State of Play in Colorado
Sports Betting in Colorado
Sports betting launched in Colorado in May 2020. The state’s sports betting bill allows both online and retail sports wagering.
More than 98% of Colorado’s betting handle comes through mobile apps, which allow remote betting from anywhere in the state. Online casinos and poker aren’t yet legal in Colorado, leaving sports betting and daily fantasy sports as the only legal mobile gambling options.
Verified Reviews
Scott Rosenthal (Denver, CO)
Sportsbooks in Colorado
Q&A
- How old do you have to be to bet online in Colorado? The legal gambling age in Colorado is 21, and that includes all forms of online gambling. The age to play in the Colorado lottery is just 18 years of age, but it is older for the new online gambling options.
- Can I bet on college sports in Colorado? Betting on college sports is a decision that can be made by each state, and this is an approved betting market in Colorado. Not only can you bet on college sports, but it is also legal to place a wager on an in-state college team.
- Are there any mobile betting apps in Colorado? Yes, both mobile and retail betting is legal in Colorado, but nearly 98 percent of all wagers placed have been done through a mobile app. Sportsbooks that launch in the state of Colorado will offer a mobile app that can be downloaded and accessed on both Android and iOS devices.
- Is the Barstool Sportsbook app available in Colorado? Yes, the Barstool Sportsbook app is live in the state of Colorado. Barstool Sportsbook is a product of Penn National Gaming, and it officially launched in Colorado in August 2021.
- Can I bet anonymously at Colorado legal betting sites? No, you cannot bet anonymously at any of the legal Colorado betting sites or in any state for that matter. Colorado legal betting sites will require you to create an account before any bets are made, and your identity has to be verified in order to do that. It’s also illegal to bet as someone else.
Methodology
Colorado Online Betting
The Colorado online betting market offers one of the most diverse selections of mobile sportsbooks in the United States. A CO sports betting app is offered by almost all well-known brands in the sports betting industry.
In November 2019, Colorado made online sports betting legal, and in May 2020, online sportsbooks started operating there. The Centennial State has been one of the biggest legal sports betting markets in the US ever since.
The success of Colorado as a significant hub for sports betting in the western U.S. should continue, in large part because to its open, competitive market with teams in all major sports.
Colorado Online Betting Key Details
Below are the details for the Colorado sports betting market.
- Legalization Date: November 2019
- Retail Launch Date: July 2020
- Mobile Sports Betting Launch Date: May 2020
- Age Requirement: 21+
- Retail Sports Betting Tax Rate: 10%
- Mobile Sports Betting Tax Rate: 10%
- College Betting: College prop betting is prohibited
CO Sportsbooks
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, on May 1, 2020, Colorado sports betting became live. After being officially approved in November 2019, it took the state just over six months to get the sector up and operating.
Voters in the state approved Proposition DD in 2019, legalizing both retail and online sports betting. Many believed that the sports betting bill would receive a resounding vote of approval, but a peculiarly written ballot question caused it to pass by the narrowest of margins.
The state included retail and online sports betting when Colorado legalized sports betting. The Colorado Division of Gaming oversees and regulates the industry and is in charge of approving all licenses.
Only a handful of sportsbooks were ready to go live when the industry launched in 2020. Since the initial launch, the state has grown steadily, with new operators planting their flag in Colorado. Colorado has attracted nearly all of the biggest names in the sports betting industry.
Colorado taxes sports betting revenue at a rate of 10% and allows for several deductions that have reduced the effective tax rate to under 5%. The state also has one of the lowest fees for receiving a license to operate a retail or mobile sportsbook. These modest burdens have allowed Colorado legal sportsbooks to pass on savings to customers via deposit bonuses.
Which Colorado Online Sports Betting Apps Are Legal?
Colorado’s legal age to bet on sports (online or retail) is 21. In most cases, online wagering in Colorado can be conducted directly through a sportsbook’s website or mobile apps for Android and iOS operating systems.
Signing up for online sports betting account in Colorado is a simple process, but there are a few steps that you need to complete. However, the state allows remote registration, which means you never have to step foot in a casino to set up an online sports betting account.
The leading brands on the US sports betting scene flocked to the Colorado sports betting market. As such, Colorado bettors enjoy access to one of the largest selections of online sportsbook apps of any U.S. state.
A unique aspect of Colorado’s online sports betting is that it continues to see a considerable percentage of all bets placed online. Nearly 98 percent of all sports betting is through a mobile sports betting app, despite having close to 30 retail sportsbooks available. The reason is that Colorado casinos are located in far-flung areas of the state.
The top legal online sports betting sites in Colorado include:
Best Colorado Sports Betting Apps
FanDuel Sportsbook CO
FanDuel Sportsbook Colorado brings the nation’s most popular online sportsbook to CO bettors. The betting features and interface at FanDuel CO measures up well with anything in the legal betting market.
Props.com readers can sign up for a FanDuel Colorado account with the link below and get a $1,000 No Sweat First Bet. The bonus functions as a risk-free bet on your first wager at FanDuel, up to a max of $1,000.
Be sure to check out the Props.com review of FanDuel Sportsbook as well.
DraftKings Sportsbook Colorado
DraftKings CO Sportsbook presents one of the best sports betting apps in the industry to Colorado. Colorado sports bettors can find extensive opportunities for prop bets, live sports betting, and more at DraftKings Sportsbook.
Colorado bettors can use the link below to opt-in for the current DraftKings Colorado sign-up offer.
Take a look at our DraftKings Sportsbook review.
BetMGM CO Sportsbook
BetMGM Colorado offers one of the best sports betting app platforms available in the CO sports betting market. You won’t ever find any shortage of betting market, ongoing promotions, and live betting opportunities at BetMGM.
BetMGM Sportsbook Colorado offers new bettors a $1,000 risk-free bet after signing up and making an initial deposit. You can unlock that offer with the link below.
For more on this top-tier online sportsbook, take a look at the Props.com BetMGM Sportsbook review.
BetRivers Colorado
The BetRivers sports betting app operates under parent company Rush Street Interactive. The current U.S. sports betting boom has seen BetRivers establish a presence in more than 15 states.
BetRivers Sportsbook CO gives new bettors the chance to sign up for a new account and claim a $500 risk-free bet.
You can check out the Props.com BetRivers review for a detailed overview of the platform.
Caesars Sportsbook CO
Perhaps no online sportsbook app grew faster than Caesars Sportsbook in 2022. The Caesars Sportsbook Colorado app provides CO bettors with competitive odds and top-tier platform in just about every category.
Check out the Caesars Colorado Sportsbook new player offer below, which functions as one of the best Colorado sportsbook bonuses. Be sure to read our full review of Caesars Sportsbook for more information.
PointsBet Colorado
PointsBet brings one of the most innovative Colorado sportsbook apps to the market. PointsBet Colorado Sportsbook introduces the brand’s trademark “PointsBetting” wagering style to Colorado bettors.
You can sign up for a PointsBet CO account with the link below and opt-in for the current offer available to Colorado sports fans.
See how PointsBet stacks up against other Colorado Sportsbooks in our PointsBet review.
Betway Colorado
A well-known online gambling brand, Betway introduces its U.S. platform to Colorado bettors. You’ll find a solid array of sports and ways to bet at Betway Colorado, particularly for international sports.
You can create a new account at Betway Sportsbook Colorado at the link below, which unlocks the current new player offer for Props.com readers. Also check out the Props.com Betway review.
Betfred Sportsbook Colorado
Much like Betway, Betfred brings an internationally-renowned online gambling brand to bettors in the Centennial State. The international and U.S. sports leagues available at Betfred CO match up nicely with anything in the Colorado market.
Check out the current Betfred CO new player offer below, and be sure to read the Props.com Betfred Sportsbook Review.
WynnBET Sportsbook Colorado
Backed by Wynn Resorts, the WynnBET Colorado sports betting app brings full-service mobile wagering to the state. Colorado bettors can find plenty to like about WynnBET CO in terms of ways to bet and recurring promotions.
You can sign up for a WynnBET CO Sportsbook account below, and opt-in for the current WynnBET Colorado new player offer.
Take a look at the Props.com full review of WynnBET.
Retail Sportsbook Locations
There are currently 33 casinos in Colorado that can apply for a master sports betting license. The commercial casinos are all located in remote locations in the state, but tribal casinos can also offer retail sports betting.
Once a casino has a master sports betting license, it can partner with an operator to offer land-based (aka retail) sports betting. Since a mobile license is critical to this partnership, casinos had little trouble finding partners with some of the top names in the sports betting scene.
The state can also offer sports betting lounges at professional stadiums in Colorado, but these facilities aren’t allowed to take retail sports bets. For example, the Denver Broncos have three partners: Betfred, FanDuel, and BetMGM.
Daily Fantasy Sports Contests
Colorado was one of the first states to legalize daily fantasy sports (DFS) sites, having done so back in 2016. Colorado sports betting law Bill H 1404 was officially signed on June 10, 2016, by Governor John Hickenlooper, making Colorado the fifth state to legalize online betting.
Most states allowed DFS sites to accept players dating back to 2012, but Colorado took the next step in officially making these sites legal. This gave the site power to accept customers from the state, but Colorado was also now able to regulate the industry.
Traditional sports betting bringS in more revenue, BUT DFS sites give bettors in the state another mobile gaming option.
Salary Cap Sites
When it comes to traditional DFS sites in Colorado, DraftKings and FanDuel continue to lead the way. In addition, both of these sites remain highly competitive against one another.
These sites offer desktop platforms and mobile apps that the player can download on both Android and iOS devices. Signing up for a new account is a process that takes only a few minutes.
DraftKings and FanDuel offer Salary Cap DFS contests that require users to build a roster of players using a limited payroll to enter into competitions. The players who can rack up the highest number of fantasy points will win the contest and receive a payout.
Player Prop Games
Even though DraftKings and FanDuel tend to dominate the DFS scene in the U.S., other sites offer DFS contests. All DFS sites must apply for a license with the Colorado Division of Gaming before accepting customers from Colorado.
The games on DraftKings and FanDuel are particular, and there isn’t much variation offered on those sites. However, if you are looking for sites that provide prop betting options for individual players, you will want to look at the list below.
These sites don’t force you to build a “roster” to compete for prizes, and sports bettors can make picks based on the options laid out in front of you.
- Underdog Fantasy (read our review of Underdog Fantasy)
- PrizePicks
Our Daily Fantasy Recommendations
Colorado Best Ball Sites
Another type of daily fantasy sports site that is starting to become popular with Colorado sports bettors is one in which you can play a game known as “Best Ball.” One of the top sites that offer this type of gaming is Underdog Fantasy, and it is a site that accepts players from Colorado.
It is easy to sign up for a new account at Underdog, and the player can do it right on the site or through the mobile app. Since sports bettors in Colorado have proven that this is their method of choice when gambling, the mobile app has been widespread.
There are several different types of games offered at Underdog, and the bettor can play games for one day or an entire season. In addition, Underdog Fantasy has a list of available promotions on the site.
Top Sportsbook Picks in Colorado
Top Sportsbook Picks in Colorado
Are Online Poker Sites Legal In Colorado?
Online poker is the slowest-growing iGaming option in the United States. It has yet to be made legal in Colorado, and there is no actual clear timetable as to if and when online poker might launch.
Only a handful of states have legal online poker, with Nevada the only option anywhere near Colorado. Therefore, residents of Colorado that want to play at a legal online poker site will have to do some traveling for this to be an option.
Lawmakers would have to pass a bill to legalize online poker, and then it would also need to be approved by voters as well. This could lead to a long process, and therefore the status of a legal online poker launch is currently unknown for Colorado sports betting.
Are Online Casino Sites Legal In Colorado?
Even though Colorado has achieved tremendous success with its online sports betting industry, it doesn’t appear that online casino gambling will be following that anytime soon.
Casino gambling is in the towns of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek, along with a pair of tribal casinos in southwest Colorado. In addition, more than 30 land-based casinos conduct business in the Centennial State.
Without introducing a bill to legalize online casino sites, it’s hard to speculate on the future of online casinos in Colorado.
It is important to note that a handful of the online sportsbooks in Colorado also offer online casino gambling in other parts of the country. These operators could quickly launch an online casino site if given the opportunity.
Online casino gambling in the U.S. is growing, but not at the same rate as online sports betting. So it could be a while before any Colorado online casino sites get the green light for launch.
Are Online Gambling Sites In Colorado Fair?
If you are accessing a legal online gambling site in the state of Colorado, then you should automatically know that you are playing on a fair site. Being fair means that the bettor has a legitimate chance to win, and the sites must operate both legally and ethically.
There is a long process to receive an online gambling license in Colorado, and each site will have a set of rules that it must abide by. Fairness and equal opportunity are the requirements that should give the bettor a piece of mind.
What Group Regulates CO Online Sportsbooks?
When lawmakers attempted to legalize sports betting, the state chose the Colorado Division of Gaming to oversee the new industry. The CDG is in charge of granting new online sports betting licenses and ensuring all of the rules and regulations.
Why Should I Trust CO Sports Betting Apps?
The Division of Gaming licenses colorado’s approved legal online sportsbooks. However, the sportsbooks risk having their license revoked if they are not operating correctly.
Colorado does not license any offshore sportsbooks, and they can be dangerous places to play. Unfortunately, if you encounter a problem at one of these sites, you won’t have any protection or receive any help from the state.
All of the online sportsbooks in Colorado are trustworthy sites, and all operate with a customer service department to handle any questions or issues.
Top Sportsbook Picks in Colorado
How Will I Get Paid If I Win?
If you win money from an online sportsbook in Colorado, you will receive your winnings directly from that site. Colorado sports betting sites will also have a long list of withdrawal options that can all be requested and processed online.
Since Colorado offers retail and online sports betting, visiting a retail casino is an option for getting a payout. You can see the land-based casino partner of an online sportsbook and request a withdrawal at the casino cage.
If you have an issue with a payment, you should contact an online gambling site directly. The Division of Gaming can get involved if the problem continues.
Colorado Sports Teams
Colorado’s vibrant sports tradition includes teams in all major U.S. leagues. In-state college sports betting is also legal in the state, meaning you can bet on Colorado-based teams in college football, college basketball, and other collegiate sports.
Some of Colorado’s most popular teams include:
- Denver Broncos (NFL)
- Colorado Rockies (MLB)
- Denver Nuggets (NBA)
- Colorado Avalanche (NHL)
- Colorado Buffaloes (NCAA)
- Colorado State Rams (NCAA)
Responsible Gambling Resources For Colorado Bettors
- National Council on Problem Gambling
- Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado Self-Exclusion Program
- Gambling Problem? Call or TEXT 1-800-GAMBLER