Scientific Games announces the Colorado Lottery will evolve its Scratch-game business to the Scientific Games Enhanced Partnership (SGEP) program through a contract extension. The move comes as part of an overall responsible-growth plan to drive maximum contributions to Colorado’s parks, trails, pools, open spaces, and schools across the state. Scientific Games has provided the Colorado … [Read more...]

The Ute Mountain Casino Powwow will celebrate Native American culture through dancing, singing and drumming. The competitive event will take place Aug. 19-20 at the outdoor powwow grounds north of the casino in Towaoc. It is free to the public. Tribes from across the U.S. and Canada participate in the dancing and drumming competitions, said powwow Chairman Reggie Lopez. “This powwow has … [Read more...]

The Colorado Department of Revenue reported a negative adjusted revenue total for sports wagering in the month of June on Tuesday, the second time that has happened in the last five months. The Centennial State previously posted an adjusted revenue loss of more than $1.1 million in February, though states are in more jeopardy of finishing in the red that month given the potential of Super Bowl … [Read more...]

One of Black Hawk's largest hotel and casinos has a new look and brand. Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk will make its transition to Horseshoe Black Hawk with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Friday. Guests are invited to gather at the main entrance of the casino at 1 p.m. Friday for the ribbon cutting as the property gets its new name. The Horseshoe Event Center will host a champagne toast and … [Read more...]

For years, state and local leaders have tried to crack down on so-called “gray casinos,” but operators seemingly find a way around laws each time. Now, a new law signed by Gov. Jared Polis in June gives the state’s Division of Gaming more power to help communities shut down these businesses by allowing the division to conduct investigations outside of the towns where gambling is legal. At … [Read more...]

Colorado sports betting wagers tripled during the Stanley Cup playoffs, bringing in nearly $100 million. 11 News spoke with the Colorado Division of Gaming, who reported almost $97 million in total playoff wagers, with about $30 million in total Stanley Cup wagers. In May/June 2021, there were about $26 million in wagers for hockey, although the Avalanche were not in the Stanley Cup … [Read more...]

Colorado became the seventh state to surpass $7 billion in sports wagering handle in the post-PASPA era after the state’s Department of Revenue on Thursday reported more than $360 million in wagers for May. The $7.3 billion wagered since operators first began accepting bets in May 2020 puts the Centennial State in select company. It joins New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Indiana, and … [Read more...]

Bet365 is waiting at least another couple of months before launching in its second US state, according to its partner. Century Casinos Co-CEO Peter Hoetzinger confirmed to LSR the previously reported second-quarter launch window for bet365 will be missed: “The new launch date is, most likely, Sep 1st.” That means one of the largest sportsbooks in the world plans to launch sports betting in … [Read more...]

After its legalization on the statewide ballot in November 2019, sports betting hit the thumbs of the public via a seemingly endless list of smartphone apps on May 1, 2020. In the five months between legalization passing with 51.41% of the vote — 800,745 yes votes in an off-year election compared with 756,712 nays — the world had changed drastically for Coloradans considering wagering... A … [Read more...]

The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission on Thursday approved a $130,000 fine agreed to between the state’s Division of Gaming and payment processing provider WorldPay stemming from the company’s operating without a license during 13 days in April. According to the agreement, WorldPay processed more than $9.8 million in transactions from April 3-15 for online sportsbooks in Colorado, … [Read more...]

A recently released audit revealed significant flaws in the Colorado Division of Gaming’s regulation of sports betting. Several key concerns were discussed in the audit, which was conducted by the Colorado Office of the State Auditor. The audit found that during the state’s first year of regulated sports betting — Colorado legalized sports wagering via referendum in November 2019, while mobile … [Read more...]

Coloradans ponied up $392.3 million for sports betting in April, the state Division of Gaming said Friday. While that’s down month over month, it’s 60% more than residents bet in April 2021, according to a news release. Colorado residents have gambled almost $7 billion since sports betting was legalized in May 2020. The April total was a 22% dip from March’s total of $505.6 million. State … [Read more...]

Colorado took a step forward late Tuesday in its efforts to fund problem gambling and responsible gambling programs in the state, though not without criticism. HB22-1402, which would create the “Responsible Gaming Grant Program” in Colorado, won House approval of Senate amendments by a vote of 50-15 at about 10:45 p.m. It will now be sent to Gov. Jared Polis to be signed into law. The … [Read more...]

Triple Crown Casinos has scaled the final regulatory hurdles, setting the stage for construction to begin this year on a new 101-plus-room boutique hotel, and a spree of new amenities, including a general store. This will mark the next major casino hotel undertaken by a major casino player. Based on current plans, the city could experience a doubling of its current lineup of hotel rooms within … [Read more...]

Colorado’s total sports betting handle surpassed $505 million in March thanks to pro basketball and the NCAA tournament, according to the state's most recent figures. The total handle represents a year-over-year climb of 68% from March 2021, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue's (DOR) data. It's also up from $440 million wagered in February. For the current fiscal year, more than … [Read more...]

As Colorado’s legislative session inches closer to its May 11 conclusion, a bill has been introduced by the state’s Speaker of the House to fund responsible gambling programs in the state. The bill, introduced Tuesday, is sponsored by Speaker Alec Garnett and would fund a grant program through the state’s Limited Gaming Control Commission (LGCC) and Office of Behavioral Health (OBH). The … [Read more...]

Colorado online sportsbooks saw a huge spike in action related to professional and NCAA basketball during the month of February 2022, according to recent figures published by the CO Department of Revenue. Professional basketball garnered a total of $155.6 million in wagers for the month, with NCAA basketball coming in second place with $68.2 million in total bets. Pro football was the … [Read more...]

Through a stipulation agreement with the Colorado Division of Gaming, Carousel Group, the operator of MaximBet, has been fined $80,000 for an error that allowed bettors from outside the state to place online sports wagers during a 16-day window in December. According to the stipulation agreement — which was filed with the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (LGCC) and unanimously … [Read more...]

A Cripple Creek casino has launched a gas savings campaign to help the community. Wildwood Casino is offering employees $.50 off per gallon ( up to 20 gallons a week) at their Gas-n-Roll station along with giving customers an opportunity to win free gas prizes until June 19, 2022, a total savings of up to $60,000. “The entire country is feeling the effects of increased gas prices,” said Matt … [Read more...]

After months of meetings with industry stakeholders, the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission on Thursday approved a change to the state’s sports betting rules that will allow for fixed-odds wagering on horse and greyhound racing. The commission also made myriad minor changes to its sports betting rules, including cleaning up some language with regard to its sports betting catalog, … [Read more...]

The Colorado Department of Revenue Special Business Group, which is responsible for regulating legal sports betting in the state, is considering rule changes that would bring “fixed odds” wagers on horses into retail and online sportsbooks in CO. The SBG’s recently published stakeholder proposal from February 2022 suggests that “fixed odds” or “price” wagering on both horse racing and greyhound … [Read more...]

Tourism in the gambling town of Black Hawk is back and at higher levels than before the pandemic, according to City Manager Stephen Cole. "We didn’t do very well during the pandemic, but now we’re recovering," said Cole. That winning streak is due to new gaming rules that eliminated limits on gaming and, after 10 years, the completion of a massive $400 million expansion at Monarch Casino … [Read more...]

The Monarch Casino Resort Spa has been open and functional for years now, but the grand opening this week finalized the last bits of the $400 million construction project over the last decade. “We are part of Colorado and we are here to make sure Colorado grows and thrives and that we are a huge part of Colorado’s success,” Erica Ferris, Director of Marketing at Monarch Casino Resort Spa said … [Read more...]

The start of 2022 kicked off with the largest single month for wagers in Colorado sports betting history, according to the Colorado Department of Revenue which regulates the industry. The Colorado Division of Gaming announced $573,720,213 in sports bets were placed during the month of January, representing a more than 24% increase from December 2021. “We opened in May of 2020,” said Director … [Read more...]

Only a matter of months after his 12-step meetings in a church basement transitioned to Zoom calls with the pandemic lockdown, a former sports bettor named Robby started seeing the next generation of problem gamblers begin to show their faces on his computer screen. He noticed the first new members once legalized sports betting launched in Colorado in May of 2020, and saw their numbers increase … [Read more...]

Colorado sports betting declined in December for a second consecutive month but finished the year at nearly $4 billion, according to a report from the Colorado Division of Gaming. The $461.4 million bet in December was down 2.9% from November but up more than 60% from December 2020. Betting also declined slightly in November. Even so, wagers in the final three months of last year totaled more … [Read more...]

Colorado’s regulatory outlook on most offerings for sports betting also applies to the upcoming Winter Olympics in Beijing. If operators want to offer any Olympic sport, from hockey to curling to biathlon, they are free to do so. It fits with the overall permissive nature of Colorado’s sports betting regulation. There is a short list of exceptions (like exhibition boxing matches or NCAA player … [Read more...]

In a report to the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (LGCC) during its monthly meeting Thursday, Colorado Division of Gaming Director Dan Hartman said the process of considering fixed-odds horse racing in the state will move forward in February, with the blessing of Department of Revenue Executive Director Mark Ferrandino and Gov. Jared Polis. Hartman said fixed-odds horse racing will … [Read more...]

In the sports gambling industry, there’s one sport that stands above the rest: football. Sportsbook managers measure their careers in NFL seasons. In Colorado, $297 million was wagered between September and October, just on NFL games, according to numbers from the Department of Revenue. October was the most active month yet in Colorado’s fledgling sports betting market, with $491 million … [Read more...]

In the sports gambling industry, there’s one sport that stands above the rest: football. Sportsbook managers measure their careers in NFL seasons. In Colorado, $297 million was wagered between Sept. and Oct., just on NFL games, according to numbers from the Department of Revenue. October was the most active month yet in Colorado’s fledgling sports betting market, with $491 million wagered on … [Read more...]

British online gaming operator bet365 was approved to offer online sports betting in Colorado at Thursday’s meeting of the state’s Limited Gaming Control Commission. The license approval for bet365 is technically “temporary,” but that is standard for new operators in the state. The company can be granted a full operating license after a background investigation by the state, according to LGCC … [Read more...]

How Colorado might handle fixed-odds wagering on horse racing, in respect to taxation as well as the Interstate Horse Racing Act (IHA), became clearer Wednesday in a conversation among industry stakeholders arranged by the Colorado Department of Revenue. According to draft rules and comments during the meeting from Dan Hartman, director of the Colorado Division of Gaming, the plan for … [Read more...]

The start of the pro football season, including a 3-0 start for the Denver Broncos, helped lift Colorado sports betting to a record $408.3 million in September, the Colorado Division of Gaming reported Friday. Last month's total was nearly double the total from either the month before or the year before. It beat the previous record set in January, during the NFL playoffs, by more than $80 … [Read more...]

It’s been 18 months since Colorado regulators launched four sports betting operators in a world virtually devoid of sports or any other type of public gathering. And in that time, 25 sportsbooks have been vying for Coloradans’ attention — and some people have had enough. “I thought that there was going to be at least some type of slowdown,” Alec Garnett, the speaker of the Colorado House of … [Read more...]

Water projects in Colorado are getting a $7.9 million boost from tax revenue collected during the first fiscal year of legalized sports betting in the state. The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (CLGCC) gave its approval for $8.56 million in tax revenue to be distributed to beneficiaries, which includes the Colorado Water Plan, the Department of Revenue’s Division of Gaming said in a … [Read more...]

The city of Cripple Creek has apparently hit pay dirt with a new pro-development incentives program, aimed at securing more affordable housing units—at least on paper. In fact, the program is experiencing so much preliminary success that the city has scheduled a special meeting later this week to iron out the specific details and to keep pace with an unprecedented number of early requests. … [Read more...]

Not even baseball’s All-Star Game in Denver could capture enough bettor interest to overcome the absence of major sports during most of July as Colorado’s sports betting handle dropped to an 11-month low. The $181.3 million bet in July was down 21.1% from June and was the lowest monthly total since sports wagering totaled $128.6 million in August 2020, the Colorado Division of Gaming reported. … [Read more...]

At this point, the announcement of a sports betting deal isn’t really news. It’s news when a day goes by and a partnership isn’t announced. But when a sports betting deal with a university hits the wire, or social media these days, it’s major news. And there are now two tied to Colorado sports betting. On Thursday it was announced that the SuperBook has reached a partnership with … [Read more...]

Executives at Tipico, one of Europe’s largest online sports betting platforms, called metro Denver the leading contender for a new technology hub as the company looks to expand its U.S. operations. The Colorado Economic Development Commission on Thursday morning approved up to $7.5 million in job growth incentive tax credits for the company, which is based in Malta, if it brings 441 jobs over … [Read more...]

A new sportsbook betting venue is launching Tuesday at the Ute Mountain Ute Casino. The opening ceremony will begin with a blessing from a tribal member at 11:30 a.m., and a ribbon-cutting will follow at noon. A member of the tribal community will place the first bet, said Jack Breslin, marketing director for the casino. The casino is able to embark on this venture after Proposition DD was … [Read more...]

After a lengthy dormant period, capped by the COVID-19 epidemic, the city of Cripple Creek is now seeing a big boom in new proposed lodging activity and multi-family housing efforts. That’s according to Cripple Creek city officials. They are attributing this trend to the end of betting restrictions and prime opportunities for developers. In addition, the pend-up desire for developers and … [Read more...]

Joe Califano and Pete Ferro threw a grand opening party July 14 for the new hotel at Wildwood Casino and Hotel in Cripple Creek. Guests included public officials, media representatives and county residents. “We’re so excited about this,” Califano said. “The more people we bring up here to the mountains, I think, is an equal benefit to the community.” In welcoming the guests, Califano noted … [Read more...]

The people behind a 101-room hotel in Cripple Creek celebrated its grand opening Wednesday night. The doors to the Wildwood Hotel were opened to the public for the first time on June 25. On Wednesday, city leaders joined others from across the state and country for a Grand Opening Celebration at the newest hotel in Cripple Creek. The hotel is the first standalone hotel built since casinos were … [Read more...]

In an exclusive interview with Poker Industry PRO to be published soon, 888 Holdings’ Senior Vice President and Head of US Yaniv Sherman said the UK gaming giant plans to initially offer casino and poker games in Colorado using the Sports Illustrated brand—but may add additional skins in the future. Colorado is the first of four states where 888 and its joint venture partner—Authentic Brands … [Read more...]

WynnBet, the sports gambling arm of Wynn Resorts, has entered the Colorado wagering arena via a multi-year sponsorship agreement with the Rockies. WynnBet recently unveiled signage throughout Coors Field and app-activation assistance along the concourses. “Our strategy as a company is to build partnerships and customer relationships that are enduring,” WynnBet CEO Craig Billings said in a … [Read more...]

Colorado sports bettors will soon have another venue to place wagers. Jacobs Entertainment announced that it will open a new SuperBook, a brick-and-mortar sportsbook, June 25 at The Lodge Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado. The company also operates the iconic SuperBook at the Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino. “The SuperBook at the Lodge Casino is a perfect fit for our initial expansion … [Read more...]

Jackson Wieger is betting on table tennis matches. Yes, pingpong. It's happening halfway around the world in Russia. It's possibly fixed. Wieger can't watch the matches he bets on unless he finds a heavily delayed stream on the internet. He doesn't know much about any of the participants, and when he started betting table tennis he didn't even fully understand how it was scored... He's not … [Read more...]

Sports betting generated over $6 million in tax revenue in its inaugural year, the Colorado Department of Revenue (DOR) said Tuesday. In total, more than $2.3 billion in wagers were placed between May 1, 2020, and the end of April 2021, according to DOR data. An overwhelming majority were made online because of local COVID-19 restrictions. For the month of April, DOR said more than $244 … [Read more...]

Sports bettors in Colorado can now download the beta version of Bally Corporation’s mobile sportsbook. The Rhode Island-based gaming operator announced Monday that Bally Bet is now available. The launch will be accompanied by limited marketing and focus on the deployment, testing and refinement of the Bally Bet app and its content. "We are excited to provide sports fans across Colorado with … [Read more...]

Colorado embraced sports betting in a way few experts predicted. Gamblers ended up wagering $2.3 billion in the first year since it was introduced in May 2020. All together, the state’s Department of Revenue said gambling companies made $65 million in profits from May of 2020 to May of 2021. That calculates out to $6.5 million in tax revenue that the state will collect since the proceeds are taxed … [Read more...]

Colorado topped $2.3 billion in total wagers placed for the first year of legalized sports betting. The first bet was placed May 1, 2020. The state reached the $1 billion mark in December. “The first year of sports betting exceeded our expectations, especially after we launched amid a worldwide pandemic that shuttered the casinos, the industry, and Colorado,” said Division of Gaming Director … [Read more...]

On May 1, Colorado casinos, which were hit especially hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, will be able to get rid of $100 betting limits and add new games. "The limit and game expansion is great for Central City, and all of Colorado! We are very excited for the opportunity presented to our existing casinos, and for the opportunity to bring new operators in," says Jeremy Fey, mayor of Central … [Read more...]

As the one-year anniversary of legal sports betting in Colorado approaches, there are clear signals that the Centennial State is batting above its expected average. Around this time last year, mobile sports betting debuted in Colorado when four sportsbooks launched on May 1, 2020 – BetMGM, BetRivers, DraftKings, and FanDuel. The timing was not propitious. Weeks earlier, the doors of every … [Read more...]

A continued boost from three December 2019 casino acquisitions helped Century Casinos offset some of the pain of the pandemic in the fourth quarter. Earnings per share surged and topped Wall Street forecasts; revenue also rose but missed them. In a statement Friday, Century Casinos, which owns three hotel-casinos and a racetrack in Canada, five in the United States, one in England and, through … [Read more...]

The Ute Mountain Casino Hotel will reopen Wedensday with a host of safety improvements against the coronavirus. The casino and hotel temporarily closed in December out of caution and to assist the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. The casino plans to reopen at 35% capacity. Safety measures include the installation of Plexiglass at registers and … [Read more...]

The Ute Mountain Casino Hotel will reopen Wedensday with a host of safety improvements against the coronavirus. The casino and hotel temporarily closed in December out of caution and to assist the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe in its efforts to prevent the spread of the virus. The casino plans to reopen at 35% capacity. Safety measures include the installation of Plexiglass at registers and … [Read more...]

Table games are returning to Gilpin County. Isle Casino Hotel Black Hawk reopened their tables on Wednesday. Lady Luck Casino will follow suit on Friday. As with most things, there are restrictions. There can only be three people at a maximum at most table games; three people max on each side of Craps tables; five people max at roulette tables. Guests have to sanitize their hands before … [Read more...]

DENVER — The Denver radio station previously known as EZ 1430 Timeless Music has been rebranded as The Bet 1430 AM. Station owner Entercom announced Monday that KEZW-AM is now a BetQL Audio Network and CBS Sports Radio affiliate. The station will feature national sports talk and sports gambling programming. Sports betting programming on The Bet will include “BetQL Daily” with Joe Ostrowski … [Read more...]

It has been five months since sports betting was legalized in Colorado, and as more sports return, big money is beginning to flow. Numbers from the state’s Department of Revenue show Coloradans placed more than $128 million in wagers in August, an average of more than $4 million every single day. That’s a sizable change from May, when Coloradans placed $25 million in bets on things like … [Read more...]

The quickly growing Colorado online sports betting market added a significant new player on Tuesday when the Sky Ute Casino Resort announced it will go online with its Sky Ute SportsBook. The launch is the product of a partnership between the Ignacio, Colo.-based Southern Ute Indian Tribe, and the Nevada-based sportsbook group USBookmaking, helmed by Nevada Gaming Hall of Famer Vic Salerno. The … [Read more...]