The Colorado Gaming Control Commission has issued master sports betting licenses to seven venues, including two operated by Century Casinos, as well as online betting licenses to Roar Digital, Smarkets, Rush Street Interactive and Penn National Gaming.
The Commission granted master licenses – which allow an operator to work with a licensed retail sportsbook, a licensed online sportsbook or a licensee that offers both – to Century Casinos’ Central City and Cripple Creek properties.
In addition, master licenses were granted to the Lodge Casino, Gilpin Hotel Casino and Bull Durham Saloon & Casino and Red Dolly Casino, all located in Black Hawk.
The Commission also granted six online licenses, including one to Century Casinos’ partner, Circa Sports. In February, the pair joined forces in a 15-year agreement to launch online sports wagering services in the state.
Also receiving online sports betting licenses were MGM-GVC joint venture Roar Digital, William Hill’s American Wagering, Inc., Rush Street Interactive, Smarkets and Penn Sports Interactive, a subsidiary of Penn National Gaming.
In addition, American Wagering, Inc. received retail sports betting licenses in conjunction with the Isle of Capri and Lady Luck Casinos in the state.
Roar Digital also received a retail sports betting license.
The Gaming Commission also issued a series of supplier licenses. Sportradar, International Game Technology and Penn Sports all received major vendor licenses.
Minor vendor licenses were issued to PXP Financial, IT service businesses Computacenter Fusionstorm and Flexential Colorado as well as daily fantasy sports affiliate Awesomo.com.
In addition, United Tote Company, Geocomply Solutions and payments providers Intercheck Technologies, Sightline Payments and Worldpay Gaming Solutions received minor vendor licenses.
Legal sports betting will launch in Colorado on 1 May, after the state 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.
Last month (25 March), the Colorado Gaming Control Commission issued online sports betting licences to Fox Bet, FanDuel and PointsBet among others.