Colorado Online Gambling 2023

Is Online Gambling Legal in Colorado?

Yes, online gambling is legal in Colorado in a few different forms. The most popular online gambling in Colorado is sports betting, followed by social casinos, where players can redeem cash prizes, gift cards, and more, playing casino-style games like slots and blackjack. Other options in the state include horse race wagering online, the Jackpocket online lottery app, and daily fantasy sports (DFS) games.

Best Sites in Colorado

Just looking to join the best options? Here are the top choices for each type of online gaming in Colorado, plus the best social casinos for playing your favorite casino-style games for a chance to redeem cash prizes, gift cards, and more:

Beyond those top choices, here are all the online gambling choices in Colorado and all the social casinos for playing casino-style games for a chance to redeem cash prizes and more:

Colorado Online Social Casinos

Players looking for an online casino experience in Colorado can play casino-style games for a chance to redeem cash prizes at legit, legal sites in the state. Social casinos have players using site-specific coins on the games, which can then be redeemed for cash prizes and more. It’s as close to the real thing that’s legally allowed in most US states, Colorado included.

Best For Redeeming Cash Prizes and More

With no state-regulated online casinos for real money on the horizon in Colorado, also known as the Centennial State, players in Colorado do have access to social casino sites like Chumba Casino. Anyone 18 and up in Colorado can play the games using Sweeps Coins (SC) with a chance to redeem cash prizes, gift cards, and entries into daily jackpot prize drawings.

Colorado Social Casinos & Sweepstakes Casinos – In-Depth Look

Social casinos and sweepstakes casinos offer a variety of traditional casino-style games, including slots, blackjack, video poker, keno, and more. At Funzpoints, for example, two types of modes are available. The standard mode is just for entries into a prize drawing, while the premium mode has players winning cashable site tokens (100 Funzpoints = $1 USD). So, for example, if a player wins at least 2,000+ premium Funzpoints by playing slots or keno, they can redeem those points for a $20 cash prize.

Here are our top picks for Colorado social casinos, where players can redeem cash prizes and more.

1. Chumba Casino – Best Place to Play Online Casino-Style Games in Colorado

Chumba Casino is the best choice for redeeming cash prizes and more by playing casino-style games in Colorado. Chumba is easy to navigate and offers a great selection of games, including slots and table games like online blackjack and also video poker. But perhaps the best feature is the 1 FREE SC and 200,000 FREE GC you receive every day that you log into Chumba, which means you can earn up to 365 FREE SC every year. And that’s on top of the 2,000,000 FREE Gold Coins and 2 FREE Sweeps Coins you receive when you visit Chumba using this link. With these promotions, it’s possible to redeem cash prizes and more from Chumba without ever making a purchase – but the exclusive Bonus.com link also includes a valuable purchase bonus of 200% extra coins. Click to Claim

2. Luckyland Slots – Best Colorado Social Casino for Rewards Points

While Luckyland Slots may lack table games like blackjack, it makes up for it with an excellent rewards program. If you like earning points while you play and you’re okay with only playing slots, Luckyland Slots is an essential choice. It’s also a sister site to Chumba, so both are legit options for getting FREE SC to redeem cash prizes and more. Luckyland Slots also gives you 0.3 FREE SC each day you log in and 1 FREE SC on the seventh consecutive day you log in.

Luckyland Slots also has one of the best no-purchase signup bonuses in social casino gaming. Sign up at Luckyland Slots and receive the following deals:

• 10 FREE Sweeps Coins and FREE 7,777 Gold Coins instantly on signup. Click to Claim
• First-purchase bonus: Buy 50,000 Gold Coins for $4.99 (Normally $10 ). PLUS, 10 FREE Sweeps Coins! Click to Claim

3. Pulsz – Best for Trying a New Social Casino

Given the large variety of social casinos and all the free coins you get for signing up, it can be fun to look for new social casinos to join. So if you fall into the category of someone looking for free new games to play, Pulsz Casino is an excellent choice. You also get slightly more free SC on signup compared to Chumba – all the more reason to give this new social casino a try. Plus, Pulsz boasts over 200 slots, a very impressive selection.

Sign up with this Pulsz promo code link for 2.3 SC on signup and 15 Free SC with $9.99 purchase.

4. Global Poker – Best Online Poker Choice in Colorado

Players at Global Poker compete against other players using GC or SC. But if online poker isn’t your thing, you can play the slots and table games they now have available. Offering many of the same games as its sister sites, Chumba and Luckyland, Global Poker is among the best if you want to play free slots and table games for a chance to redeem cash prizes and more. And with a massive welcome purchase offer, Global Poker is worth playing for the decent chance of redeeming cash prizes and more.

New players can use the Global Poker promo code FLUSH to purchase 150,000 Gold Coins for $10, plus get 30 FREE Sweeps Coins.

5. Funzpoints – Best for Winning Entries to Prize Drawings

Funzpoints Casino offers the standard social casino model for cash prizes when players use premium Funzpoints. But players can also use free standard Funzpoints to win entries into a daily prize drawing. The $1,000 prize pool awards several players a cash prize, and you get a free prize wheel spin every three hours to get even more entries for free.

Otherwise, Funzpoints is pretty stingy when giving free premium Funzpoints. Unlike Chumba, Luckyland, and Pulsz, players don’t get free premium credits each day they log in, which is a big downside. But Funzpoints does have tons of exclusive slots, so after the initial signup bonus of free premium Funzpoints, it’s pretty worth it to purchase more and continue playing.

Sign up with this link to claim the Funzpoints promo code and receive $2.50 premium Funzpoints.

Colorado Online Poker

Best Online Poker For Cash Prizes and Gift Cards

Global Poker is a social poker room that operates with the same promotional sweepstakes model as Chumba and Luckyland. Global Poker is available to all players in the United States & Canada except for Washington & Quebec. It is the country’s biggest, most popular social casino poker room, which guarantees the most competitive games and the biggest tournaments.

Are you looking to play legal online poker in Colorado? Then, Global Poker is the only legal option worth trying. Global Poker has games running around the clock for Colorado online poker players, and playing gets you a chance at redeeming SC for cash prizes and more. Plus, new players can get 65% off their first purchase.

Use our exclusive Global Poker promo code FLUSH to purchase 150,000 Gold Coins for $10, plus get 30 FREE Sweeps Coins.  Global Poker also offers players a purchase bonus of 150,000 Gold Coins for $10, which includes 30 FREE Sweeps Coins, no code required

Colorado Online Sports Betting

Colorado voters legalized live and mobile sports betting in November 2019, and the passage of Proposition DD set the groundwork for a potentially massive sports betting industry in the state.

Since its launch in Colorado on May 1, 2020, Online sports wagering has exploded. Colorado currently has over 25 sportsbooks, more than any other state in the country. DraftKings Sportsbook, Caesars Sportsbook, BetMGM, BetRivers, and many other prominent sports betting companies have partnered with Colorado casinos to offer mobile sports wagering throughout the state, and even more are expected to be added in the coming months.

Retail sportsbooks are allowed in Colorado. By law, Colorado’s commercial casinos are confined to the towns of Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City. However, Colorado’s legal sports betting expansion, though heavily focused on mobile and online wagering, also carve out plenty of opportunity for retail sportsbooks. Many big-name brands have launched retail sportsbooks since the state legalized sports betting.

For more information, see our comprehensive Guide To Colorado Online Sports Betting.

Real-Money Colorado Online Casinos

Online casinos are not legalized in Colorado, but there have been past efforts by state casinos to introduce the possibility at least.

The Colorado Gaming Association, a collaboration of the state’s retail casinos, drafted a potential internet gaming bill in 2012. However, that bill never made a serious run at becoming law. No other online casino or poker bills have been produced by any state gaming interest since.

Colorado is home to a live casino industry with more than 30 properties. This includes six live poker rooms. With a healthy backbone of live casino gaming, Colorado could one day revisit the discussion about legal, state-regulated online casinos and poker.

Online Horse Racing

Like in most other states, online horse race betting is legal in Colorado. In general, legal mobile horse race betting has been around longer than any other form of online gambling in the US.

The Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) permits online horse race betting. It allows players to use mobile horse racing apps like TVG and BetAmerica to bet on horse races throughout the country.

These two mobile horse race betting apps are available to Colorado bettors and most of the US. Colorado is also home to 12 off-track betting (OTB) venues and one operating live horse racetrack, Arapahoe Park.

See our comprehensive Guide To Online Horse Racine And Betting In The US.

Online Lottery

The Colorado Lottery mobile app does not have the option to purchase lottery tickets directly. Instead, the app provides information like game-winning numbers, geolocation directions to the nearest lottery retailer, and a way to scan instant win and draw tickets to see if they are winners.

There are currently no plans to establish an online purchase feature on the app. However, the recent gaming expansion in the state suggests that a future online lottery could someday be a reality.

In-state drawings include Colorado Lotto Plus, a bi-weekly drawing with seven-figure jackpots. Colorado also participates in multi-state lotteries like MegaMillions and Powerball.

Daily Fantasy Sports In Colorado

Colorado was among the first states to regulate daily fantasy sports (DFS). Former Governor John Hickenlooper signed House Bill 1404 into law on June 10, 2016. The law made Colorado the fifth state to pass legislation formally authorizing DFS.

Colorado’s DFS laws have a few unique provisions. DFS operators with less than 7,500 users don’t need to apply for a license. However, they still must register with the state.

Industry leaders FanDuel and DraftKings far surpass that number of users in Colorado. The state, therefore, required them to apply for licenses through the Division of Professions and Occupations.

Colorado is one of 21 states to regulate DFS, although FanDuel, DraftKings, and other DFS operators operate in numerous states without legal DFS regulations.

Timeline For Gambling Regulation In Colorado

Here are some of the key dates in the history of Colorado gambling:

• 1948 – The state legalized Pari-mutuel horse race and greyhound race betting. The Colorado Racing Commission is established to oversee the industry. The first race took place in 1949. The Colorado Racing Commission, along with the later established Division of Racing Events (1983), are the governing bodies that regulate Colorado’s horse racing industry today.
• 1983 – The Colorado Lottery started selling instant win tickets in January. The lottery added drawing games later in the year.
• 1990 – Casino gambling was legalized when Colorado residents voted Initiative 4 into law. Initiative 4 is known as the Colorado Limited Gaming Initiative. The constitutional amendment passed with more than 57 percent of votes. The initiative allowed retail casinos to operate from the towns of Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City. The language of the original law allowed for maximum bets of $5. In addition, the casinos could only operate slot machines, blackjack, and poker.
• 1991 – Senate Bill 91-99 is signed into law. The law allows for interstate simulcasting of horse racing (the predecessor to mobile horse race betting apps) and off-track betting (OTB) parlors.
• 2008 – Black Hawk, Cripple Creek, and Central City citizens passed Amendment 50. The Amendment allowed the cities’ casinos to raise the maximum bet to $100, add more games, and extend hours to 24-hour-a-day operations.
• 2019 – Colorado voters approve Proposition DD to legalize sports betting. The bill permits the state’s casinos to add retail sportsbooks on the property and offer online sports betting. In addition, land-based casinos are allowed to partner with existing technology brands to develop online sports betting platforms.
• 2020 – Legal sports betting launched on May 1, 2020.

Check out our Guide To Online Sports Betting In The US.

History Of Colorado Online Gambling

State voters passed Proposition DD on November 5, 2019. The law legalized retail and mobile sports betting. This event set Colorado on a path to becoming a force in the US sports betting market.

Both land-based and online sports betting in Colorado launched on May 1, 2020. State casinos went right to work after Proposition DD passed. They applied for sports betting licenses through the Colorado Division of Gaming.

Arrival Of Top Brands In Colorado

Colorado’s new sports betting laws allow casinos to collaborate with strategic technology partners. With the Centennial State set as a major sports betting hub, the industry’s top brands have already launched in Colorado.

Colorado’s population of nearly six million and its status as a major sports city in the US make the state a prime market for sports betting.

All four major US sports leagues have teams located in Denver. The Colorado Rockies (MLB), Denver Broncos (NFL), Denver Nuggets (NBA), and Colorado Avalanche (NHL) all call Colorado home.

Colorado’s expansion into sports betting has significantly boosted the local casino industry and the overall state economy.

The Future Of Gaming In Colorado

Proposition DD does not include legislation to bring online casino gambling or poker to the state, but that could change in the future.

Colorado’s casino industry attempted to introduce an online poker bill in the past. In 2012, the Colorado Gaming Association (an association of state casinos) tried to send an online gaming bill to state legislators for consideration. Unfortunately, the bill never went to vote.

Colorado’s Live Gaming Market

History Of Live Gambling In Colorado

Pari-mutuel horse and greyhound race betting were the first forms of legal gambling approved in Colorado. Both went live in the state in 1949. The Colorado Lottery began in 1983.

The modern era of gambling in Colorado began in earnest with the 1990 passage of Initiative 4. Known as the Colorado Limited Gaming Initiative, this bill amended the state constitution to allow casino gambling in Cripple Creek, Central City, and Black Hawk mountain towns.

The original language of Initiative 4 only allowed casinos to offer blackjack, poker, and slots to be offered. In addition, the law limited maximum bets to only $5. Amendment 50, passed in 2008, marked a big step in the evolution of Colorado’s casino industry. The Amendment raised max bets to $100. The casinos could also start to offer craps and roulette on casino floors.

Future Growth Of Colorado Gaming

As of 2021, more than 30 commercial casinos are located in the three mountain towns.

Further growth is to come for these properties, as sports betting was legalized in Colorado with the passage of Proposition DD in November 2019. The bill allows Colorado casinos to operate retail sportsbooks on a property, as well as online sports betting platforms.

Facts On Colorado Gambling

Colorado Live Casinos At A Glance

The Centennial State is home to more than 30 casinos. Aside from a pair of tribal casinos, all Colorado casinos must operate from within the mountain towns of Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City.

These three locales all have origins as gold-mining towns from the 1800s. However, they were on the verge of becoming ghost towns by the late 20^th century.

State voters approved the Colorado Limited Gaming Initiative in 1990, with the bill signed into law in 1991. That bill brought casino gambling to the three towns. In addition, it revitalized those areas and reinvented them as a hub for live casino gaming.

Colorado Casino Locations

Black Hawk and Central City are within two miles of each other. Both towns are about 40 miles west of Denver. Cripple Creek lies about 110 miles south of Denver. Both of Colorado’s tribal casinos are in the southwest part of the state.

Success Of Colorado’s Casinos

The state’s first full year of casino operations (1992) saw more than $180 million in adjusted gross proceeds (AGP). After that, revenue grew in each of the next 10 years. In 2002, Colorado’s casinos brought in more than $719 million. That’s nearly a 300 percent growth in those 10 years.

Since 2002, the total AGP for state casinos has remained steady. The two most significant revenue-earning years in the history of Colorado’s casino industry occurred in 2017 ($828 million) and 2018 ($838 million).

By law, only the towns of Cripple Creek, Black Hawk, and Central City can host commercial casinos. As of 2021, those casinos and a pair of tribal casinos in southwest Colorado bring the total number of state casinos to 33.

Until 2008, casinos in the three towns only offered slots, poker, and blackjack under the law. In addition, maximum bets were limited to $5, and casinos had to close from 2 am to 8 am daily.

In 2008, voters from the three mountain towns passed Amendment 50, which raised the max bet to $100. The Amendment also added craps and roulette to the casino floor and allowed for 24-hour-a-day operations.

Other Gambling Offerings In Colorado

Colorado Lottery

The Colorado Lottery was one of the first forms of legal gambling available in the state. The lottery started with scratch-off instant win games in January 1983. The Colorado Lottery expanded to include drawing games in April of the same year.

Colorado is also a part of the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL). The state started to offer purchase options for Powerball in 2001 and MegaMillions in 2010.

The state overhauled the in-state Lotto drawing game in 2019. The newly branded Colorado Lotto Plus raised the ticket price to $2 while also improving game odds and the number of ways to win.

Proceeds from the Colorado Lottery go to the state’s public parks, recreation, and outdoor interests, as well as the Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) fund. Since its inception, the lottery has directed more than $3.4 billion in revenue to these causes.

Proposition DD doesn’t include the legalization of online lottery, which various other states legalized.

The Colorado Lottery offers a mobile app with up-to-date information on upcoming drawings and winning numbers. The app includes a feature for scanning tickets to see if they are winners. It also provides geolocation software to locate nearby lottery retailers.

Horse Racing

Colorado is home to one major horse racetrack, Arapahoe Park in Aurora. Pari-mutuel betting is the oldest form of legalized gambling in the state. It’s been legal since 1949.

At least 12 off-track betting (OTB) facilities operate in the state. In addition, major online horse race betting apps like TVG and BetAmerica permit betting on domestic and international horse races.

More Resources On Colorado Gambling

Colorado.com Casinos & Gaming

A History of Gambling in Colorado

Colorado Division of Gaming

Colorado.gov Sports Betting Page

History of Horse Race Betting in Colorado

Colorado Online Gambling FAQ