Colorado Tribal Gaming

Tribal gaming in Colorado takes place on Southern Ute and Ute Mountain tribal lands. These two casinos in the southern part of the state, nearly 300 miles from the commerical casinos, are not regulated or taxed by the state.

In September 2004, the Bush administration rejected a proposal for an Indian casino on the outskirts of Denver.

In April 2005, the National Indian Gaming Commission declared that a proposed agreement between the Native American Land Group and the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma, for a casino near Denver, was not in compliance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

In October 2005, the Cheyenne and Arapaho tribes of Oklahoma overwhelmingly voted not to give up 27 million acres of historical land claims in Colorado to build a five-acre, $100 million casino in Pueblo.

In 2012, the Ute Indian Tribe of Utah and the Sleeping Giant Group conducted studies and held meetings in an effort to solidify proposals for two off-reservation locations: Dinosaur and Hayden. However, Gov. John Hickenlooper says he will not consider any plans for an off-reservation casino.

In June 2020, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe launched sports betting, since any form of gambling that is “expressly authorized” in Colorado can also be offered as a Class III product under the Colorado Gaming Pact dated 15 June 1995.