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Colorado online gambling – your complete guide

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Checked by Geraldine S.Alex K.

Colorado online gambling is a growing market. Colorado gambling laws don’t permit online casino games for real money, however, sports betting and daily fantasy sports (DFS) are regulated and part of the online gambling scene in CO.

Want to find out about all forms of legal gambling in Colorado? Read on to discover how and where to play for real money in the Centennial State.

The best Colorado gambling sites 

Want to find the best Colorado online gambling sites? Look no further. We’ve got together the best licensed and regulated CO gambling sites. Our rating system is designed to help you, the user. We use a rigorous system to determine the pros and cons of each site while giving you a 360-degree view of what operators in Colorado are all about.

Sportsbook Logo Odds rating Bonus Go to sportsbook Button Show more T&C
1
Caesars sportsbook review
90/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 94% Playscore based on Up to $1,250 Stakeback + 2,000 loyalty credits
Play now

Good to know

  • Excellent rewards program
  • Fast payouts
  • Bet on 20 different sports

9 payment methods

PayPal
Visa
Discover
MasterCard
VIP Preferred
Bank Transfer
Skrill
PayNearMe
Play+
Play now
2
BetMGM sportsbook review
85/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 91% Playscore based on Up to $1,000 back in Bonus Bets
Play now

Good to know

  • Strong odds on football
  • Stellar customer support
  • Live streaming and live data

14 payment methods

VIP Preferred
Visa
MasterCard
TAPPP
PayNearMe
PayPal
Skrill
Play+
Bank Transfer
American Express
Discover
Cash at Casino Cage
Check
e-Check
Play now
3
BetRivers sportsbook review
83/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 86% Playscore based on Second Chance Bet of up to $500
Play now

Good to know

  • Many regular promotions
  • Huge number of sports
  • Trusted by many state licensors

6 payment methods

PayNearMe
MasterCard
PayPal
Play+
Discover
Visa
Play now
4
bet365 sportsbook review
82/100 Expert rating by Ian Z. 89% Playscore based on Bet $1 get $200 in Bonus Bets
Play now

Good to know

  • Several user-friendly offers
  • Large parlay boosts
  • Includes virtual sports

7 payment methods

Bank Transfer
MasterCard
PayNearMe
PayPal
Skrill
Cash at Casino Cage
Visa
Play now
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-Gambler (call or text in Colorado).
5
ownersbox logo
OwnersBox sportsbook review
80/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 87% Playscore based on 100% match up to $500
Play now

Good to know

  • Twist on the traditional
  • User-friendly DFS platform
  • Available in 37 states

7 payment methods

Bank Transfer
Visa
MasterCard
Discover
American Express
ACH Network
Check
Play now
6
Fliff logo
Fliff social sportsbook review
80/100 Expert rating by Ramona D. 83% Playscore based on 100% up to $100 FC
Play now

Good to know

  • Good sport selection
  • Offers college sports
  • Available in 41 states

5 payment methods

PayPal
Visa
Bank Transfer
MasterCard
Skrill
Play now
7
Clutchbet logo
ClutchBet sportsbook review
79/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 80% Playscore based on 100% up to $1,000 in Free Bets
Play now

Good to know

  • Live micro-betting
  • Same-game parlays
  • Excellent customer support

7 payment methods

VIP Preferred
Visa
MasterCard
Discover
paysafecard
Skrill
PayPal
Play now
8
ParlayPlay
ParlayPlay sportsbook review
78/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 86% Playscore based on 100% match up to $100 + $5 Promo Pick
Play now

Good to know

  • Mix of DFS with sports betting
  • Members Club rewards
  • Available in 27 states

4 payment methods

Visa
MasterCard
Discover
ACH Network
Play now
9
DraftKings sportsbook review
76/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 92% Playscore based on Bet $5 Get $150 in Bonus Bets + a daily No Sweat SGP
Play now

Good to know

  • Official NFL partners
  • Great football betting options
  • User-friendly bet builder

11 payment methods

Bank Transfer
Visa
MasterCard
Discover
PayPal
Play+
Cash at Casino Cage
Wire Transfer
VIP Preferred
e-Check
Check
Play now
10
betsafe-logo
Betsafe sportsbook review
75/100 Expert rating by Melanie H. 78% Playscore based on Second Chance Bet up to $500
Play now

Good to know

  • Unique sports to bet on
  • Wide range of payment methods
  • Great app design

10 payment methods

Visa
MasterCard
Discover
American Express
PayPal
Bank Transfer
Skrill
ACH Network
PayNearMe
paysafecard
Play now

Colorado online gambling is still in the early stages – it was only a short time ago that the first sportsbooks received state licenses. 

As such, not all forms of CO gambling are permitted yet. Licensed sportsbooks are legal to operate in Colorado, while only those physically located in the state are allowed to make real-money wagers.
On the contrary, online casino and online poker operators find themselves out in the cold, as internet gambling is not permitted on CO online gambling sites.

If you want the best online gambling site experience in Colorado you can play online casino games for amusement or prizes at a number of “social casinos” also known as sweepstakes casinos.

All Colorado operators must include self-help resources, and you can call 1-800-GAMBLER if you feel you need help.

VerticalLegal age (offline)Legal age (online)Online since
Casinos21N/AN/A
Social casinosN/A18N/A
Sportsbook21212020
PokerN/AN/AN/A
Lottery18181982
Daily fantasy sports18182016
Bingo18N/A1958

Sports betting in Colorado

Colorado is the 19th state to legalize online sports betting in the US. The barrier for entry is fairly low, which means dozens of operators have entered the market since 2020. The same goes for DFS, which was legalized back in 2016. 

The Colorado online gambling scene offers players a couple of choices: retail sports betting and online sports betting, while several apps are available on mobile. Markets include local and international sporting events, while popular national leagues NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLS are readily available across all Colorado sportsbooks. 

Want to bet on college sports? You’re in luck: it’s one of the states where college sports betting is accepted. You can also bet on mixed martial arts, motorsports, tennis, snooker, rugby, golf, etc. Conversely, both esports and high school sports betting is illegal. CO gambling sites where sports betting is permitted typically have welcome bonuses and promotions available for new and existing customers. The former often consist of free bets on your first deposit.

  • Top operators represented
  • Bet on college sports
  • More major sportsbooks available
Three Time2players holding up a laptop with a Colorado state flag and various betting-related graphics

Online casinos in Colorado aren’t legal — check out social casinos

When it comes to casinos and online gambling real money Colorado players are currently limited to sweepstakes casinos. Also known as ‘social casinos’ — on these sites you play casino games for cash prizes. How does it work? You need to purchase virtual currencies to play. Generally, the sweepstakes casino will offer a bonus for extra sweepstakes cash or credits.

Sweepstakes casinos have an array of games to play. These are similar to traditional online casinos and include online slots, video poker, blackjack, roulette, bingo, and keno to name a few.

At the same time, you can exchange sweepstakes cash for real money if you win. Some popular sweepstakes casinos in Colorado include Chumba Casino, Luckyland Slots, Funzpoints, and Hard Rock Social Casino.

  • Sweepstakes casinos permitted
  • No legal online casinos
Casino Logo Odds rating Bonus Go to casino Button Show more T&C
1
WOW Vegas casino review
94/100 Expert rating by Anna M. 92% Playscore based on 1.5 million WOW Coins + 30 free Sweepstakes Coins
Play now

Good to know

  • Daily log-in bonus
  • 756 slots to play
  • Regular promotions

8 payment methods

American Express
Apple Pay
MasterCard
Skrill
Visa
Trustly
Discover
Diners Club
Play now
2
Sweepsteaks Ltd
Stake.us casino review
88/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 96% Playscore based on 250,000 Gold Coins and $25 Stake Cash
Play now

Good to know

  • Exclusive Time2play bonus
  • VIP rewards program
  • Giveaways and challenges

11 payment methods

Bitcoin
Binance Coin
Bitcoin Cash
Cryptocurrency
Dogecoin
EOS
Ethereum
Litecoin
Tether
Ripple
Tron
Play now
3
Pulsz casino review
87/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 84% Playscore based on Up to 367,000 Gold Coins + 32.3 free Sweepstakes Coins
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Good to know

  • Social media and VIP rewards
  • Regular tournaments and contests
  • 700+ games

8 payment methods

Visa
Skrill
MasterCard
American Express
Bank Transfer
Apple Pay
Trustly
Google Pay
Play now
4
Sweeptastic logo
Sweeptastic casino review
84/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 89% Playscore based on 27,777 Lucky Coins + 2 Sweeps Coins
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Good to know

  • 690 games
  • Crypto Mondays
  • Regular promos

5 payment methods

MasterCard
Bank Transfer
Cryptocurrency
Diners Club
Visa
Play now
5
BetRivers Casino4fun review
80/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 86% Playscore based on Daily Free Spins and Credit Bonus
Play now

Good to know

  • Live casino games available
  • Credits every four hours
  • Free bingo games

5 payment methods

PayPal
MasterCard
Visa
American Express
Discover
Play now
6
gambino slots logo
Gambino Slots casino review
79/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 85% Playscore based on 200 free spins + 25,000 free credits
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Good to know

  • Available in 47 states
  • Massive promo selection
  • Exclusive games

3 payment methods

MasterCard
Visa
PayPal
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7
fortune coins logo
Fortune Coins casino review
79/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 92% Playscore based on Up to 380,000 Gold Coins and 1,400 Fortune Coins
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Good to know

  • Daily bonuses
  • Regular social media contests
  • Unique Fish Games

5 payment methods

Bank Transfer
e-Check
MasterCard
Visa
Skrill
Play now
8
High 5 casino logo 2
High 5 Casino review
79/100 Expert rating by Paul P. 79% Playscore based on 250 Gold Coins + 5 Sweeps Coins and 600 Diamonds
Play now

Good to know

  • Daily log-in bonus
  • Exclusive games
  • Regular promos

6 payment methods

Visa
MasterCard
American Express
PayPal
Skrill
Trustly
Play now
9
NoLimitCity casino logo
NoLimitCoins casino review
78/100 Expert rating by Charlie S. 86% Playscore based on 1,050,000 Gold Coins + 3,999 Sweeps Coins
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Good to know

  • Reputable payment options
  • Ongoing promotions available
  • Clean design

5 payment methods

Visa
MasterCard
Discover
Trustly
Bank Transfer
Play now
10
funrize-social-casino-logo
Funrize casino review
77/100 Expert rating by Claire S. 79% Playscore based on Up to 775,000 free coins and 700 promotional entries
Play now

Good to know

  • Daily Funrize races
  • NetEnt games available
  • 24/7 live chat

5 payment methods

Visa
MasterCard
Discover
Bank Transfer
Trustly
Play now

Online poker — available at social casinos

Online poker for real money is not legal in Colorado at present. As with online casino games, you can play poker for amusement at sweepstakes (social casinos) such as Global Poker. Coloradans can register an account for free and play Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and Caribbean Poker and enter daily tournaments and sit-and-go games. 

It’s not clear if or when Colorado gambling laws will accommodate online poker games. The last effort to bring legal online poker to Colorado was back in 2013. Nothing has changed since then. 

  • Sweepstakes poker sites permitted
  • No legal online poker sites
Woman and man playing poker while sitting on casino chips with the Colorado state flag

Other forms of gambling in CO

The state permits other forms of Colorado online gambling outside of the three most popular verticals (sportsbook, casino, poker). One example is daily fantasy sports, which is similar to sports betting. But instead of being pitted against bookmakers, patrons compete against each other. Both platforms make it possible to profit from your sports acumen and are available at sites like FanDuel sportsbook.

Meanwhile, Coloradans can partake in charitable gaming activities across the state. The most popular of these is bingo, which is often used by non-profit organizations to raise funds. The state lottery is also well established with a variety of tickets available online and offline.

Finally, live and off-track horse racing is legal in Colorado. Arapahoe Park is currently the lone live horse-racing track in the state. Pari-mutuel betting is permitted at over 10 licensed retail venues and online betting sites.

colorado-state-lottery-balls

Colorado lottery

Another form of legal Colorado online gambling is the state lottery, where games like Powerball, Mega Millions, and scratch cards are the most popular. Tickets are sold online and at retail stores. Since its inception, the Colorado lottery has given over $3 billion to projects all over the state.
colorado-bingo-numbers

Bingo

Thanks to Colorado’s charitable gaming laws — bingo and raffles are available throughout the state. It’s still very much an offline industry as online bingo is still not legal in the state.In most major cities in the state, you’ll find established bingo halls and bingo nights where you can try your luck at getting those winning numbers.
horse-racing-betting

Horse racing

Horse racing has a long tradition in the state that stretches back to the 1950s when pari-mutuel betting was first legalized. Today both live and off-track racing (OTB) is available for bettors within the state.
daily-fantasy-sports-betting

Daily fantasy sports

Daily Fantasy sports have been legal since 2016 — you can play online gambling real money Colorado in tournaments and head-to-head matches. All the major sports like NBA and NFL are covered, you get to pick your team (with the caveat that you have a salary cap on how much you can spend on your roster of players).

Offline gambling in CO

Black Hawk, Central City, Cripple Creek, and Ignacio are home to some 40 casinos – making these towns the Vegas of the Rockies. In early 2021, Colorado residents voted to have limits at casinos removed. Over 59% were in favor of the amendment. But these won’t disappear entirely – instead, casinos will adopt limits of $500 to $1,000 per wager.

Some casinos operate 24-hours per day and collectively boast some 12,000 penny slot and video poker machines as well as popular table games like blackjack, roulette, and poker. You need to be 21 years or older to play at Colorado casinos, where free drinks are served to customers. 

Have Colorado online casinos affected online gambling in the state? Yes, especially since sports betting was legalized in 2019. Since then, a number of retail casinos have opened sports betting platforms, thereby giving customers outside of Black Hawk, Central City, Cripple Creek, and Ignacio the opportunity to bet from anywhere in the state.

RetailLaunch dateOnline casinoOnline sportsOnline poker
Ameristar, Black HawkDecember 20, 2001NoNoNo
Sky Ute, IgnacioNovember, 2008NoNoYes
Red Dolly, Black HawkMay 18, 1992NoNoYes
Wildwood, Cripple CreekJune, 2021NoNoYes
Monarch, Black HawkApril 1991NoNoYes
Black Hawk Station, Black HawkDecember, 2001NoNoNo

How we rate online gambling sites in Colorado

Finding legal CO gambling sites is easy – because operators need to be licensed and regulated by the Colorado Division of Gaming to accept online gambling real money Colorado.


The department keeps a database of legal operators which currently includes 22 operators. If a particular gambling site is not listed, you best know it has no license in the state.


We use a list of criteria to rate each operator and award points for the categories listed below. This makes it easier to compare sites.

State license

All gambling operators need to register with the Colorado Division of Gaming to obtain a state license. CO online gambling sites must be licensed and regulated by the CDG, if they aren’t, they’re not permitted to accept online gambling real money Colorado. At the same time, we look for state licenses to ensure that each operator is regulated and safe.

Products

The type of gambling products available will depend on your state of residence. In this state, only online sports betting is legal, while no wagers at Colorado online casinos and sportsbooks are permitted. Fliff social betting app has found a way around this where you can use Fliff Coins or Fliff Cash to wager on the NBA’s Denver Nuggets. We rate sportsbooks based on the variety of betting markets, betting limits, and odds pricing. Commonly, sports betting operators will have some 40+ types of sports to bet on, while betting limits range from $.50 upwards – there’s no upper limit. The odds pricing varies from operator to operator. We review these by looking at the lines for each sportsbook.

Live gambling

Sportsbooks in CO offer live betting on both local and international sports, called in-play betting. Betting is accepted throughout an event or game. We typically look out for functions such as “update current odds” to ensure that our patrons receive up-to-date betting information.

Gambling apps

Gambling apps are popular in the US and Colorado is no different. We rate the apps based on their performance vs. the desktop platform while checking whether all betting markets are catered for. Sports betting apps will habitually come with 100% of the same betting markets compared to the main website.

Platform

Critically to our rating is the overall user experience. Aside from checking if the navigational tools are user-friendly, we rate operators based on whether they have security measures in place for player protection, easy access to payout policies and payment methods, quality customer support, and clear-cut rules.

How safe is gambling in CO?

Gambling in Colorado is safe when you play at licensed and regulated operators.

The Colorado Division of Gaming (CDG) is the state authority for regulated gambling in Colorado. As such, they regularly conduct compliance and revenue audits to ensure gambling sites are safe.

Colorado gambling operators need to adhere to some pretty strict rules, too. Not permitting customers under the age of 18 is just one of them, but more importantly, operators need to protect players at all times.

That means operators need to demonstrate their commitment to safety by giving you the necessary tools to gamble responsibly. We discuss these below. Naturally, some operators are more responsible than others – which is why we rate sites for safety in our reviews.

Keep an eye out for these symbols at safe sites:

  • Colorado Department of Revenue logo
    Colorado Department of Revenue
  • colorado gaming-association logo
    Colorado Gaming Association
  • NCPG
    NCPG

Colorado gambling laws: a brief history

The history of gambling in Colorado can be traced back to the Old West – when gambling halls popped up in frontier towns and mining districts throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries. It’s no surprise then that three former mining towns are central to Colorado’s gambling landscape: Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek.

Much has happened since the first gambling halls were founded. Colorado’s sports betting industry reported over $1 billion in wagers during the periods May-December 2020 alone. We look at some of the highlights of Colorado’s gambling history below.

gambling-on-horse-racing-in-colorado
1947

Horse and greyhound racing introduced

The Colorado General Assembly approves HB 439 to bring pari-mutuel horse and greyhound racing to the state. A few months later, the Colorado Racing Commission was created.

charitable-gaming-laws-colorado
1958

Charitable gambling legalized

Colorado lawmakers changed the constitution to accommodate Measure 4, thereby legalizing charitable gambling, including bingo, pull-tabs, and raffles for the purpose of fundraising.

colorado-lottery-legalized
1982

Colorado Lottery created

Colorado General Assembly creates the Colorado Lottery. The first scratch card was sold a year later.

limited-gaming-introduced-to-colorado
1990

Limited gaming act passes

Lawmakers pass the Colorado Limited Gaming Act by a vote of 57-42. The enterprise legalized gambling in the towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek.

daily-fantasy-sports-legalized-colorado
2016

Daily fantasy sports arrives in Colorado

Colorado becomes the 5th state to legalize daily fantasy sports.

sports-betting-legalized-colorado
2019

Sports betting legalized in the state

Colorado legalizes sports betting, paving the way for retail and online sportsbooks to apply for licenses to operate in the state.

Latest CO gambling updates — record-breaking sports betting revenue 

The Colorado gambling scene is constantly changing, here we’ll keep a list of the latest gambling-related updates to hit the state. 

  • Colorado sports fans break records with $500 million+ in bets in Jan 2022
  • FanDuel introduces “play well” initiative to coincide with Problem Gambling Awareness Month
  • Bet365 gets approval to open online sportsbook in Colorado

FAQs

Can 18 year olds gamble in Colorado?

Yes. You must be 18 or older to play the state lottery and bet on daily fantasy sports and horse racing. To play at retail casinos, you need to be 21 or older. A full breakdown can be found in the legal gambling section.

Can you gamble online in Colorado?

Yes, but only at licensed and regulated sportsbooks. State law prohibits Colorado online casinos and poker sites. There are currently 22 online sportsbooks and apps available. You can check out the sports betting in Colorado section for more information on licensed and regulated operators.

What is social gambling in Colorado?

Social gambling in Colorado is where a ‘bona fide’ social relationship exists between two or more people gambling. This shouldn’t be confused with social casinos, also known as sweepstakes casinos, which are legal in the state.

When did online gambling become legal in Colorado?

Colorado legalized online sports betting in May 2020. There are already dozens of sportsbooks with websites and apps available where you can wager on local and international markets. For more information, visit the what’s legal section.

What gambling sites are legal in Colorado?

Colorado has several legal online sportsbooks like BetMGM sportsbook and FanDual sportsbook. Only players who reside in the state are allowed to participate in online gambling real money Colorado. You can check out the legal gambling sites in CO for more information on recommended operators.

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