Coronavirus shuttered most sporting events bettors could wager on and casinos to wager in, but no matter. The Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission will approve the necessary sports betting licenses by May 1 as mandated by law.
The commission granted Century Casinos licenses for retail sportsbooks in Cripple Creek and Central City, according to CDC Gaming Reports. The Commission also awarded Circa Sports a license for Internet and mobile sports wagering through one of Century’s online skins.
“Due to impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sports betting industry, the company is uncertain of the timeline that the Circa Sports mobile sports betting app will launch,” the company said.
Century Casinos has two more master licenses available in Colorado and is talking with potential sports betting partners.
The commission also approved 18 sports betting licenses April 2, bringing the total to almost three dozen since February. These include Roar Digital, LLC, a joint venture between MGM Resorts International and GVC Holdings.
As of April 1, the Colorado Department of Revenue’s Division of Gaming received 64 casino, sportsbook or online sportsbook applications submitted as of April 1. That includes all of the state’s 33 commercial casinos, 12 retail sportsbook operators and 19 online sportsbooks, Division spokesperson Suzi Karrer told Centennial Bets.
A total of 25 casinos have now received either a temporary or first master license.
American Wagering Inc., owned by William Hill U.S., had two temporary sports betting operator licenses and a temporary internet sports betting operator license approved. These licenses include among others, Eldorado Resorts’ Isle of Capri Casino Hotel and Lady Luck Casino, both located in Black Hawk.
These and similar licenses remain temporary until completion of a background investigation, said Kristen Blessman, chair of the commission.
In addition, the Commission issued licenses to four casinos in Black Hawk: The Bull Durham Saloon & Casino, The Gilpin Hotel Casino, The Red Dolly Casino and The Lodge Casino at Black Hawk; master licenses to companies that operate Johnny Nolon’s Casino and the Colorado Grande Hotel and Casino; temporary vendor major licenses to Sportradar Solutions LLC and Penn Sports Interactive; a first vendor major license to International Game Technology PLC.
The commission meets again on April 16, which is the last scheduled meeting before the scheduled launch of sports betting.
There are at least 10 online sportsbook operator and casino pairs that could accept wagers come May 1:
- Circa Sports and Century Casinos
- DraftKings Sportsbook and Twin River
- FanDuel Sportsbook and Twin River
- Penn Sports Interactive and Penn National
- PointsBet and Double Eagle
- Smarkets and Full House Resorts
- Stadium Technology and Monarch Casinos
- Stars Group‘s Fox Bet and Eldorado Resorts
- theScore Bet and Jacobs Entertainment
- William Hill and Eldorado Resorts
