Colorado Casinos Successfully Block Lottery Expansion

Black Hawk (l.), Central City and Cripple Creek, Colorado’s gaming cities, have successfully lobbied to keep the state’s bars and restaurants from offering instant win drawings, like Keno. But the battle may not be over.

Colorado Casinos Successfully Block Lottery Expansion

Colorado’s three casino towns of Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City has successfully lobbied the legislature to prevent the Colorado Lottery from allowing restaurants and bars to offer instant win drawings on video terminals, including such games as Keno.

The Lottery floated the proposal, which had the support of Governor Jared Polis among others, but it was blocked as a bill. However some believe it’s only a matter of time before the bill is proposed again since it could reportedly generate $7.2 million for the state.

Peak Government Affairs lobbyist told the Cripple Creek City Council on April 21, “This would put a crack in Colorado’s gaming foundation. The governor wants this.”