Find Your Favourite Colorado Casinos and Resorts 2026

Colorado draws a clear line between two types of casino destination. The commercial casinos are concentrated in three historic mountain towns, Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, where gambling was legalised in 1991 specifically to revive communities that had been in decline since the Gold Rush era. Outside these three towns, the only other casinos in the state are Sky Ute Casino Resort and Ute Mountain Casino Hotel, both operated by sovereign Native American tribes in the far southwest near the Four Corners region.

All Colorado casinos offer the full range of games including slots, blackjack, craps, roulette and poker, with no maximum bet limit. Sports betting is available both at retail locations within licensed casinos and online statewide through licensed operators.

Black Hawk and Central City

Black Hawk and Central City sit just one mile apart in a narrow mountain canyon 40 miles west of Denver, and together form Colorado's most developed casino destination. Black Hawk is the larger and more resort-oriented of the two, with several major hotel-casino complexes lining Main Street. Central City retains a stronger historic character, with casinos housed in Victorian-era brick buildings and the landmark Central City Opera House at its heart.

Black Hawk

• Ameristar Casino Resort Spa: The largest casino in Colorado, owned by Penn Entertainment. 940 slots, 40 table games and 22 poker tables across two gaming floors, with a 536-room AAA Four Diamond hotel, full-service Ara Spa, rooftop pool and five restaurants. A sportsbook operates on site. The most comprehensive resort experience in the state.
• Monarch Casino Resort Spa: A $400 million transformation completed in 2022 produced one of the most impressive casino resorts between Las Vegas and Chicago. Over 1,000 slots, 37 table games, a poker room and a sportsbook, alongside a 516-room hotel in a 23-story tower, rooftop infinity pool, full-service spa and five restaurants including the award-winning Monarch Chophouse. Ranked among the top five casinos outside Las Vegas by Newsweek in 2025.
• Horseshoe Black Hawk: Operated by Caesars Entertainment, with around 1,100 slots, table games and a hotel. Part of the Caesars Rewards network, making it a natural stop for loyalty programme members visiting the area.
• Bally's Black Hawk: Three properties operating under the Bally's banner on Main Street, rebranded in 2022. Slots, table games and a FanDuel Sportsbook retail location across the combined footprint.
• The Lodge Casino at Black Hawk: A longstanding local favourite with 975 slots, 17 table games, a 50-room hotel and the SuperBook retail sportsbook.
• Lady Luck Casino Black Hawk: Operated by Caesars Entertainment, with slots, table games and hotel accommodation. Another option for Caesars Rewards members visiting the area.
• The Gilpin Casino: An independently operated property with 400 slots, 15 poker tables and 7 table games. A solid choice for poker players looking for action away from the larger resort floors.

A number of smaller independent gaming venues also operate along Main Street, including the Saratoga Casino, Bull Durham Saloon and Casino and the Canyon Casino.

Central City

• Century Casino and Hotel: One of Central City's largest properties, operated by Century Casinos. Slots, table games, a non-smoking hotel and an on-site restaurant. Sister property to Century Casino Cripple Creek.
• Grand Z Casino Hotel: A Red Lion-branded hotel and casino with slots, table games and comfortable accommodation in the heart of the historic district.
• Dostal Alley Casino and Microbrewery: One of the more characterful venues in the Colorado casino landscape, combining a working microbrewery with slots and table games in a historic building.
• Famous Bonanza and Easy Street: A combined gaming operation offering slots and table games across two connected historic properties.
• Johnny Z's Casino: A smaller independent venue with slots and table games on the main strip.
• Harvey's Wagon Wheel: A historic property offering slots and table games in one of Central City's most recognisable buildings.

Cripple Creek

Cripple Creek sits at 9,494 feet above sea level on the southwestern slopes of Pikes Peak, roughly an hour from Colorado Springs. It is the most authentically preserved of Colorado's three casino towns, with much of its 19th century architecture intact. The town has historically offered a more relaxed, regional feel than Black Hawk, though the opening of the Chamonix Casino Hotel in December 2023 marked a significant step toward resort-scale development.

• Chamonix Casino Hotel and Bronco Billy's Casino: The most significant development in Cripple Creek's recent history. Full House Resorts invested around $250 million to build the Chamonix, a 300-room four-star resort attached to the existing Bronco Billy's Casino, which opened December 2023. The Chamonix features a rooftop pool, spa, 5,000 square foot ballroom and multiple dining venues. Bronco Billy's has 830-plus slots and 13 table games, and has been voted Best Casino in Cripple Creek by the Colorado Springs Gazette for 14 consecutive years.
• Golden Nugget Cripple Creek: The largest single casino in Cripple Creek by gaming floor, formerly the Wildwood Casino, acquired by Fertitta Entertainment and currently being converted to the Golden Nugget brand. 557 slots, table games and a 101-room hotel. A Saltgrass Steakhouse is among the additions being introduced as part of the rebrand.
• Double Eagle Hotel and Casino: One of Cripple Creek's longest-established major properties, with 700-plus slots, live table games including Double Deck Pitch Blackjack and Roulette, and 158 hotel rooms.
• Century Casino Cripple Creek: Operated by Century Casinos, with slots, electronic table games and a non-smoking hotel. Sister property to the Central City location.
• Midnight Rose Hotel and Casino: A Victorian-era property operated by Triple Crown Casinos, with slots, table games and hotel accommodation. Home to a BetMGM retail sportsbook.
• Brass Ass Casino: Cripple Creek's oldest casino, housed in two of the town's original historic buildings. Slots and table games in an atmosphere that has changed little since the town's gaming revival began in 1991.
• Colorado Grande Casino: Set in the historic Fairley-Lampman building constructed in 1896, with around 200 slots and a locally popular restaurant serving breakfast, lunch and dinner.

A number of smaller independent gaming venues also operate along Bennett Avenue, including Johnny Nolon's Casino and Christmas Casino and Inn.

Tribal Casinos

Colorado's two tribal casinos are located far from the mountain casino towns, serving the Four Corners region of the state's far southwest.

• Sky Ute Casino Resort, Ignacio: Owned and operated by the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, around 35 miles from Durango. A 45,000 square foot casino floor with around 600 slots, table games including blackjack, craps and roulette, a sportsbook and the Seven Rivers Bingo Hall. The 140-room hotel includes culturally themed suites, a full-service spa, indoor pool with lazy river, 24-lane bowling alley and three restaurants. An RV park is available on site.
• Ute Mountain Casino Hotel, Towaoc: Owned and operated by the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe near Cortez, the first tribal casino to open in Colorado in 1992. Slots, table games and hotel accommodation near Mesa Verde National Park and the Four Corners Monument. The property includes a pottery factory and access to the Ute Mountain Tribal Park.

Black Hawk and Central City Casino Comparison (2026)

Cripple Creek Casino Comparison (2026)

Tribal Casino Comparison (2026)

Colorado takes an unusual approach to casino gambling. Commercial casinos are permitted only in three specific towns, Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, all former gold-mining communities in the Rocky Mountains. Outside these three towns, the only other casinos in the state are the two tribal properties in the far southwest. This means that wherever you are in Colorado, your nearest casino is likely one of these five destinations, and planning your visit around which town suits you best is the first decision to make.

Getting There

The mountain roads to all three casino towns are scenic but demand respect, particularly in winter. Clear Creek Canyon on US-6 into Black Hawk is winding and narrow, and Highway 67 to Cripple Creek climbs through mountain terrain. Check road conditions via Colorado Department of Transportation before travelling between November and April. All three towns offer free parking, with garages at the larger properties.

Arrival and Entry

Casino operators require guests to be 21 or older to access the gaming floor. Bring valid photo ID. All Colorado casinos are open 24 hours. Complimentary alcoholic beverages are permitted on casino floors, which distinguishes Colorado from some other states.

Slot Machines

Colorado removed its maximum bet limit in May 2021, meaning slot denominations now range from penny machines up to high-limit options with no ceiling. Ameristar and Monarch in Black Hawk offer the largest slot floors in the state, while Cripple Creek's properties tend toward a more relaxed, mid-stakes environment. All machines operate on a ticket-in, ticket-out system.

Table Games

The full range of table games is available across all three towns, including blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat alongside poker variants. Colorado removed the $100 maximum bet cap in 2021, so high-limit table action is now genuinely available at the major resort properties. Monarch and Ameristar both operate dedicated high-limit areas.

Poker Rooms

Dedicated poker rooms operate at Ameristar, Monarch and The Gilpin in Black Hawk. Cripple Creek has historically had a smaller poker offering. If poker is your primary reason for visiting, Black Hawk is your destination.

Sports Betting

Several Colorado casinos operate named retail sportsbooks on site, including the SuperBook at The Lodge, FanDuel at Bally's and BetMGM at Midnight Rose. Colorado also permits statewide online and mobile sports betting, so you can wager from anywhere within state lines using any of the 13-plus licensed operators. The 10% tax on sports betting revenue goes to Colorado's Water Plan, one of the more distinctive uses of gambling revenue in the country.

Taking a Break

All three casino towns reward time spent away from the gaming floor. Black Hawk and Central City are designated National Historic Districts, and the 100-year-old storefronts along their main streets are worth exploring on foot. The Central City Opera House, which has been running performances since 1878, hosts a summer opera season that is genuinely world class. Cripple Creek offers mine tours, a narrow gauge railroad down to the neighbouring town of Victor, and hiking trails through terrain that still bears the marks of the Gold Rush. The drive back to Denver through Clear Creek Canyon is one of the most beautiful stretches of road in Colorado.

Staying Over

Black Hawk has the strongest hotel offering, with Ameristar's 536-room AAA Four Diamond property and Monarch's 516-room tower representing genuine resort-quality accommodation. Cripple Creek's Chamonix Hotel brought the town its first four-star property when it opened in December 2023, with 300 rooms and a rooftop pool. For visitors using a Colorado casino trip as a base for wider exploration, all three towns place you within easy reach of Rocky Mountain National Park, Pikes Peak and some of the best skiing in North America.

Colorado takes responsible gaming seriously, and the infrastructure to support players who need help is genuinely well developed. The state operates a centralised self-exclusion programme through the Colorado Division of Gaming, which covers all licensed casinos and sports betting operators in a single application. You can choose to exclude yourself for one, three or five years, and the exclusion applies to both casino gaming and sports betting, in-person and online. Applications are available at betsmart.colorado.gov/self-exclusion.

If gambling stops being enjoyable, free and confidential support is available around the clock. Call or text 1-800-GAMBLER at any time to speak with a trained counsellor. The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado also offers local support and can be found at cogamblerhelp.org.

Set a budget before you arrive, treat it as your entertainment spend for the trip, and take breaks. Colorado's mountain towns make stepping away from the floor easy and genuinely rewarding.

Legal Disclaimer

The information on this page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Commercial casinos in Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek operate under the jurisdiction of the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission and the Colorado Division of Gaming. For authoritative regulatory information, visit sbg.colorado.gov. The two tribal casinos operate under federal Indian gaming law and the sovereign jurisdiction of their respective tribes.

Casino operators set their own entry requirements including minimum age policies. For tax guidance on gambling winnings, consult a qualified tax professional and refer to irs.gov. Colorado taxes gambling winnings as personal income, and federal reporting requirements may also apply.

Property details, game availability and hours are subject to change and should be verified directly with individual casinos before your visit. Information on this page is based on publicly available sources and was accurate to the best of our knowledge at time of publication.