Colorado online casinos are now on the table. For the first time, the discussion over legal online casinos in Colorado has started. Could CO online casinos happen? It seems the tide is heading in that direction.
In the meantime, there are options for fans of online casinos in Colorado – via sweepstakes and social casino sites. These sites have slots and (limited) casino games. Best of all, you can win cash prizes without paying a dime of your own money.
Best Colorado online casino alternatives
This in-depth guide looks at Colorado online casino games. You’ll find information about the social and sweepstakes casinos and a preview of what any future regulated CO online casinos could look like below. Now that online casinos in Colorado look like a real possibility, the focus will only increase.
Colorado online casinos: Introducing sweepstakes
Sweepstakes contests are usually associated with retail businesses. They offer drawings or other games as an incentive to buy from them.
Every state has laws allowing these contests – including Colorado.
There are CO sweepstakes casinos that turn slots and casino table games into mini sweepstakes contests. From the perspective of players, the spin of a slot or shuffle of cards looks exactly the same as you’d find in any casino.
To make this model legal, the sites must comply with the following statement:
There needs to be some way to let players enter the contests without needing to make a purchase. The casinos give you free sweeps coins if you send them a letter or in some cases, award you with free sweeps just for logging in.
This does sound complex, although when you strip away the terms the model is simple. You buy Gold Coins, get Sweeps Coins for free and then use those Sweeps Coins to enter contests (casino games). If you win, then you can redeem Sweeps Coins for cash prizes.
Social online casinos in Colorado
Many players enjoy online casino games but don’t want to gamble real money. Social casino apps and websites fill this niche. They provide access to online slots, along with leaderboard contests and social network features.
You’ll find some of the slots at social casinos are online versions of popular live slots – for example Dancing Drums or Zeus.
Chips can be purchased via social casino apps, though these are for play-money purposes only and can’t be redeemed or exchanged for real money. Social online casino brands include House of Fun, Viva Vegas Slots and Doubledown Casino.
Alternative options available in Colorado
There are two major brands offering sweepstakes / social casino experience:
- Chumba Casino: Chumba Casino CO has slots, video poker, blackjack and keno available. Most of the game titles are slots, many of which have big progressive jackpots. Titles are colorful with many complex and entertaining games. They include Triple Double Fever, Viking Odyssey, Cupids Fortune, Crazy Bunny Spin and Stampede Fury.
- LuckyLand Slots: This brand exclusively offers slot games. There are 60+ titles available, covering all the popular slot themes. These are unique games, not the same titles that you’ll find in live casinos or at online casinos in regulated states. Look out for the big progressives. LuckyLand Slots CO offers players game titles that include Vaults of Valhalla, Amazonia 3D, Buffalo Rush, Clover Cash and Mayan Gold. This casino can be accessed via a website or Android app.
What would future regulated online casinos in Colorado look like?
Legalizing Colorado online casinos would require new legislation be drafted and approved in Denver. These are already allowed in other states including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Michigan and West Virginia.
By looking at how things work in those states – we can get a good idea of how future online casinos in Colorado might look.
There are more than 30 casinos in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek. If CO followed other states, these venues would all be able to apply for licenses to operate online casinos. It is unlikely that you’ll see ‘Gilpin Casino,’ ‘Wild Bills Casino’ and so on appear as websites. In the regulated states, the pattern is that local casinos partner with the big online casino brands.
These Colorado online casinos would then appear as 888 Casino, Bet365 Casino, Unibet Casino, Caesars Palace CO, and so on. The ties with the brick and mortar venue goes beyond the license. Players can make deposits at the cage of the linked live casino (as well as depositing directly through the apps or casino websites).
Some brands will have a single wallet for Colorado sports betting and casino games (and Colorado poker, where this is also available). Others will treat their casinos separately.
With so many potential CO online casinos, competition would be fierce. This would be a boost for players – who would be able to take advantage of many different bonus offers and promotions.
In regulated states, casinos offer a mix of no-deposit free play, and matched deposit bonuses on your first deposits. You’ll also find loyalty rewards and regular promotions on offer. By signing up with several different brands, players can make sure they are always clearing one bonus or another while enjoying their favorite slots and table games online.
What kind of games are available at online casinos?
Casino games have come a long way since the early days of online gambling. The number of titles, especially slots, has expanded massively. There are also plenty of table games, video poker variants and scratch card style games available.
The biggest single change at online casinos has been the shift from software-based table games to live dealer games. Better networks and computers make it possible to stream games from remote studios based in casinos. You then bet on these using your computer. Live dealer games have a social feel – though they do tend to be slower than the software-based equivalents. You’ll find blackjack, roulette, baccarat and casino poker style games at live dealer online casinos.
If you enjoy slots from WMS, IGT, Aristocrat and others, then you’ll now find many of them at online casinos. In a future regulated online casino market in Colorado, you can expect these to be listed among titles created especially for online use. Slots work well on casino apps, fitting perfectly onto your smartphone screen when you flip into landscape view. There are slots with progressive jackpots, interactive bonus games and games themed on big movie and TV franchises online.
Video poker also has multiple variations online. You’ll find many more titles than just the Jacks or Better or Deuces Wild standards. These include many multi-hand variants, plus games with bonus multipliers (Bonus Poker and others).
New technology has enabled innovative new titles. These include virtual betting games involving horses, soccer and auto-racing. Keno, Bingo, scratch cards and novelty titles (some based on TV game shows) complete the list.
Live casinos in Colorado
Casinos in Colorado have been legal since 1991. These are located in 3 places, namely Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City. There are also tribal casinos in Colorado, at Ute Mountain. This setup is different to many other states. Instead of a smaller number of large ‘resort’ type venues, Colorado has many smaller casinos – many with a rich history going all the way back to days of pioneers.
Here are the casinos you’ll find, grouped into the 3 areas:
Casinos in Black Hawk
- Ameristar Casino
- Bill Durham Saloon and Casino
- Bullpen Casino
- Bullwhacker’s Black Hawk Canyon and Grand Plateau Casino
- Colorado Central Station Casino
- Dan Cooper’s Eureka! Casino
- The Gilpin Casino
- Golden Gates Casino
- Golden Gulch Casino
- Mardi Gras Casino
- Isle of Capri Hotel and Casino
- The Lodge Casino
- Red Dolly Casino
- The Richman Wild Card Saloon and Casino
- Riviera Black Hawk Casino
- Saratoga Casino
- Silver Hawk Saloon and Casino
Casinos in Cripple Creek
- Black Diamond Casino and Saloon
- Brass Ass Casino
- Bronco Billy’s Casino
- Colorado Grande Casino
- Creeker’s Gaming Hall
- Double Eagle Hotel and Casino
- Gold Creek Casino
- Gold Diggers Casino
- Gold Rush Hotel and Casino
- Imperial Casino
- J.P. McGills Hotel and Casino
- Johnny Nolon’s Casino
- Midnight Rose Hotel and Casino
- Uncle Sam’s Casino
- Wild Horse Casino
- Womacks Casino and Hotel
Casinos in Central City
- Century Casino
- Doc Holliday Casino
- Dostal Alley Brewpub and Casino
- Easy Street Casino
- Famous Bonanza
- Reserve Casino Hotel
- Scarlet’s Casino
- Teller House
Other forms of Colorado online gambling
Options for online casino games in Colorado are currently limited. There are several other legal enterprises, however, even if Colorado online casinos haven't materialized yet.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contests are legal and regulated. These games involve picking line-ups of players and entering them into contests including one-on-one cash games and bigger tournaments. The most popular DFS sites are FanDuel and DraftKings.
You can also legally bet online on horse races, and sports betting went live in May of 2020. Many of the casinos listed above have retail sportsbooks. You can also bet online via the best Colorado sports betting apps anywhere within state lines.
Wrapping up: Online casinos in Colorado
As things stand, there is no legislation on the books, but the discussion over legal Colorado online casinos has at least started. With the introduction of Colorado sports betting, the Centennial State has expanded online gambling significantly. Tax revenues from sports betting could potentially lead to a further expansion – which would pave the way for future legislation covering online casinos and poker rooms.
In the meantime, there are legal options for fans of online casinos in Colorado. Social casinos operate with a model that keeps them legal under existing sweepstakes contest laws. While their range of games and slots is limited, these are high quality. You can use Sweeps Coins to play, and if you win (including progressive jackpots), you can redeem the Sweeps Coins for cash prizes.
Colorado online casinos aren't legal just yet. In the meantime Colorado players can enjoy online games at sweepstakes and social casinos, which are legal in the state and available to anyone 18 or older. The best sweepstakes casinos allow for free, fun play with in-game currency. They also allow premium play with the potential to collect cash prizes.
Best Colorado online casino options
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Could Colorado online casinos be legalized?
It’s unlikely we’ll see legal online casinos in Colorado anytime soon. Legalizing Colorado online casinos would require new legislation drafted and approved at the statehouse in Denver.
With the recent expansion of Colorado online gambling, however, it’s certainly possible. Tax revenue from sports betting could potentially spur lawmakers to further expand, including the legalization of online casinos and poker rooms.
In the meantime, there are legal options for fans of online gambling. Colorado social casinos operate with a model that keeps them legal under existing sweepstakes contest laws. While their range of games and slots is limited, the quality is excellent. You use Sweeps Coins to play, and if you win (including progressive jackpots), you can redeem the Sweeps Coins for cash prizes.
While Colorado does not currently offer regulated online casinos, players can see what a legal online casino market could look like in states that have already launched iGaming. Established markets such as PA online casinos, MI online casinos, WV online casinos, and NJ online casinos offer real-money online slots and table games through licensed and regulated operators.
Colorado online casino alternatives
Sweeps sites turn slots and casino table games into mini sweepstakes contests. From a player's perspective, the spin of a slot or shuffle of cards looks exactly the same as you’d find in any casino. For these types of casinos to be legal in Colorado, players must be able to enter the contests without needing to make a purchase.
This means that you can play nearly all your favorite online casino-style games for free. However, you also have the opportunity to play these games with a chance to win cash prizes.
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What to expect from Colorado online casinos
By looking at how things work in states with legal online casinos, we can get a good idea of how future online casinos in Colorado might look.
With so many potential CO online casinos, competition would be fierce. This would favor players, who would be able to take advantage of many different bonus offers and promotions.
In regulated states, casinos offer a mix of no-deposit free play and matched deposit bonuses on your first deposits. You’ll also find loyalty rewards and regular promotions on offer. By signing up with several different brands, players can make sure they are always clearing one bonus or another while enjoying their favorite slots and table games online.
What Colorado online casino apps could be coming?
There are more than 30 casinos in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. If Colorado follows other states, these venues would all be able to apply for licenses to operate online casinos. In the regulated states, the pattern is that local casinos partner with the big online casino brands.
Some of these could include BetMGM CO online casino, Caesars Palace CO, DraftKings Casino CO, and FanDuel Casino CO, just to name a few. The ties with the brick-and-mortar venues goes beyond the license. Players can make deposits at the cage of the linked live casino as well as deposit directly through the apps or casino websites.
Some brands will have a single wallet for Colorado sports betting and casino games (and Colorado poker, where this is also available). Others will treat their online casinos separately.
What games may be available at online casinos in Colorado?
Colorado online casinos will likely reflect offerings you'd find at brick-and-mortar casinos in the state. You'll be able to find a wide variety of games, including the following:
- Slots, including ones with different titles, bonuses, and minigames
- Live dealer table games, such as blackjack, craps, and roulette
- Virtual games involving horses, soccer, and auto racing
- Keno, bingo, and scratch cards
- Novelty titles, some based on TV shows
Live casinos in Colorado
Casinos in Colorado have been legal since 1991.
These 31 land-based casinos are located in three mountain towns: Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City. Additionally, there are two tribal casinos in the southwestern region of the state, Ute Mountain Casino Hotel south of Cortez and Sky Ute Casino Resort in Ignacio.
This setup is different from many other states. Instead of a smaller number of large resort-type venues, Colorado has many smaller casinos—several with a rich history dating back to the early pioneers.
Here are the casinos you’ll find, grouped into the three areas: