the Table Games pit on the Second Floor for all the live action. Try the best food and beverages in Black Hawk by visiting Bourbon Street Café, the Masquerade Bar or Creekside Deli.
Monarch Casino
Monarch Casino is your first stop in Black Hawk for exciting gaming action and features hot, new Exclusive Premiere slots, exciting tables games, a sensational nightly whole Maine lobster, crab and USDA prime rib buffet and Black Hawk’s friendliest team. With over 600 slots, video poker, and table games to choose from, remember to make it Monarch. “You Bet It’s Fun!”
Saratoga Casino
Experience mountains of winning at Saratoga Casino Black Hawk. It’s non-stop fun and excitement with the hottest slots, table game favorites like Roulette, Blackjack and Craps, plus delicious dining at The Main Street Café. We’re also home to Colorado’s first Sportsbook. So don’t miss a minute of the action – we bet you’ll love it here!
Sasquatch Casino
Sasquatch Casino features a comfortable, relaxed environment under the watching gaze of “Harry” the casino’s 7’4″ Sasquatch. The casino’s 6,000+ sq feet features two floors of gaming with over 145 slot machines, video poker, two restaurants and a bar featuring our very own Sasquatch Wheat Ale.
Wild Card Casino
A down home local’s casino, family owned and operated, the Wild Card Saloon and Casino on Main Street in Black Hawk is nestled next door to Bull Durham Casino across from the Mill City Chophouse.
Introduction to Colorado Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Colorado slot machine casino gambling consists of 31 casinos in the three historic mountain tows of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek including two American Indian tribal casinos within the state.
I’ve dedicated this weekly series to slot enthusiasts such as yourself as you master casino slots and win your way to success by using this State-By-State Online Resource to improve your slots gambling performance by reviewing your state’s slots gaming industry.
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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in Colorado*
The minimum legal gambling age in Colorado depends upon the gambling activity:
- Land-Based Casinos: 21
- Poker Rooms: 21
- Bingo: 18
- Lottery: 18
- Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18
Legalized gambling arrived in 1991 for Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. In 2008, Colorado voters approved raising the maximum bet in these towns from $5 to $100.
In November 2020, Colorado voters gave voters in these three towns the right to vote to add new games and raises the maximum bet limit for their municipality, potentially providing a boost to their economies.
The two National Historic Districts are Black Hawk/Central City and Cripple Creek. When legalized in 1991, the hope was that gaming in these towns would revive and protect them.
Slot Machine Private Ownership in Colorado
It is legal in the state of Colorado to own a slot machine privately if manufactured before 1984.
Gaming Control Board in Colorado
Hotel Casinos Near Denver Co
The Colorado Division of Gaming regulates gambling in the three historic mountain towns. This gaming control board is within Colorado’s Department of Revenue’s Enforcement Division.
Regulation of gaming at Colorado’s two tribal casinos is through their negotiated tribal-state compacts allowing Class III Vegas-style electronic gaming machines and table games.
These gaming compacts created Colorado’s two tribal gaming control commissions, which operate with support from the state gaming control board:
Casinos in Colorado
Colorado has 29 commercial casinos and two American Indian tribal casinos with slot machines.
The largest casino in Colorado is Ameristar Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk with 1,513 gaming machines.
The second-largest casino is Monarch Casino Resort Spa Black Hawk with 1,200 gaming machines.
Commercial Casinos in Colorado
There are 29 commercial casinos within the historic mountain towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek including:
Black Hawk, 50 miles west of Denver, with 5,353 gaming machines:
Central City, 4 miles west of Black Hawk, with 1,479 gaming machines:
Cripple Creek, 112 miles south of Denver, with 2,736 gaming machines:
Central City is relatively more historic than the other two mountain towns. Black Hawk is much more of a typical casino town, nearly reminiscent of Las Vegas. Cripple Creek feels like a bit of both.
Black Hawk and Central City are only four miles apart. Consequently, there is a heated competition between these two towns for revenue since gambling legalized in 1991.
Tribal Casinos in Colorado
Colorado has two tribal casinos:
- Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio, 330 miles southwest of Denver near the Arizona border, operated by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe.
- Ute Mountain Casino Hotel in Towaoc, 400 miles southwest of Denver near the southwest corner of Colorado and 112 miles west of Ignacio, operated by the Ute Mountain Tribe.
Other Gambling Establishments
As an alternative to enjoying Colorado slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering Colorado is:
- North: Wyoming Slots
- Northwest: Nebraska Slots
- East: Kansas Slots
- South: New Mexico Slots
- Southeast: Oklahoma Slots
- West: Utah Slots
- Southwest: Arizona Slots at Four Corners
Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to Colorado.
Our Colorado Slots Facebook Community
Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in Colorado? If so, join our Colorado slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group community.
There, you can meet online and privately share your slots experiences with local slots enthusiasts about playing slot machines in Colorado. Join us!
Payouts and Returns in Colorado
Denver Co Casino Hotels
No theoretical payout limits exist for Colorado’s commercial or tribal casinos.
The Division of Gaming offers return statistics by slot machine denomination. These hold percentages come state-wide and are for each of the three historic mountain towns, but not by individual casino within those towns. Player win% is 100% minus the hold% provided.
From the recent month of October 2020, player return percentages for all denominations were:
- State-wide: 92.64%
- Black Hawk: 92.20%
- Central City: 94.18% (highest town return)
- Cripple Creek: 93.31%
These monthly reports also provide return statistics by slot machine denomination. For October 2020, they are:
For this month, $2 denomination slot machines in Black Hawk had the highest return at 96.35%. However, the state report shows there are only thirty $2 slot machines in Black Hawk, but careful evaluation of $2 returns in other months may indicate this high return was due to an outlier from a single large jackpot win.
The second-highest return is from the $1 denomination slot machines in Central City. As the state return shows 143 such machines there, it is less likely to be an outlier and more likely for a majority of the $1 slot machines in Central City.
Colorado’s two tribal casinos do not have publicly available return statistics.
Summary of Colorado Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020
Colorado slot machine casino gambling consists of 29 commercial casinos in the historic mountain towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. Two tribal casinos are on reservations near the Arizona border and in the southwest corner of Colorado.
Annual Progress in Colorado Slot Machine Casino Gambling
In November 2020, voters approved Amendment 77 of the Colorado Constitution with 60% of residents in favor. The amendment gives local control to residents of Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek to vote to add new casino games and raise the maximum bet limit, capped at $100 since 2008.
Otherwise, Ameristar Blackhawk added about 260 slot machines while Monarch Black Hawk climbed to second-largest casino in Colorado, moving past Isle of Capri.
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Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC