Black Hawk Colorado Gambling

What other city in the world has a ratio of one casino for every six residents? That’s the claim to fame of Black Hawk, Colorado. Learn more about the sportsbooks and casinos in Black Hawk, get a map of Black Hawk’s casinos, and take in a bit of the history of one of the most unique gambling cities you’ll ever visit.

1. Black Hawk Colorado Gambling Age
2. Black Hawk Casino Colorado Gambling
3. Black Hawk Colorado Casino Sports Betting
4. Black Hawk Gambling Casino Colorado
5. Black Hawk Colorado Gambling

• Colorado Amendment 77 results: Measure giving casino towns more control of gambling approved Measure gives Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek more say over gaming rules.
• Sports Betting In Black Hawk Colorado & Online Sportsbooks The Colorado sports betting market has been wildly successful so far. Sportsbook brands around the world have formed partnerships with Colorado casinos, many of which have launched apps or in-person retail kiosks or windows. More are expected to launch in 2021.

Sports Betting In Black Hawk Colorado & Online Sportsbooks

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.

The Colorado sports betting market has been wildly successful so far. Sportsbook brands around the world have formed partnerships with Colorado casinos, many of which have launched apps or in-person retail kiosks or windows. More are expected to launch in 2021.

That means the full range of Black Hawk’s casino and sports betting offerings are once again available, albeit with some social distancing precautions still in place.

All of these retail sportsbooks offer online sports betting apps as well, often with top-rate bonus offers for new bettors. Bonus offers and promotions are normally only available when registering through the online app.

Best Black Hawk Casinos With Online Sportsbook Bonuses

DraftKings At Mardi Gras Casino

Licensed in Colorado

Sportsbook Rating Excellent
DraftKings Review

Mardi Gras Casino

Retail Sportsbook Brand: DraftKings Sportsbook

Bonus: Get a $1000 risk-free bet on the DraftKings Sportsbook Colorado App

The Mardi Gras Casino opened the state’s second retail sports window, launched through its partnership with DraftKings. Starting with a temporary sports betting window, the DraftKings Sportsbook in Black Hawk is now open for wagers on all major sports.

The sportsbook includes a large video wall with almost three dozen TV screens along with screens serving as odds boards. There is a VIP lounge, a full bar, and a full-service kitchen. The sportsbook includes sports betting kiosks and off-track betting terminals.

Mardi Gras was DraftKings Sportsbook’s seventh location nationwide.

William Hill at Lady Luck Casino & Isle Casino

Licensed in Colorado

Sportsbook Rating Excellent
William Hill Review

Lady Luck Casino/Isle Casino

Retail Sportsbook Brand: William Hill

Black Hawk sister casinos Lady Luck Casino and Isle Casino have each opened a half-dozen self-serve sports betting kiosks, powered by William Hill. Both casino properties are owned by Caesars Entertainment, one of the top names in casino gaming. William Hill is one of the top international sports betting brands and is making in-roads into the US sports betting market.

Although currently there are only betting kiosks at the property it is possible this will expand into a full retail sportsbook in the future.

Live Black Hawk Retail Sportsbooks

The following casinos opened sportsbooks in Black Hawk and are taking wagers right now. If you are not located near Black Hawk, it’s possible to register at one of the online sportsbooks to bet from home.

Monarch Casino

Retail Sportsbook Brand: BetMonarch

Monarch Casino at Black Hawk developed its own sportsbook app in house. BetMonarch owns and operates its sportsbook. However, it also has a retail location on the second floor of the casino. The Atlantis Casino in Vegas, Monarch’s sister casino, also has a sportsbook. It’s where Monarch’s Black Hawk location gained the expertise to develop a sportsbook in-house. Betting at Monarch’s casino also earns bettors Monarch reward points. It’s a great way to earn comped meals and rooms.

Ameristar

Retail Sportsbook Brand: Barstool (Penn National)

Colorado’s largest casino, Ameristar, has opened a temporary retail sportsbook window and self-service kiosks. Ameristar sports betting partner Penn National Gaming bought a 36% stake in Barstool earlier this year. As of fall 2020, it’s using the Barstool Bets brand for its sportsbook at Ameristar.

Red Dolly Casino

Retail Sportsbook Brand: ELITE Sportsbook

ELITE Sportsbook was the 11th sportsbook to launch in Colorado. There’s no app just yet, but bettors can start placing wagers on its website right now. ELITE Sportsbook will offer bettors a variety of prop bets and parlays, and promotions will be available, including a sign-up bonus worth up to $1,000 in free bets. The company says it will be the only sportsbook in the state to offer a progressive parlay.

Saratoga Casino

Retail Sportsbook Brand: Betfred

Betfred had the distinction of taking the first legal in-person sports bet in Colorado state history, on June 17, 2020. The bookmaker had recently announced its partnership with Saratoga Casino in Black Hawk and was ready to go the first day casinos reopened after state-mandated closures throughout the spring. Betfred also has a partnership with the Denver Broncos. The Saratoga retail sports betting window is Betfred’s second entry into the US market.

PlaySports Kiosks (IGT)

Retail Sportsbook Brand: Sasquatch Casino & The Wild Card Saloon

The Sasquatch Casino & The Wild Card Saloon, sister casinos in Black Hawk, struck up a deal with gaming giant IGT to set up self-service PlaySports kiosks around the properties. An app is also in the making and will likely launch in the coming months.

Launching Soon Retail Black Hawk Sportsbooks

These properties have secured sports betting partnerships, but have not yet opened any in-person windows or kiosks.

Live Online Black Hawk Sportsbooks

You don’t even have to be physically within the borders of Black Hawk to take advantage of its sports betting offerings. Any land casino partnership with an online sports betting site includes access for sports bettors anywhere in Colorado, with in-person or app-based deposits/withdrawals available.

DraftKings Sportsbook

Retail Partner: Mardi Gras Casino

DraftKings Sportsbook is one of the top US brands in sports betting, and it’s open for business for sports bettors in Colorado. Its variety of sports and lines are almost unmatched, and it offers some unique betting opportunities like teasers and parlays. It also has frequent bonuses and promotions.

FanDuel Sportsbook

Retail Partner: Golden Gates Casino

Once known only for fantasy sports, FanDuel Sportsbook is all grown up, serving CO sports bettors 24 hours a day. FanDuel Sportsbook has lines on MLB, NFL, NHL, and NBA, along with all kinds of other sports and events, both niche and mainstream. It has bets on the spread, the moneyline, halves and quarters of select games, and the over/under, and offers highly competitive odds in the CO sports betting landscape. You can get up to a $500 risk-free bet by using our exclusive link.

BetMonarch

Retail Partner: Monarch Casino

Monarch Casino in Black Hawk launched BetMonarch in May 2020, the first fully in-house sportsbook in the state developed by a casino. It offers the sports and leagues you’d expect lines on, but it also has an advantage many other sportsbooks don’t: BetMonarch rewards points players accumulate through their play can earn free hotel stays, meals, and more.

FOX Bet

Retail Partner: Eldorado Resorts (Caesars Entertainment)

Black Hawk Colorado Gambling Age

Fox Bet’s local gaming partner is the Lady Luck Casino in Black Hawk, owned by Eldorado Resorts, which recently acquired gaming giant Caesars Entertainment, as well as the Isle Casino. Fox Bet has some solid bonus offers, including a $1,000 sign-up bonus ($500 risk-free bet + 100% match bonus of up to $500). In addition to the standard slate of sports to bet on, Fox Bet offers a wide range of betting boosts, which are riskier but could be lucrative wagers for lucky bettors.

ELITE Sportsbook

Retail Partner: Red Dolly Casino

ELITE Sportsbook was the 11th sportsbook to launch in Colorado. There’s no app just yet, but bettors can start placing wagers on its website right now. ELITE Sportsbook will offer bettors a variety of prop bets and parlays, and promotions will be available, including a sign-up bonus worth up to $1,000 in free bets. The company says it will be the only sportsbook in the state to offer a progressive parlay.

Launching Soon Online Black Hawk Sportsbooks

• PointsBet (Partnered with Double Eagle)
• BetAmerica (Partnered with Full House Resorts)
• Barstool Sports (Partnered with Penn National Gaming)
• Wynn (Partnered with Full House Resorts)
• Superbook (Partnered with Jacobs Entertainment)
• IGT PlaySports (Partnered with Ed and Shirley’s Inc.)
• IGT PlaySports (Partnered with Maverick Gaming)
• ISI (Partnered with G Investments LLC.)
• Twin River (Partnered with Twin River Worldwide Holdings)
• Circa Sports (Partnered with Century Casinos Inc)
• the Score Bet (Partnered with Jacobs Entertainment Lld)
• PlayUp Sportsbook (Partnered with Global Casinos Inc)

Black Hawk Colorado Casinos

Ameristar

Address: 111 Richman St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Ameristar is the largest casino hotel in Black Hawk. The AAA Four Diamond-designated hotel boasts 536 guest rooms, including 64 suites. It has a full-service spa with a rooftop indoor pool, multiple dining options from fast-casual to buffet to white table cloth. It offers a large underground parking garage with free valet service. Ameristar’s casino floor has 1,250 slots and video poker machines, 40 table games, and 22 live poker tables, making it the biggest poker room in Black Hawk. At 33 stories, Ameristar’s hotel tower is the tallest building in Colorado outside of Denver.

Isle Black Hawk

Address: 401 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

When the Isle opened its doors on Dec. 30, 1998, it was the largest hotel and casino to ever open in Black Hawk. It might not be the biggest in town anymore, but Isle Black Hawk remains a popular destination for gamblers. The Isle has 404 hotel rooms, over 900 slot machines, 27 table games, and a live poker room with more than a dozen tables. It’s got a large, free covered parking garage complete with complimentary valet. The Isle offers a farm-to-table buffet, fast-casual dining, and a recently opened martini bar. The Isle is connected by a skywalk to its sister property, Lady Luck Casino Black Hawk.

Lady Luck Black Hawk

Address: 340 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Lady Luck Casino was the first large casino built-in Black Hawk. Opened in 1993 originally as a casino only, the Lady Luck offers a variety of gaming options in an 1880s railroad-themed gaming floor. Lady Luck offers more than 400 slot and video poker machines, 11 table games, free garage parking, and more. For added gaming fuel any time of day or night, Lady Luck has a second-floor restaurant serving breakfast all day. In 2005, Lady Luck Black Hawk added a 164-room hotel. Lady Luck Black Hawk is connected by skywalk to its sister property, Isle Black Hawk.

Golden Gates Casino

Address: 261 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Located in the heart of the action, the Golden Gates Casino is just a few steps from its sister properties Golden Gulch and Golden Mardi Gras. Opened in 1991, Golden Gates has been a steady source of gaming entertainment in Black Hawk since the beginning of the legal gaming days.

The Golden Gates has 273 slot games, 8 table games, and with 18 live poker tables, it’s one of the largest poker rooms in Black Hawk. Golden Gates is known for hosting several big poker tournaments, including the Colorado Poker Championship and the Heartland Poker Tour. Its 700-spot parking garage is free, and the drinks and food are plentiful. Golden Gates offers a centrally located bar on the casino floor as well as a fast-casual restaurant.

Golden Gulch Casino

Address: 321 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Golden Gulch Casino is the kid sibling to Golden Gates, a small but active casino offering an assortment of 140 slot and video poker machines and absolutely steeped in rustic mountain charm. The Golden Gulch even has games in the old historic jailhouse, located in its basement.

Mardi Gras Casino

Address: 300 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The Mardi Gras Casino works hard to embody the spirit of its namesake, with bright colors, frequent celebrations, and of course plenty of Cajun food. The Mardi Gras Casino is the largest of its sister properties, Golden Gulch and Golden Gates, boasting 650 slot and video poker machines and 14 table games. Since it’s connected directly by skywalk to the Golden Gates, one of the largest poker rooms in Colorado is never more than a short walk away. Exuding a unique charm and character, you can’t miss Mardi Gras’ steepled copper roof and colorful, neon-adorned glass walkway.

The Gilpin Hotel & Casino

Address: 111 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The Gilpin Hotel Casino is a bit of a misnomer, as it no longer offers hotel rooms, but it still offers plenty of casino action, with a bit of spooky local history thrown in the mix. The Gilpin has 469 slot and video poker machines, 6 table games, and is open to guests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

In the late 1800s, The Gilpin Hotel had a one-room schoolhouse upstairs. Local legend has it that a teacher by the name of Lucille Malone jumped from the hotel balcony after her lover, a local miner, was run over by a wagon in front of the Gilpin. Guests have reported ghostly sightings of Lucille Malone throughout the years, and the hotel’s restaurant bears her name. The Gilpin Hotel is a short walk from its sister property, The Lodge Casino.

The Lodge Casino

Address: 240 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The Lodge Casino has the distinction of being the first casino in Black Hawk offering hotel rooms when it opened in 1998. Located in the heart of downtown Black Hawk, the Lodge Casino is one of the largest in the state, offering an impressive array of gaming options and 50 guest rooms. The spacious, multi-level gaming floor has 979 slot machines and 13 table games. The Lodge has multiple dining options, from an all-you-can-eat buffet, to quick bites to fine dining. Just up the road is the Lodge Casino’s sister property, the Gilpin Hotel Casino.

Monarch Casino

Address: 488 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

If you take Colorado Highway 119 to enter Black Hawk, the Monarch Casino would be tough to miss. Its bright signs and newly added 1,350 space parking garage are among the first things you see when you reach the city. The brightly colored, butterfly-themed casino offers 740 slot and video poker machines, 14 table games, and a 250-seat buffet restaurant. The Monarch Casino is nearing completion on a major renovation project that will see its gaming space double, and the addition of a 23-story hotel tower featuring a spa, pool, and 500 guest rooms and suites.

Saratoga Casino

Address: 101 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Saratoga Casino is one of the newest properties in Black Hawk, opening in 2013 in place of Fitzgerald’s Casino. It has more than 500 slot and video poker machines, a handful of table games including craps, roulette, three-card poker, and blackjack. The Saratoga offers a selection of bars, lounges, and cafes for your eating and drinking needs, and has free covered self-parking.

Z Casino

Address: 101 Gregory St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Black Hawk Casino Colorado Gambling

The Z Casino is part of the Z Family of properties, with recent expansion into Central City by way of the Grand Z Casino Hotel and Johnny Z’s. Opened in 2014 in the former location of Bullwhackers, The Z Casino features 36,000 square feet of gaming space, with 389 slot machines, six gaming tables, and a poker table. Coffee and casual dining are plentiful at the Z, with a casual restaurant and a second-floor cafe serving Starbucks coffee and pastries.

Red Dolly

Address: 530 Gregory St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The oldest casino in Black Hawk, the Red Rolly opened for business in May 1992 and has the same management today. The small but bustling gaming floor offers 130 slot machines, from old classics to brand new games. The Red Dolly offers casino excitement in a cozy setting. Look for its distinctive red awning out front.

Sasquatch Casino

Address: 125 Gregory St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Black Hawk Colorado Casino Sports Betting

Though named after a big beast, the Sasquatch Casino is actually the smallest in Black Hawk. But don’t let its size fool you. Opened in 2011, the Sasquatch knows the importance of catering to their guests, which they welcome into their historic two-story building, offering 130 slot and video poker machines. The grill is always on at Sasquatch Casino, offering up sandwiches to burgers to prime rib. The Sasquatch Casino also has a kid-friendly arcade on the premises.

Wild Card Saloon

Address: 120 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

The Wild Card Saloon uses its small size to its advantage, creating an environment that offers all the comforts of home. Unique to the Wild Card is its menu, which offers up a selection of real, home-cooked dishes every day for an unbeatable price. The menu changes frequently, so be sure to ask what’s cooking when you visit. The Wild Card Saloon takes its gaming as seriously as its vittles, offering more than 200 slot and video poker machines.

Bull Durham Casino

Address: 110 Main St, Black Hawk, CO 80422

Housed in a former wagon workshop, blacksmith shop, and stable, the Bull Durham Saloon has 188 slot and video poker machines ready to play. The historic building was renovated a few years ago to make room for a longer bar and additional slot machines, which you can’t go wrong within a casino. Of course, there’s plenty of beer and a variety of pub food available on-site.

Also, learn about Black Hawk Casinos that have closed.

Top Photo Editorial credit: RaksyBH / Shutterstock.com

Black Hawk Colorado Casino Map

A Quick History Of Black Hawk, Colorado

When miner John H. Gregory discovered a vein of gold in a narrow gulch along the north fork of Clear Creek in 1859, Black Hawk, Colorado was put on the map practically overnight. Soon after, thousands of prospectors and miners made their way to the area looking to strike it rich.

Amid the mining boom, construction of a series of new mills, and a new railroad linking the area to Golden, the tiny mountain town became one of the main ore milling hubs in the state, its population swelling to more than 2,000 by the end of the century. During that time, the strip of land encompassing Black Hawk and Central City, later renamed Gregory Gulch, was known as “the richest square mile on earth.”

The 20th century saw Black Hawk fall on hard times. Commerce dried up, and residents moved away in droves following several severe weather events. It wasn’t until Colorado legalized limited-stakes casino gambling in 1991 that the city was revitalized as a gaming destination. Back then the maximum bet allowed was just $5, but voters approved an increase to $100 in 2008.

Today the population hovers a bit over 100, but up to 20,000 day-trippers and overnighters visit Black Hawk each day from Colorado and beyond to try their luck and explore a real-life historic mining town. Close to winter sports destinations and located less than 40 miles outside downtown Denver, Black Hawk offers visitors a Vegas-style assortment of gaming, dining, and hotel options, all against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. The city has 15 casinos and more than 1,000 hotel rooms, most ready for betting action 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Black Hawk Casino FAQs

Black Hawk is about 35 miles from downtown Denver, about a 50-minute drive.

Yes. Black Hawk is open 365 days a year. Most casinos are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

No. But most casinos offer temperature-controlled outdoor smoking patios, and most hotels offer smoking guest rooms.

Street parking is somewhat limited, but many casinos offer free parking options, in either covered or uncovered lots. Some of the larger casinos have free valet service.

Black Hawk Gambling Casino Colorado

The State of Colorado allows a maximum bet of $100 on any single wager.

Black Hawk offers slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, video poker. As of May 1, 2020 casinos began offering sports betting.

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

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.

Black Hawk Colorado Gambling

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.