Born in 1975 in a town in the midwest, Edward is a seasoned veteran in the world of gambling writing. Getting a taste for the scene by getting involved in local poker tournaments, he soon turned his passion into a job by securing a role writing about gaming on a freelance basis. After building up his portfolio, he joined us in 2013 and has since progressed to become our all-knowing editor-in-chief for anything poker or casinos.
The real issue isnât finding decent Colorado online gambling sites, but finding the best among many excellent options. Itâs the kind of problem we like, and a testament to just how far the state has come in a short time.
And of course, because Coloradoâs legal situation â as we have seen in many other states â has seismically changed so quickly, it has left some people unsure of how best to bet securely and legally. Here, weâll be covering everything you need to know, so you can bet with confidence and excellence in Colorado.
And what do we mean by excellence in online gambling Colorado? These two questions are very much intertwined. Here, weâll be answering âcan I gamble online in Colorado?â â so this article is suitable for people looking to get their foundational information for betting in their home state. Weâll also be helping those who want to take things a step further.
If youâre not content with getting a decent online betting experience, and want to find the top Colorado sportsbooks for how you and your individual preferences, well, it sounds like weâre on the same page. Weâre not content with mediocrity either. That’s why beyond giving you the important legal information, we also want to ensure no one leaves our site without having all the tools they need to find an exceptional online betting experience.
Weâre going to start a little bit backwards here because we know so many of you are interested in the answer to the question âcan I gamble online in Colorado?â The answer for sports betting is yes. In 2019, voters approved a change with proposition DD, effectively making betting on sports legal across the board. Things didnât take too long to get going, as online sports launched in May 2020. This also includes legal fantasy sports, although the law there was actually changed in 2016.
However, the question is âcan I gamble online in Colorado?â, not can I gamble on sports online in Colorado. So, that still leaves us with the legality of casinos.
Unfortunately, at the time of writing, thereâs no legal cash online casino betting, nor online poker in the state. In fact, an attempt to get poker legalised in 2013 was quashed before it even got to a vote. However, there are a couple of caveats relevant to online gambling in Colorado. Despite a long history of land-based casinos, the only candidates for best online casino in Colorado would be those not available to play for cash, known as social casinos.
Thatâs the stuff thatâs really relevant for you to know if youâre interested in betting online in Colorado. However, the history of gambling goes much further than that.
A brief history of betting in Colorado
In terms of legal history, things really began to change in the late 40s with the authorisation of gambling on pari-mutuel horse and greyhound racing. Charitable gambling was also made legal in 1958. The lottery division was created in 1982, with tickets sold the following year.
In 1990, some gaming was legalised in specific mountain towns, such as Black Hawk and Cripple Creeks. Casinos were allowed to open the following year with a maximum bet of $5. At the turn of the millennium, the lottery was opened up to huge multi-state jackpots like the Mega Millions. In 2009, the gaming limits were upped massively to $100, and the likes of craps and roulette were offered.
The contrast between the refusal to embrace online casino gambling on the last point is rather startling, but remains a positive indicator for potential future changes. Still, we cannot venture a guess on future changes to Colorado online gambling. We can say though that looking at the legal history, itâs clear that what may appear to be a few big changes in a couple of years was actually a long time coming, with a slow but continuous change towards more legalisation over many decades.
Editorâs recommendation – the best sports betting operator for users in Colorado
Youâd be amazed by just how many great Colorado online gambling sites there already are, and we cannot wait to see what the future holds. Itâs pretty clear to us that if theyâve made so much progress with such a fantastic selection of betting operators already, that in a few years, theyâll have the capacity of standing toe-to-toe with even the more varied and versatile gambling markets. Of course, right now, this is only relevant to sports betting.
The question then is simple, if youâre gambling in Colorado online, who do we recommend? Well, itâs tricky because we all have different preferences and thereâs no singular objectively best betting site. With that in mind, weâve decided to go with the ever brilliant BetMGM. This is an operator thatâs continually in the conversation for best sportsbook odds, providing amazing variety and some of the most generous promotions weâve seen of any betting site anywhere. This includes risk free bets and a monster $1000 welcome bonus at the time of writing.
Perhaps what really swung it for us â because we were looking for what we think would appeal to the majority of our Colorado readers â is that they have a dedicated Colorado site. This means you know exactly what is available to you, with no confusion. BetMGM is perfect for newcomers, with plenty of depth to keep you there.
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Five tips for a secure and fair gambling experience in Colorado
Perhaps because it isnât necessarily the most exciting part of gambling Colorado, security concerns are often ignored by people looking for a new â or even their first â operator to place sports bets. However, thereâs nothing more important.
We, of course, conduct incredibly tough security checks during our review, comparison and analysis process. We always make sure thatâs our top priority when considering what kind of rating we give any site. This means if you want to use Gambling Guy as a way of ensuring that a bookmaker has a strong baseline of security, thatâs something weâre really proud to provide.
However, if youâre interested in looking into the security of a site yourself â or indeed, if you just want to get an idea of the kind of things we look for â here are five vital simple steps that you can take to ensure your online gambling in Colorado pick is safe and fair.
Look for license and encryption information
In terms of priorities, we really canât think of anything more vital than ensuring the site youâre using is legal and also that the information youâre inputting is secure. Luckily, checking for a license usually simply requires you to check the bottom part of a webpage, while encryption information can often be found in their general terms. If youâre unsure of either, you can always ask customer service to direct you to the relevant information. If they cannot, weâd say you have likely got your answer.
Find as much customer feedback as you can
Our diligent checks cannot provide the experience of thousands upon thousands of customers. Thatâs why, for the sake of both security and fairness, we always look up as much customer feedback as we can. Information on a siteâs general reputation is just a Google search away. If you check out the Android or Apple app store, for instance, you wonât just find U.S gambling apps, but a whole world of feedback for you to consider.
Check out the privacy policy
Most people only really pay attention to their data being kept safe from criminals, which we understand is a reasonable place to put your attention. However, thatâs not the only thing you should care about. What the operators themselves are doing with that information is also important.
You can find out all about this on the privacy policy on any good bookmaker. It should make it clear what their policy is with regards to how and where your information is shared. You can then make a decision for yourself if you think theyâre treating it in a reasonable way. You may also find encryption information here if itâs not in general terms.
Carefully read the promotional terms and conditions
We recommend this one even if youâre using our reviews to ensure youâre only checking out fair gambling sites. Of course, we very carefully look over all terms and conditions available to us. However, even our best efforts canât cover all promotional changes immediately, especially if they are sent directly to you. With that in mind, do read over any promotional terms and conditions for yourself to ensure you know exactly what you can expect, all the way from time limits to withdrawal requirements, plus plenty inbetween.
This is so important regardless of whether or not you personally need to utilise responsible gaming tools. That said, we would say some, such as deposit limits, are useful to everyone in terms of budgeting.
But, letâs say that you donât feel you require any responsible gaming help. You should still care about what steps your gambling Colorado operator provides because thereâs no greater indicator for how they treat their users. Of course, for the people who need such tools, help and guidance is there to ensure they bet safely.Â
What do we look for when evaluating operators for Colorado residents?
Thereâs so much that goes into our site evaluations. Weâve decided to break down key online gambling Colorado considerations, so you can see just how deep our reviews go to find you the best online gambling in Colorado:
Security: Things like banking options should be taken into account, as well as any historical site breaches.
Odds quality: Really simple, the better the odds, the more money you get back, and the better we rate them.
Variety: As Coloradoâs gambling laws unfortunately mean you canât access the best U.S. online casinos at the moment, our checks here will be strictly based on whatâs legal. Our policy is very much the more sports covered, the better â so long as the markets provide quality.
Design: We want our betting sites and apps to look good and be easy to use, while providing plenty of detail.
Mobile integration: Speaking of mobile, we take how good and broadly available the gambling in Colorado mobile options are closely into account.
Promotions: We love a good bonus. Here at Gambling Guy, weâre looking for generosity, creativity and of course, fair terms and conditions.
Live performance: Few things put a site to its test like live betting, especially if live streaming is involved, so we pay extra attention here.
Customer service: Theyâre the beating heart of any betting site. We always have a chat with the team (assuming thatâs possible) to see how quickly and effectively they respond to consumer issues.
Innovative features: Finally, we look for any unique selling point: a reason not only why a site is good, but why you should choose them over so many others. That, and how all of these elements come together to make a great betting experience.
When we talk about finding the best online gambling in Colorado, there are certain things that we can say are objectively better than others. If one site has a poor reputation and doesnât load properly, while another operates smoothly and has high customer satisfaction rates, well, the latter is obviously a better choice. However, thereâs a level towards the top end of bookmaker quality where it comes down to personal choice and preference.
If youâre struggling to figure out how best to approach choosing your favourite, hereâs five quick tips. Keep in mind that weâre assuming youâre going with a quality operator, so we wonât be asking things like whether they have a license:
Think about the kind of markets you like to bet on. From mainstream to obscure gambling Colorado, itâs better to have it and not want it, than need it and not have it.
What are your mobile betting needs?
What kind of promotions do you think youâd enjoy the most? Do they suit your style of play?
What banking option would you prefer to use?
Is there a kind of style or design you find most enjoyable for online betting sites?
Keep in mind too, you can sign up to as many betting sites as you like, meaning if one doesnât completely fulfil your criteria, you can simply sign up to more. This can have additional benefits too, like more odds variety and a greater selection of promotions.
Conclusion: An array of choice for gambling in Colorado
We hope youâve learned that even in these early days of Colorado online gambling legislation, you really can reach for the stars in terms of bookmaker quality. Our gambling in Colorado bookmaker recommendation is merely one of many great options out there. The final choice is down to you and how you like to bet. Our job is to provide a blueprint of information and a standard of quality, so you can focus on the good stuff: your favourite sports markets and enjoying the finest operators the state has to offer.
The legality surrounding online gambling in the U.S. can be rather confusing, especially as each state has its own set of rules and regulations. That means itâs understandable that some people are unsure whether or not it is legal for them to gamble online in Colorado. Thankfully, our handy guide is here to help. Weâll take you through everything you need to know to understand the legal situation in Colorado and find your ideal bookmaker.
đ”What type of gambling is legal in Colorado?
Even if online gambling is legal in a U.S. state, that doesnât mean every form of wagering is permitted. For example, one state may legalise sports betting online but may prohibit online casino games for real money. This can add further confusion, as everyone has their own individual preferences and style of play. Thatâs why weâre here to shed some light on the situation with our expert guide to gambling in Colorado.
đCan I bet safely and legally on Colorado gambling sites?
You should always prioritise your security when gambling online, no matter which operator or type of wagering you choose. Thereâs nothing more important to us than protecting your sensitive personal and financial information when betting online, which is why we only ever recommend operators who meet our highest expectations of security standards. If you want to learn more about how to stay sage and bet with peace of mind online, be sure to check out our guide.
