Nearly 25 years ago, as the once bustling mining towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek (remember that old song by the Band?) fell to nearly ghost town status, the Colorado legislature passed an open, but restricted gambling bill. It allowed many tiny bars a chance to add a few slot machines and a blackjack table, all with a tiny $5 maximum bet. Poker tables were already dotted across the state, in legal-limbo, but now they too were legal.

Today, the casinos of Colorado have a much larger tax base for the state to draw from, mostly due to the huge increase in slot machines (there are now 40 casinos in the state) and an increase of the maximum betting limit to $100. Although Let-it-Ride and Three-Card-Poker were allowed early on, craps and roulette were not added to the gaming mix until 2009.

Colorado Casino Facts

Players must be at least 21 years of age to gamble in Colorado casinos, and casinos may now be open 24 hours a day. Smoking is not allowed, but most casinos have plenty of doors to the outside world so smokers can fill their lungs with cool, fresh mountain air – and cigarette smoke. According to the Colorado Division of Gaming, slot machines in the state have a return rate of about 93 percent, which is pretty good these days.

Black Hawk

The town of Black Hawk is the least populous in Colorado, but has the most casinos in the state. Travelers from Denver can reach the town first, before nearby Central City, so Black Hawk has held an advantage in tourism for the past twenty years.

Founded in 1859 during the Pike's Peak Gold Rush, the town was much like Virginia City, Nevada, another gold rush town, where saloons and gambling came, and went, but Black Hawk has now been reborn, with upgraded and rebuilt historic buildings, but the largest building in town is the Ameristar Resort hotel tower, standing at 33 stories.

Casinos offer standard slot and video machines, video Keno, poker rooms, blackjack, craps, roulette, Let-it-Ride, Three-Card-Poker, and bars, restaurants, and lodging. Storms during the winter can close the roads, and highway 119 may be slow going at many times. Casinos in the town include:

1. Ameristar casino
2. Black Hawk Station
3. Bull Durham Saloon
4. Bullwhackers
5. Black Hawk Canyon
6. Golden Gates
7. Golden Gulch
8. Golden Mardi Gras
9. Grand Plateau
10. Isle Casino
11. Lady Luck
12. Monarch
13. Red Dolly
14. Saratoga
15. Sasquatch
16. The Gilpin
17. The Lodge
18. Wild Card Saloon

Central City

Like Black Hawk, Central City boomed as gold veins were found in the 1800’s, and the tiny 1.9 square mile town once held more than 10,000 miners when it was known as the "Richest Square Mile on Earth."  Today, the population is closer to 500, but still boasts many casinos which contribute heavily to the state in gaming taxes.  Travelers can take highway 6 or 70 from Denver and be in Central City in less than two hours, baring winter storms, and using a four-lane, 8.4-mile (13.5 km) parkway from Interstate 70.

Casinos as similar to those in Black Hawk, but building restrictions aimed at keeping at least some of the original feel of the town have keep the buildings smaller than in the sister city. Central City has the distinction of offering the best payout nickel slots in Colorado, at over 94 percent. Casinos in the area include:

1. Century casino
2. Crystal Palace
3. Dostal Alley Brewpub
4. Easy Street
5. Famous Bonanza
6. Johnny Z's
7. Reserve

Cripple Creek

The historic town of Cripple Creek is south of Denver, closer to Colorado Springs on highway 25 than Black Hawk and Central City in a much more secluded area.  The drive takes about an hour from Colorado Springs, making a hairpin turn at Woodland Park. The casinos offer the best overall slot machine payback in the state at 93.6 percent.

1. Big Jim's Gambling Hall
2. Brass Ass
3. Bronco Billy's
4. Buffalo Billys
5. Century
6. Cripple Creek
7. Colorado Grand
8. Double Eagle
9. Gold Creek
10. J.P. McGills
11. Johnny nolon's
12. Midnight Rose
13. Wildwood

Ignacio

The Sky Ute casino is located at 14324 Highway 172 North, Ignacio, Colorado 81137-0340 (888-842-4180) The property includes a 148-room hotel, several bars and restaurants, and a bingo parlor. Inside the casino are 650 slot machines of all denominations from penny to $5, and 15 table games. The pit games also include 7 poker tables. The main game in the poker room is $2-$10 Texas Hold’em, but $2-$100 is also spread, as is Omaha.

Towaoc

The Ute Mountain casino is located at 3 Weeminuche Drive, Towaoc, Colorado 81334-9999 (800-258-8007). The hotel has 90-rooms and there is an adjacent RV Park.  The property has a 24-hour restaurant, as well as a gift shop, fitness center, sauna and swimming pool.

There is a 400-seat bingo room and Keno is also available. The casino has 15 table games, including Three-Card-Poker, craps, roulette, blackjack, and four poker tables.