Colorado’s Limited Gaming Control Commission (CLGCC) has awarded a new round of sports betting licenses, including online permits for Fox Bet, FanDuel and PointsBet.
At a meeting of the CLGCC last week, master sports betting licenses were awarded to Twin River Worldwide’s Golden Mardi Gras, Golden Gates and Golden Gulch casinos, all located in Black Hawk.
Under agreements struck in January this year DraftKings – which was awarded a temporary internet betting license earlier in March – will serve as the Golden Mardi Gras’s retail and mobile partner.
FanDuel, which was awarded a temporary internet license at last week’s meeting, will also work with Twin River in Colorado, though will only launch a mobile offering in the state.
FHR Colorado, meanwhile, was also awarded master licenses for its Bronco Billy’s Casino, Billy’s Casino and Christmas Casino & Inn by Bronco Billy’s properties.
PointsBet, which has partnered Double Eagle Casino, was awarded internet and retail licenses, after its partner was handed a master license in February.
Fox Bet, whose parent company The Stars Group secured market access through a 2018 partnership with Eldorado Resorts, was the final brand to be handed an online license.
Vendor major licenses were also awarded to Bet.Works, which will power theScore’s sportsbook in the state; GVC Holdings’ Stadium Technology Group, and betting data and content provider Sports Information Services.
Vendor minor licenses – those issued to contractors providing services that support a sports betting operation rather than powering it – were awarded to payment processor OBeP Payments; odds provider PopOdds, and marketing agency Fan Leads.
Colorado’s legislature passed sports betting regulations in May 2019, with the framework ratified by a public referendum in November that year.
However its path towards legal wagering has not been without controversy, after civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton wrote to state governor Jared Polis, urging him to abandon plans to allow mobile wagering.
Sharpton claimed that this would lead to job losses in the state’s land-based gambling facilities, which he said would disproportionately affect minorities.