Colorado Casinos
Colorado casinos can be found in the mountain towns of Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek. There are also two Indian casinos (which abide by Colorado’s limited gaming rules) in Ignacio and Towaoc.
When casino gambling was initally introduced in 1991 it was limited in that only electronic games (including slots, video poker, video blackjack and video keno) and the table games of poker, blackjack, let it ride and three-card poker were allowed. Plus, a single wager could not exceed $5.
All that changed, however, on July 2, 2009 when the maximum bet was raised to $100, plus the games of craps and roulette were added to the mix. Additonally, the casinos were allowed to stay open for 24 hours, rather than having to be closed between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Here’s information, as supplied by Colorado’s Division of Gaming, showing the slot machine payback percentages for each city’s casinos for the one-year period from July 1, 2010 through June 30, 2011:
|
|
Black Hawk |
Central City |
Cripple Creek |
|
1¢ Slots |
90.12% |
91.32% |
91.75% |
|
5¢ Slots |
93.26% |
93.99% |
93.28% |
|
25¢ Slots |
93.84% |
94.14% |
95.35% |
|
$1 Slots |
94.54% |
95.73% |
95.07% |
|
$5 Slots |
95.22% |
94.30% |
95.31% |
|
All |
92.89% |
93.52% |
93.75% |
These numbers reflect the percentage of money returned on each denomination of machine and encompass all electronic machines including video poker and video keno. The best returns for each category are highlighted in bold print.
The minimum gambling age at all Colorado casinos is 21, including indian casinos.
The major gaming-oriented magazine in Colorado is The Gambler. It is free, and available in most casinos. Look in it for ads for casino coupons or fun books. The Denver Post Weekend section (published every Friday) also contains coupons and fun book offers for the casinos in Black Hawk and Central City.
For information on visiting Black Hawk or Central City, call (877) 282-8804, or visit their web site at: www.visitbhcc.com. For Cripple Creek information call (877) 858-GOLD.
For general information on Colorado contact the state’s tourism board at (800) 433-2656 or www.colorado.com.
Black Hawk
The Lodge at Black Hawk, Colorado Central Station and the Isle of Capri are the only casinos with hotel rooms. The next closest lodging is at Fortune Valley Casino, 3/4-mile up Gregory St. in Central City (see Central City listings for particulars). Another alternative is the Gold Dust Lodge, located on Hwy. 119 about 1.5 miles from the Black Hawk casinos. The Gold Dust features 23 rooms with private baths.
The casinos in Black Hawk and Central City are located one mile apart. The Black Hawk Shuttle Service provides free transportation throughout Black Hawk and Central City.
There are a few bus tour programs operating between the metropolitan Denver area and Black Hawk/Central City. These programs are priced around $15 and usually affiliated with a few casinos that will reimburse a portion of the transportation charge. Check the “Weekend” section of the Friday Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News for bus tour ads.
All casinos offer electronic games (slots, video poker, video blackjack and video keno). Some casinos also offer: blackjack (BJ), poker (P), let it ride (LIR) and three card poker (TCP).
Central City
Cripple Creek has several hotel/casinos the largest of which is the Double Eagle Hotel & Casino. There is also a 67-room motel, Gold King Mountain Inn, located 1/8-mile from the casinos with free shuttle service. For room reservations, call (800) 445-3607.Many Cripple Creek casinos hand out coupons and Fun Books at their doors. Also check the ads in the Colorado Springs Gazette, the Pueblo Chieftain and the free tourist magazines. For Cripple Creek tourism information call (877) 858-GOLD or go to www.visitcripplecreek.com
All casinos offer electronic games (slots, video poker, video blackjack and video keno). Some casinos also offer: blackjack (BJ), poker (P), let it ride (LIR) and three card poker (TCP).
Shown below is a list of all Colorado casinos. Click on a name to see a page of detailed information about that particular casino.
- Ameristar Black Hawk
- Big Jim's
- Black Hawk Station
- Brass Ass Casino
- Bronco Billys Casino
- Bull Durham Saloon & Casino
- Bullwhackers Casino
- Canyon Casino
- Century Casino & Hotel
- Century Casino Cripple Creek
- Colorado Central Station Casino
- Colorado Grande Casino
- Doc Holliday Casino
- Dostal Alley Saloon & Gaming Emporium
- Double Eagle Hotel & Casino
- Famous Bonanza-Easy Street
- Fitzgeralds Casino
- Fortune Valley Hotel & Casino
- Gilpin Hotel Casino
- Gold Rush Hotel & Casino
- Golden Gates Casino
- Golden Mardi Gras Casino
- Imperial Casino Hotel
- J.P. McGills Hotel & Casino
- Johnny Nolons Casino
- Johnny Z's Casino
- Lady Luck Casino
- Lodge Casino at Black Hawk, The
- Midnight Rose Hotel & Casino
- Red Dolly Casino
- Riviera Black Hawk Casino
- Sasquatch Casino
- Silver Hawk
- Sky Ute Casino Resort
- The Isle Casino Hotel - Black Hawk
- Uncle Sams Casino
- Ute Mountain Casino & RV Park
- Wild Card Saloon & Casino
- Wild Horse Casino
- Wildwood Casino At Cripple Creek
- Womacks-Legends Hotel & Casino
