Colorado Commission Will Consider New Type Of Poker Game -

A new variety of poker could soon be in the cards for Colorado bettors.

And current Blackjack rules could be amended.

Those are two items on the agenda for a Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (CLGCC) meeting scheduled for June 16. It has not yet been determined whether the meeting will be held in person, via video conference or both.

Commissioners have held meetings over Cisco WebEx since March when a “stay-at-home” order was put in place by Colo. Gov. Jared Polis due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The state has since transitioned to a “safer-at-home” policy, and the governor has stated restrictions could shift depending on future infection numbers.

While it’s anyone’s guess what June has in store for Colorado, commissioners do hope to make a decision on the meeting format as far in advance as possible, according to a recent news release.

3-Card Shine

Commissioners will consider adding the poker game 3-Card Shine to the Colorado rule book. The object of the game is to make the best poker hand possible with only three cards. It allows bettors to not only play against the dealer, but also have a shot at winning based on how good the hand is.

The CLGCC must approve the game and the rules before it can become available to Colorado players.

Three-Card Shine would be defined in Colorado as:

“THE GAME SHALL BE PLAYED USING ONE STANDARD 52 CARD DECK. THE RANK OF HANDS IN 3 CARD SHINE POKER, FROM HIGHEST TO LOWEST, IS: 3 ACES, STRAIGHT FLUSH, THREE OF A KIND, STRAIGHT, FLUSH, PAIR, AND HIGH CARD. EACH PLAYER MAY PLAY A MAXIMUM OF TWO HANDS FOLLOWING EACH SHUFFLE OF THE DECK.”

The complete list of rules for 3-Card Shine is included in the meeting’s announcement release.

OTHER ITEMS ON THE DOCKET

An update to Blackjack game rules that will allow retail licensees the option to use two or six standard 52-card decks to play the game. Right now, the rule allows for six decks.
The CLGCC will vote to permanently adopt the emergency change approved in the April 30 meeting on the definition of a prop bet. The amendment was made for clarification purposes.

Casino closures

Colorado casinos continue to grapple with a great deal of uncertainty.

When the “safer-at-home” policy was initiated on May 1, casinos remained closed, as they have been since March 16.

There is no timetable for when that might change. However, Polis recently said he would like to see restaurants and bars reopen by Memorial Day.

“That all will be decided based on data that we don’t have yet,” he said during a recent news conference. “(I) Don’t have a crystal ball.”

If that comes to fruition, perhaps casinos in the state could follow suit shortly thereafter.

Meanwhile, casinos are exploring health and social-distancing strategies in preparation for when they do open back up for business, Peggi O’Keefe told PlayColorado. O’Keefe is the executive director for the Colorado Gaming Association, the voice of Colorado’s casino industry.

Casinos will also work lockstep with the state as they consider how to safely reopen, O’Keefe said.

Colorado sports betting

UFC 249 was the first major event for Colorado sports fans to wager on since the launch of sports betting on May 1.

With major US sports on hiatus, hopes were high that fans and bettors would be enthusiastic for the event. The UFC has not yet released viewership results from Saturday’s event.

The good news is the UFC has two more events slated for this week — on Wednesday and Saturday.

What: UFC Fight Night: “Smith vs. Teixeira”

When: May 13

Where: VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville, Florida

Watch: ESPN+, prelims and main card

Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night, dubbed “Smith vs. Teixeira” (Anthony Smith and Glover Teixeria) will once again take place at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville.

Saturday’s UFC Fight Night is “Overeem vs Harris” (Alistair Overeem vs Walt Harris), also in Jacksonville and on ESPN+.

The Denver Broncos remain king of Colorado, as they took home the most bets among local professional teams in the opening week.

It’s clear excitement over the Broncos has returned to Broncos Country.

Colorado bettors have also flocked to live-game betting with Russian table tennis, the Korean Baseball Organization (KBO) and darts.

As it stands now, there are four apps for prospective bettors to use in Colorado. That is out of 17 that will launch in the weeks and months to come.