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.
Sports Betting In-Person at Black Hawk and Online
Starting May 1, sports betting becomes officially legal in Colorado at both online and land-based sportsbooks. FanDuel and DraftKings have penned agreements with Twin River Worldwide Holdings, recent acquirer of Golden Gates Casino, Golden Gulch Casino, and Mardi Gras Casino to bring their sportsbooks to Colorado. PointsBet and MGM are also expected to be players when the market opens for business. The Denver Post reported that the Monarch Casino and Saratoga Casino have both applied for sports betting licenses.
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 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 Glipin 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
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
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 with in 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 a number of 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 and every 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 FAQ
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.
The State of Colorado allows a maximum bet of $100 on any single wager
Black Hawk offers slots, blackjack, roulette, craps, video poker and on May 1, 2020 casinos will begin offering sports betting.