Want to know if you can play at Colorado online casino sites? The answer is yes, as the state allows specific forms of gambling. However, not all online gaming sites are permitted, so it’s crucial to use only legit platforms to avoid legal issues.
Thankfully, we’ll be detailing the best Colorado casinos on this page. We’ve reviewed and tested online and land-based gaming destinations where you can access your favorite games. However, there’s a lot more to uncover as you read on.
🔑 Key Takeaways
- Get valid facts about the legality of real money online casinos in Colorado
- Find out the best sweepstakes casinos in Colorado for safe online gaming and responsible gambling
- Learn the history of gambling in Colorado
Are Real Money Online Casinos Legal in Colorado?
No, real-money online casinos are not legal in Colorado. Such sites are not on the list of allowed gambling options in The Centennial State. Additionally, casino operators licensed in Colorado cannot run online gaming sites.
Here’s a specific citation from the Colorado Department of Revenue:
The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission prohibits persons and businesses licensed in the casino industry in Colorado from having any involvement with internet gaming sites that can be accessed by Colorado residents.
However, while you can’t play at a real money online casino Colorado, sweepstakes gaming sites provide a worthwhile alternative.
Our Top 5 Sweepstakes Online Casinos in Colorado
At sweepstakes casinos, you play with free coins and not real money. That’s why the platforms are legal — not only in Colorado but across many US states. You can check out this extensive list of the best sweepstakes online casinos in the US, but here’s a rundown of our top 5 in Colorado:
WOW Vegas Casino in Colorado
First, here is WOW Vegas, a popular sweepstakes casino for slot gaming. With 1,000+ games, it’s easy to recognize why it’s a top contender for the best online casino Colorado players can use. Interestingly, the slots cut across different variants, including classics, jackpots, Hold and Win, Megaways, and more. Plus, the platform has a mobile app for smooth gaming on the go.
When I signed up with WOW Vegas, I received 250,000 WOW Coins and 5 Sweepstakes Coins from the welcome bonus. No initial purchase was required.
With the free coins, I had fun spinning many slot reels, but my top favorite is Rocket Blast Megaways by Pragmatic Play. I found the game exciting due to the free spins bonus rounds — you can get up to 35 by hitting 9 or more scatter symbols.
Fortune Coins in Colorado
At Fortune Coins Casino, you get access to a vast collection of exciting slots and fish games. The best part is that each one comes from a renowned provider. Additionally, there are also exclusive in-house titles you won’t find on other sites.
Upon creating my Fortune Coins account, the sweepstakes casino gave me 630,000 Gold Coins and 1,000 Fortune Coins to start gaming for free. In my opinion, it’s one of the best Colorado online casino bonus offers at sweepstakes gaming sites. Switching to the game lobby, my best slot was Hot777, an in-house title.
The game is relatively simple to play with a classic reel structure and low volatility. But what I found most impressive is the commendable 1,000x maximum win.
High 5 Casino in Colorado
If you’re looking for a Colorado online casino where you can play live dealer games, High 5 is a top pick. It’s one of the few sweepstakes casinos with real-time table titles, including blackjack, roulette, and poker. Impressively, High 5 Casino is still home to 1,200 slots.
At High 5 Casino, I didn’t have to make any initial payment to start playing games. As a legal sweepstakes gaming site, I received a welcome bonus of 250 Gold Coins, 5 Sweeps Coins, and 600 Diamonds.
If you’re curious about my preferred game at the site, I’ll go with Limitless Blackjack. That’s because the live table games allowed me to play with a minimal amount of Gold Coins, as there were no minimum or maximum limits.
Golden Hearts Games in Colorado
At number four, you can go for Golden Hearts Games, a unique charity-based sweepstakes gaming. Due to its focus on charity, Golden Hearts Games is the only sweepstakes casino allowed to operate in all 50 US states. That’s one reason the platform gets high ratings, but the diverse collection of slots machines, Bingo, and video poker games is also a big plus.
I must mention that Golden Hearts Games has one of the most rewarding welcome offers, with 250,000 Gold Coins and 500 Sweeps Coins. While testing the site, I recorded my best session with Bamboo Wilds, a relatively new slot from Booming Games.
Among the game’s many exciting features, the wild symbols with multipliers made gameplay thrilling.
Sweeptastic Casino in Colorado
If you’re wondering why Sweeptastic ranks among the top Colorado online casino site, the answer lies in the game collection. On the site, you get engaging slots and exclusive original arcade games. Notably, the latter category included options like Crash, Plinko, and Dice games.
The Sweeptastic welcome bonus rewards up to 30,000 Lucky Coins and 4 Sweeps Coins, which I found more than enough for free gaming. My best game at the social casino is SpaceXY, a crash title with a massive 10,000x multiplier. I played with 100 Lucky Coins, and my highest win was a 5.5x multiplier, meaning I got 550 Lucky Coins.
Want to Bet Real Money? Try Land-Based Casinos in Colorado
As stated earlier, Colorado doesn’t permit real money online casinos. If you don’t want to play at sweepstakes sites, the only alternative is visiting physical casinos. The good thing is that Colorado law allows gambling at land-based locations, although the available options are limited.
Below are the best physical casinos you can visit in Colorado.
Ameristar Black Hawk in Black Hawk
This casino is located in a 4-star hotel in Black Hawk, with many premium facilities that make it worth visiting. You’ll find all the top games, including slots, table games, and video poker. Away from the games, Ameristar Casino also boasts friendly staff and professional dealers. Plus, there’s free Wi-Fi to enjoy when you walk in.
Here’s a comment from one player to illustrate:
Nice casino, well kept and has that luxurious feel. Lots of slots and poker, too.
- Address: 111 Richman St, Black Hawk, CO 80422, United States
- Phone Number: +17209464000
- Website: ameristarblackhawk.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 4.1/5
Bally’s Black Hawk East in Black Hawk
Bally’s Black Hawk boasts three gaming houses, and the East casino is one of the smallest. Nevertheless, it still features an impressive game range, including over 140 slots and video poker machines. Interestingly, Bally’s Black Hawk East is situated at a former jail — The Black Hawk jail — which gives the interior a unique appearance.
As one player says:
Bally’s Casino has really stepped up their game; with new slots, it is a really nice casino experience.
- Address: 321 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422
- Phone Number: +13035822600
- Website: casinos.ballys.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 4.0/5
Century Casino & Hotel Central City in Central City
You’ll appreciate Century Casino if you love playing in a quiet environment. Although the game selection and quality are impressive, the location isn’t crowded.
Here’s feedback from a regular player which describes perfectly the unique gaming location:
Great slots, fantastic dealers and decent food options! Love coming here to play tables. Highly recommend it if you don’t like the bigger casinos.
- Address: 102 Main St, Central City, CO 80427, United States
- Phone Number: +13035825050
- Website: cnty.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 4.2/5
Dostal Alley Brewpub & Casino in Central City
Here’s a second land-based casino in Central City I recommend visiting. Dostal Alley is a family-operated gambling location established in 1991, making it one of the first in Colorado. At the casino, you’ll find two floors of gambling machines, such as slots and video poker.
Here’s how an elated player describes the land-based casino:
Sweet, locally owned casino with authentic one-armed penny slot machines inside the back door! So much fun. 🤩
- Address: 116 Main St, Central City, CO 80427, United States
- Phone Number: +13035821610
- Website: dostalalley.com
- Opening Hours: 10 AM to 12 AM
- Review on Google: 4.2/5
Brass Ass Casino in Cripple Creek
If you’re in Cripple Creek, Brass Ass is the oldest land-based casino you’ll find around. The main selling point for this casino is its cleanliness. Evidently, besides the clean environment, the casino is also top-notch for table games.
Many players highlight this in their reviews, and here’s one:
VERY CLEAN Casino! Good table games and Friendly dealers (that don’t change every 5 minutes like the others). We cleaned up on Blackjack and Dice. Highly recommended Casino.
- Address: 264 E Bennett Ave, Cripple Creek, CO 80813, United States
- Phone Number: +17196892104
- Website: triplecrowncasinos.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 4.1/5
Bronco Billy’s Casino in Cripple Creek
Open 24/7, Bronco Billy’s provides a gambling location for slots, jackpot, and table games. However, what truly makes this land-based casino is the staff — particularly Christine, one of the hosts. Besides the incredible hosts, it’s worth mentioning that Bronco Billy has an exceptional dining section.
As one satisfied player puts it,
The hosts are really there for the customers, especially Christine, who is an asset to the company and shows what a host is supposed to be like.
- Address: 233 E Bennett Ave, Cripple Creek, CO 80813, United States
- Phone Number: +17196892142
- Website: broncobillyscasino.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 4.1/5
Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio
This casino attracts many players visiting Colorado since it’s located near the airport. Despite its popularity, Sky Ute is a relatively quiet casino where you can gamble without much noise. The interior is quite exquisite, and there are diverse slots and table game options. Plus, many visitors also praise the bowling and video games, which are kid-friendly.
One player describes the casino as having an:
Impressive selection of machines and great atmosphere.
- Address: 14324 CO-172, Ignacio, CO 81137, United States
- Phone Number: +19705637777
- Website: skyutecasino.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 4.2/5
Ute Mountain Casino Hotel in Towaoc
Ute Mountain launched in 1992 – 30+ years ago — as the first tribal land-based casino in Colorado. Since then, the location has remained among the best in the state, with more than 700 slot machines and Vegas-style table games. I won’t recommend skipping the Bingo Hall if you visit this casino. You’ll appreciate the Bingo games if you love challenges.
Here’s a comment from a player who visited:
The Bingo is a lot of fun! It is nice to be able to get out! The machines are tight, but there are some winners.
- Address: 3 Weeminuche Dr, Towaoc, CO 81334, United States
- Phone Number: +18002588007
- Website: utemountaincasino.com
- Opening Hours: 24/7
- Review on Google: 3.8/5
How to Declare Taxable Winnings in Colorado?
Colorado online casino and land-based gambling winnings are classified as taxable income. So, you’ll have to pay the 4.40% income tax rate to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) each time you make profits from gambling.
For instance: If you win $100, you’ll have to pay $4.40 as tax.
Usually, the casino operator will automatically deduct the tax when paying out the winnings. Hence, you won’t have to take any action yourself.
However, if the win is up to a certain threshold, you have to file Form W-2G with the IRS. Specifically, you’ll file the form if you win $1,200 or more in slots or bingo and up to $5,000 in poker tournaments. For other forms of casino gambling, you’ll file the form if your win is up to $600.
Other Legal Gambling Activities in Colorado
If you’re asking, “Is online casino legal in Colorado?” We’ve established that you can only legally play at sweepstakes sites and land-based locations. However, there are other forms of gambling permitted in Colorado which you may find interesting. These include lottery and horse racing events:
- For lottery games, you can legally participate in the Colorado State Lottery, with multiple prizes ranging from $100 to $500.
- On the other hand, if you prefer gambling on horse racing events, you’ll have to use platforms licensed by the Colorado Racing Commission.
History of Gambling in Colorado
The state of Colorado online casino legality today is negative, as the activity isn’t permitted. Additionally, there are only a few land-based casino houses. This reflects just how the legality of gambling in Colorado has changed over the years.
To illustrate, here’s a timeline of the events that shaped the history:
- 1948: Betting on horse and greyhound races becomes legal in Colorado after a 2:1 majority vote
- 1949: Many live horse and greyhound racing locations are established across the state
- 1958: A change in the Colorado constitution makes charitable gaming and bingo legal
- 1982: The Colorado Lottery and Lottery Division of the Colorado Department of Revenue are inaugurated by the Colorado General Assembly
- 1990: Gambling becomes legal in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City following legislation by the Colorado Limited Gaming Initiative
- 2000: Multi-state jackpot drawings are voted into law by the Colorado Multi-State Lotteries Referendum
- 2009: Land-based casinos get permission to offer craps and roulette games
- 2014: Greyhound racing becomes illegal after directive from Governor John Hickenlooper
- 2020: Online and offline sports betting launches in Colorado amid the COVID-19 pandemic
What’s Next for Colorado Online Casinos?
Since Colorado legalized sports betting in 2020, online sportsbooks and gambling have been on a steady rise. The activity is now prevalent, so much so that voters are considering gambling revenue to fund critical legislative bids like water conservation and protection projects.
In the words of Senator Dylan Roberts, attorney of the Colorado General Assembly:
Now, we’re giving Colorado voters an opportunity to join in the fight and allow sports betting revenue to fund critical water projects that will benefit communities across our state.
However, regarding Colorado online casino sites, there’s no definitive insight on whether they’ll be legal anytime soon. Nevertheless, according to the former Department of Revenue Executive Director Mark Ferrandino, there are ongoing discussions about legalizing online casino gaming in the state.
The director made the revelation in 2023 while speaking at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCGLS) in Denver. Whether the outcome will be positive depends entirely on the voters.
So, Will You Bet From Colorado Tonight?
To play at Colorado online casino sites, you can easily pick from our top 5 sweepstakes platforms and enjoy free gaming. Before you decide to create a casino account, don’t forget to read all the terms and conditions of the site. You’ll be able to play, gamble responsibly and, maybe, win big!
Alternatively, the recommended land-based casinos are reliable for legal real-money gambling.
Perhaps you frequently visit different cities in the US. If that’s the case, check out our guide on legal states where you can safely play at real-money online casinos.