Black Hawk’s casinos and sportsbooks offer bettors a little bit of everything when it comes to gaming and entertainment.

Black Hawk’s casinos and sportsbooks offer bettors a little bit of everything when it comes to gaming and entertainment. Black Hawk is the largest casino town in Colorado and one of the premier gambling destinations in the Western US. A gaming-focused town, there is one casino for every 6 residents. Sportsbooks in Black Hawk When you’re gambling in Colorado, you have access both to sportsbooks inside a physical casino in Black Hawk (and any other city that allows legalized gambling), but you can also make your bets online using a mobile application or a website after May 2020. Here’s how it all works. Black Hawk is Colorado's premier casino gaming destination, home of outstanding lodging and dining at some of the finest hotels and restaurants. Black Hawk, CO is a small city that has become a major regional gaming destination and home to AAA's four diamond hotel properties.

Black Hawk is the largest casino town in Colorado and one of the premier gambling destinations in the Western US. A gaming-focused town, there is one casino for every 6 residents. One of Black Hawk’s 15 casinos is around every corner.

Most of the casino floors offer live blackjack, craps, roulette, classic slot machines, and video poker terminals. Black Hawk is home to some of Colorado’s most impressive poker rooms, too, offering Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 3 Card, and other forms of the card game.

Black Hawk Casinos

In this gambling town, visitors will find a variety of casinos that offer more than just gaming. Many of the casinos offer casual and fine dining, entertainment, spas, hotels, and other amenities.

Ameristar Casino

The town’s largest casino, Ameristar also houses a luxury hotel with 536 guest rooms, including 64 suites. Guests can relax and rejuvenate at the Ara Spa located on premises where spa services are offered daily and salon services are offered on the weekend. There are six dining choices, including the Timberline Grill Steakhouse.

The Barstool Sportsbook at Ameristar includes a 24-foot video wall, 13 betting kiosks, drink specials, and 29 HDTVs. Barstool will launch an online sports betting app in 2021 in partnership with Ameristar.

Ameristar’s casino offers:

• Black Hawk’s largest poker room with 22 poker tables
• Over 1,250 slot machines and video poker machines
• 40 additional gaming tables on the casino floor
• Barstool Sportsbook
• 24-hour gambling, 7 days a week

111 Richman St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Bull Durham Saloon and Casino

The Bull Durham Casino is a designated Colorado landmark. Housed in an 1880s building that was originally a wagon works and later a blacksmith shop, its name comes from an advertisement painted on the building’s exterior in 1912. The casino offers casual pub food, beer, wine, and cocktails for guests.

Bull Durham’s casino offers:

• Some of the hottest new games available
• The best percentage of three-coin bar video poker
• Free Sharpshooters Club with perks, rewards and free food and beer offerings
• Open 7 days a week

110 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Golden Gates Casino

Golden Gates is one of three sister casinos along with Golden Gulch and Golden Mardi Gras. The casino is home to the Colorado Poker Championship tournament and the Heartland Poker Tour. Golden Gates has one of the largest poker rooms in Black Hawk. There’s both a bar and a casual restaurant on-premises.

Golden Gates casino offers:

• 18 poker tables with a 5 table overflow room during tournaments
• 650 loose slot games
• 33 table games
• Open 7 days a week

261 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Golden Gulch Casino

Golden Gulch is one of three sister casinos along with Golden Gates and Golden Mardi Gras. The smallest of the three, it has one of the most unique gaming rooms in Black Hawk. Some of the games in this 100% all coin casino are located in the casino’s basement, formerly an old jailhouse. The Golden Gulch Bar located in the casino has real coin-in slot machines.

Golden Gulch casino offers:

• 140 slot and video poker machines
• Classic gambling experience
• Open 7 days a week

321 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Golden Mardi Gras Casino

Golden Mardi Gras is one of three sister casinos along with Golden Gates and Golden Gulch, and it’s the largest of the three casinos. Designed to be reminiscent of the classic New Orleans celebration complete with themed dining in the Bourbon Street Cafe or the Masquerade Bar, it’s connected by a skywalk to Golden Gates and its large poker room.

Golden Mardi Gras Casino opened a DraftKings-branded sportsbook in 2020. The sports betting lounge includes a large video wall with over 40 TVs, 8 sports betting kiosks, 2 off-track betting terminals, and a sports betting cashier. The DraftKings Sportsbook also has a VIP lounge and full-service kitchen and bar. DraftKings also launched an online sports betting app on May 1, 2020, in partnership with Golden Mardi Gras.

Golden Mardi Gras Casino offers:

• 650 slot and video poker games
• 14 table games
• DraftKings Sportbook
• Off-track betting
• Open 7 days a week

300 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The Gilpin Casino

Sometimes referred to as The Gilpin Hotel & Casino because of the building’s historic name, The Gilpin is now a casino only. Guests can stay at the casino’s sister property, the nearby Lodge Casino. This three-story Gilpin Casino is said to be haunted, with a ghost of a heartbroken school teacher who jumped to her death after her lover died. The casino’s restaurant, Lucille Malones’s, bears her name.

Gilpin casino offers:

• 469 slot and video poker machine
• 6 game tables
• Free Winners Club membership
• Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

111 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Isle Casino Hotel

The Isle Black Hawk is a casino and hotel with 404 guest rooms. Owned by Caesars Entertainment, it’s one of the 50 destinations where Ceasars Rewards can be used. Guests can take advantage of free valet parking in a covered garage. There are five dining options onsite ranging from a Starbucks to the Roxy Restaurant & Bar, a fine-dining steakhouse. Isle is connected to its sister property Lady Luck by a skywalk.

Isle casino offers:

• Over 900 slot machines
• 27 table games
• Live poker room with over a dozen tables
• William Hill Sportsbook at Lady Luck
• Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

401 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Lady Luck

Connected to its sister property Isle Casino Hotel by a skywalk, Lady Luck was Black Hawk’s first big casino. It shares a free valet parking garage with its sister hotel. Lady Luck opened solely as a casino in 1993 and later added a 164 room hotel. Owned by Caesars Entertainment, it’s one of the 50 destinations where Ceasars Rewards can be used. Guests can dine at the Otis & Henry’s Bar & Grill where breakfast and casual fare are served downstairs and pub far is served upstairs with a view of the Rocky Mountains.

Lady Luck Casino partnered with internationally-renowned sports betting brand William Hill to launch its retail sportsbook on-site in 2020. Currently, Lady Luck offers betting kiosks in the casino but we anticipate a full sports betting lounge to open in the future. William Hill launched its online sports betting app in 2020.

Lady Luck offers:

• Over 400 slot and video poker machines
• 11 table games
• William Hill Sportsbook
• Open 7 days a week, 24 hour a day

340 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The Lodge Casino

Black Hawk’s very first casino that also offered hotel rooms, The Lodge is the sister casino to The Gilpin Casino. The hotel has 50 guest rooms. The large casino’s dining choices include the White Buffalo Grille steakhouse as well as three other more casual establishments.

The Lodge Casino offers:

• 975 slot machines
• 17 game tables
• Free Winners Club membership
• Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day

240 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Monarch Casino

Monarch is one of the first casinos many people see when entering Black Hawk. This casino and resort has 500 guest rooms and the Monarch Spa with spa services, a rooftop year-round pool, and a cardio theater and fitness center. Guests can dine at one of 7 fast-casual, buffet, or fine dining restaurants. A 1,350 car parking garage is on-site.

Monarch Casino is constructing a full-service sports betting lounge at the casino. In the meantime, bettors can place bets at the Monarch Rewards desk. Or, the casino is offering online sports betting under its BetMonarch brand name.

Monarch Casino offers:

• 1200 slot and video poker machines
• 40 table games
• BetMonarch Sportsbook (under construction)
• Open 7 days a week, 24 hour a day

488 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Red Dolly Casino

Black Hawk’s oldest casino, the Red Dolly with its famous red awning has been managed by the same team since 1992. It’s a small but busy casino with one dining option that serves everything from breakfast to burgers, pasta, and steaks.

Red Dolly launched sports betting in Colorado through a partnership with ELITE Sportsbook. This includes a sportsbook app. Currently, bettors can place bets at various sports betting kiosks located throughout the property.

Red Dolly casino offers:

Black Hawk Colorado Gambling Rules

• Over 100 classic and new slot machines
• Elite Sportsbook
• Open 7 days a week, hours vary

530 Gregory St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Saratoga Casino

With beautiful mountain views, the Saratoga Casino is one of the newer properties in Black Hawk. The modern casino has a gift shop and free covered parking. Guests can dine at casual Main Street Cafe. They can also grab a drink and a bite at the Main Floor Bar or the Mill City Bar.

Saratoga Casino partnered with Betfred to offer sports betting in Colorado. They were the first retail sportsbook to open, in June 2020. The Betfred sportsbook includes a 1,400 square feet sports betting lounge, with TVs, betting windows, and self-serve kiosks. Betfred also has an online sportsbook.

Saratoga casino offers:

• Almost 500 slot machines
• Table games such as craps, blackjack, and roulette
• Betfred Sportsbook
• Free Player Extra Club rewards membership
• Open 7 days a week, hours vary

101 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Sasquatch Casino

This cozy casino, the smallest in Black Hawk, packs a lot into its 6,000 square feet, including Harry, a 7’4” Sasquatch, in the main lobby. Players often rub Harry’s butt for good luck. The casino has two restaurants. Harry’s Grill & Pizza serves sandwiches, chicken, and pizzas. Harry’s Steakhouse serves steaks and comfort foods. Sasquatch Casino is also one of the few kid-friendly places in Black Hawk with a 15-game arcade for kids and teens.

Sasquatch Casino offers:

• More than 145 conventional, electronic and tabletop gaming systems
• Open 7 days a week, hours vary
• PlaySports kiosks for sports betting

125 Gregory St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Wild Card Saloon & Casino

This small family-run casino has an outdoor deck, a convenience store, and a full bar with a menu with home-cooked dishes. Players can earn points to spend on comforting foods, which change with the seasons. Wild Card welcomes parties and caters to birthday, bachelor, bachelorette, and other celebrations.

Wild Card Saloon casino offers:

• Over 200 slot and video poker machines
• Daily prizes awarded to those who enter to win the lock-up drawing
• Open 7 days a week, hours vary
• PlaySports kiosks for sports betting

120 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Z Casino

Z is both a casino and a hotel with 119 recently renovated deluxe rooms and suites and free covered self-parking with valet option. The Mile High entertainment lounge hosts a variety of artists and also has one of the few dance floors in Black Hawk. Guests can eat at the Z Cafe or Mustang Grill.

Z casino offers:

• Over 400 slot machines including video craps, video blackjack, and video roulette
• 6 gaming tables
• 1 poker table
• Open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day
• PlaySports kiosks for sports betting

101 Gregory St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

History Of Black Hawk

Black Hawk is a historic mining town in Colorado, located about an hour away from Denver. It’s named after an American Indian Chief. Founded in 1859 during the Pike’s Peak Gold Rush, thousands of prospectors and miners came to Black Hawk to find their fortunes. It became known as the “City of Mills” when it became the center of water-powered stamp mills that processed ore in the region. In 1872 the Colorado Central Railroad came to Black Hawk, cementing the town’s importance.

After the Gold Rush, Black Hawk became a small mining town with little tourism. That changed in 1991 when people returned to find their fortunes, this time at the newly opened casinos. Black Hawk now caters almost exclusively to casino tourism.

Other Activities And Things To Do In BlackHawk

In addition to gambling, there are many activities in and around Black Hawk for tourists to enjoy.

• Hike the nearby mountain trails of Golden Gate Canyon State Park, which is just a few miles from Black Hawk.
• Take a scenic drive on Peak-to-Peak Highway or Mount Evans Scenic Byway.
• Visit Talnua Distillery and Tasting Room or Odyssey Beerwerks Brewery and Taproom, both in nearby Arvada.
• Take the Hidee Gold Mine Tour, learn about mining, and pan for gold in nearby Central City.
• Soak in some culture at the Central City Opera House in its 550-seat jewel box opera house built in 1878.

Black Hawk Gambling FAQs

How old do I need to be to gamble in Black Hawk?

21 years old. The legal gambling age in Colorado is 21, and all casinos strictly adhere to this law. Casinos check legal IDs upon entrance.

What is the drinking age at casinos in Black Hawk?
21 years old. The legal drinking age in Colorado is 21, and all casinos strictly adhere to this law.

Casinos check legal IDs upon entrance.

What is the biggest casino in Black Hawk?

Ameristar Casino Resort Spa. Ameristar offers 1,250 slots and video machines, 40 table games, and 22 live poker tables. It also has the largest poker room in Black Hawk. Ameristar’s hotel has 536 guest rooms, including 64 suites. Many of the rooms feature views of the Rocky Mountains.

Who regulates gambling in Black Hawk?
The Colorado Division of Gaming. All gambling in Colorado is regulated by the Colorado Division of Gaming.

Who owns the casinos in Black Hawk?
Black Hawk’s casinos are independently owned. The casinos in Black Hawk are owned by independent corporations that are required to follow all rules and regulations set forth by the Colorado Division of Gaming. There are no American Indian owned Casinos in Black Hawk.

How far is Black Hawk from Denver?
About 35 miles. Depending on traffic and starting destination, it takes about 50 minutes to drive from downtown Denver to Black Hawk. Denver International Airport is 55 miles from Black Hawk and is about an hour and ten-minute drive. There are both trains and busses accessible from the airport that go to Black Hawk, sometimes with transfers.

Is it easy to park in Black Hawk?

Yes. Most casinos in Black Hawk offer free covered or uncovered parking garages for guests of the casino. Guests may use these parking garages for their entire stay at the casino. Some of the larger casinos also offer free valet service, although tipping the valet attendants is always encouraged.

Just like you’ll find in New Jersey and Pennsylvania — where gambling has recently been expanded after the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act was found unconstitutional — Colorado has a lot of restrictions around gambling, casinos and sportsbooks. However, there are three cities in Colorado that have legal casinos. Those are the historical districts in Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City.

Black Hawk casinos are legal for anyone over the age of 21, but there are definitely some restrictions that the casinos have to deal with.

Beyond the casinos, Black Hawk is a beautiful mountain town that’s absolutely worth visiting whether you’re a fan of gambling or not. It’s an incredibly tiny town that only has about 100 residents!

But for all that, Black Hawk definitely doesn’t do things small. You’re going to be amazed when you’re driving on winding, twisty mountain roads, only to see some crazy high-rise casinos popping out from behind the mountains!

Black Hawk is well-known for having some incredible high-class buffets, hotels, bars and restaurants that make you feel like you’re in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, but when you combine that with the fact that you’re at an altitude of almost 9,000 feet in the mountains breathing clear, crisp air, well, that’s something you can’t really beat.

Gambling in Black Hawk casinos

You don’t really have to worry much about those restrictions mentioned earlier. When you visit Black Hawk, you can focus on fun — the restrictions are something the casinos deal with and handle.

The main restriction that might rub you wrong is the fact that you can only make a maximum wager of $100, so if you’re used to gambling in Las Vegas or Atlantic City or something like that, you’ll have to keep going if you’re looking for those high-limit tables where all the whales gamble.

The casinos in Black Hawk are only allowed to offer “limited gaming” which means they can’t offer any games they want (which unfortunately includes some favorites like baccarat).

However, they can offer blackjack, slot machines, craps, poker and roulette, and they can offer as many different variations on those core games as they please as long as the games are basically unchanged.

Plus, if you’re familiar with slot machines, you’ll know that there are tons of different types of slot machines available to play, so you won’t really have to worry about not finding something fun to do while you’re in a Black Hawk casino.

Another big benefit that has come recently to the casinos in Black Hawk is that sports betting is now allowed, with May 2020 as the target date for many sportsbooks in Black Hawk gaining approval. This is all thanks to the fact that Colorado passed the gambling legislation HB19-1327.

The major benefit of this law is that you can make much, much larger maximum bets at a sportsbook. Essentially they’re infinite, so if you’re all about big bets that have a high amount of risk, then you can definitely partake in that particular vice in the Black Hawk casinos that open their sportsbooks after May 2020.

You can learn more about the particulars of HB19-1327 here.

Sportsbooks in Black Hawk

When you’re gambling in Colorado, you have access both to sportsbooks inside a physical casino in Black Hawk (and any other city that allows legalized gambling), but you can also make your bets online using a mobile application or a website after May 2020.

Here’s how it all works.

Betting at a sportsbook inside a casino in Black Hawk

Just like in other states where sports betting is legal, you’ll go into the casino, find the sportsbook and place your bets.

Then you can sit back, relax, have some food or a few drinks, and watch your chosen game, match, race or what have you. This of course assumes that the casino you’re in has a sportsbook, and given the fact that the passage of the law has led to a big backup in approvals, you might have to wait until 2021 or 2022 for your favorite casino in Black Hawk to open its own sportsbook.

Sports betting online

If your goal while on your trip to Black Hawk, Colorado, is to bet on sports, you might need to spend some time playing online instead.

There are a wide variety of sportsbooks available online and via mobile apps that will allow you to place wagers on a variety of sporting events after May 2020, and unlike the casino games like poker or blackjack, you can actually play from anywhere in the state!

That’s right, as long as you have a computer with internet access that’s physically located in the state of Colorado (and that bit is important — it won’t work once you cross state lines), then you can bet on any of the available sports that a sportsbook offers.

To get started, you’ll have to download an app from one of the approved sportsbooks or log in to the website, make a profile, deposit some funds, confirm your age and then wait for approval. You’ll be able to gamble as long as the website or app can confirm that you are located within the state of Colorado.

These sites confirm your location by using the geolocation features of your device, whether that be your mobile device or your computer. One of the things it will check is your IP address, but there are other features that it will check to make sure you are in Colorado.

The software that checks your location is highly sophisticated and will be able to tell if cheaters are trying to spoof their location and gamble from a state where sports betting online or through a mobile app is illegal, so don’t even try to trick these sites and apps.

The best casinos in Black Hawk

While Black Hawk is well known for having some of the best and most lavish casinos in all of Colorado, there are a handful of casinos that truly stand out from the crowd. Here are some of the best that you should definitely check out when you come to stay in Black Hawk.

Lady Luck Casino

Not only is the Lady Luck Casino the very first large casino that was built in Black Hawk, but it’s also got some incredible history — it was used as Colorado Central Station for decades.

There are many incredible features to this casino that make it worth mentioning. Like many casinos in Colorado, the Lady Luck Casino is non-smoking and is open 24/7, but Lady Luck Casino is also known for having some of the highest-quality rooms in all of Black Hawk. The online ratings speak to the fact that this casino is loved by most of its guests, and while of course it doesn’t have a perfect ranking, what casino does?

There are plenty of other reasons to visit Lady Luck Casino, including a restaurant that offers breakfast all day and allows you to see some truly incredible views of the Rocky Mountains while you’re dining. You’ll also find all your favorite casino games here, including slots and video poker.

Even though the Lady Luck Casino is located way up in the mountains, you’ll still find over 400 of the most advanced slot machines in the world in this casino, so if slots are your thing, this is a great casino to visit.

In addition, you’ll find all your favorite table games (well, at least all your favorites that are legally allowed under Colorado gambling laws), and you’ll be pleased to learn that Lady Luck Casino has an excellent players’ club that is always flush with great deals.

Additionally, Lady Luck Casino is connected to another great casino — the Isle Casino Black Hawk — and has a regular shuttle service to Central City (another big gambling hub in Colorado) that’s free to ride.

And if that’s not enough to tickle your fancy, Lady Luck Casino is also extremely close to Eldora Ski Resort, so if you find yourself worn out from sitting at the tables and just want to get out and exercise your body, the ski resort is right there and waiting for you to hit the slopes during ski season (or hike the trails during summer).

Golden Gates Casino — the poker fan’s paradise

For many fans of gambling, poker has been and always will be the king of games — even most amateur gamblers have heard of the World Series of Poker and know all about how Texas Hold ’em works.

So if poker is your thing, then the Golden Gates Casino should be your go-to destination in Black Hawk. Known as Black Hawk’s best poker room (and possibly the best poker room in all of Colorado), the Poker Parlour is known statewide for providing an incredible, action-packed experience.

With 17 tables and a five-table overflow room for tournaments, Golden Gates Casino is the perfect casino for poker fans of all shapes and sizes. You’ll find poker tournaments happening here every single day, and the casino even boasts about the fact that you can earn comps while playing poker here — how many casinos actually advertise their comps? Not many!

Because poker is basically what Golden Gates Casino specializes in, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that it’s the home of the Colorado Poker Championship, a tournament with a prize pool of $500,000 — enough to rival some of the biggest poker championships around.

You’ll also find the Heartland Poker Tour and the Mid-States Poker Tour here (the Heartland Poker Tour is televised and can be watched all over the world). Over the years, tens of millions of dollars have been awarded in this poker room, so it’s definitely worth a visit just to drink in all that good luck!

On top of that, you’ll find more slot machines and video poker machines than even at the Lady Luck Casino — upward of 600 — and you’ll also find plenty of other table games, including blackjack, roulette and craps.

Oh, and despite the name, the casino has no relation to San Francisco — sorry, California fans!

Ameristar Black Hawk

Black Hawk Casino Colorado Gambling

If you’re looking for a gambling experience that feels less like gambling in the Wild West and more like gambling at a high-end casino in Las Vegas, then Ameristar Black Hawk is the casino for you.

Boasting well over 1,200 slots and video poker machines and an incredible spa, Ameristar Black Hawk is aimed at serving the high-class gambling aficionado who takes luxury seriously.

All the machines are state-of-the-art slot or video poker machines and allow you to bet up to $100 in some cases.

As you might imagine, you’ll also find many of the classic table games here, including poker and blackjack, and you’ll actually find more tables here than at Lady Luck or Golden Gates — Ameristar has 40 table games and 22 live poker tables.

Something we really love about Ameristar is the level of opulence you can experience here. First of all, you’re going to find something that you’ll be hard pressed to compare to any other casino in the world — a rooftop pool that lets you look over the Rocky Mountains! If you’ve never had a swim at 8,500 feet, then this is an experience you won’t want to miss.

Beyond the pool, we love the spa. Ara is its full-service day spa that includes hot tubs, saunas, steam rooms, and six treatment rooms for both men and women. You’ll find everything you expect from a high-end spa, including massages, scrubs, facials, manicures and pedicures.

The hotel is also home to a free fitness center for guests who need to get away from the tables for a little bit and get their blood flowing with some of the nicest cardio and weight machines around.

The spa opens early and stays open late (until 9 p.m.), so you can spend your whole day at the poker tables and then relax in the evening with a massage.

Other Black Hawk Casinos

If you are looking for a few more options, check out these reviews of Saratoga and Golden Mardis Gras Casino.