The Gazette newsroom and editorial staff were not involved in the creation of this content.

The gambling industry is big enough to make a massive impact in nearly all US states. Though Colorado is generally not considered to be a casino epicenter, it still generates a whole lot of revenue through gaming-related income streams.

This should not surprise you because we do live in the online casino era that practically forces every state or country to loosen up the restrictions – it seems like most regions now do it by allowing more companies to provide additional gambling services. This is why we now get to see Google Pay casinos in 50+ countries worldwide. The idea is simple: Online casinos with Google Pay provide better services thanks to a more advanced (and widely recognized) payment system.

Such trends naturally influence Colorado as well, and we are going to analyze them in the next few sections. Let’s learn about the economic growth from casinos in Colorado.

What’s the Current Situation?

As one of the smallest US states population-wise (under 6 million people), Colorado is able to generate a pretty impressive gambling revenue. According to the Colorado Department of Revenue, the overall betting and gambling business is worth slightly above $4 billion per year if we take into account its total economic impact.

It is quite an outstanding figure given the number of casinos – 35 in total – and some very strict gaming regulations in this state. For instance, gambling is generally considered illegal unless organized within a few specific categories such as:

• Social gaming
• Horse race betting
• Dog race betting
• Online betting

In addition, casino gaming is allowed in 3 cities only: Cripple Creek, Central, and Black Hawk. In such circumstances, we can conclude that the overall Colorado gambling scene is solid and quite profitable.

Colorado Casino-Related Tax Income

The gambling sector is obviously big in Colorado, so it must have a major side effect in terms of tax revenue. Official reports say that the state gains nearly $600 million per year from taxing gaming-related services. We understand that this is but a fraction of the overall state budget (which amounts to nearly $56 million), but it still plays a big role for the local community – as you’ll see in the following sections.

Gambling Companies Are Big Time Employers

Since casinos and online gaming platforms in Colorado are often recognized for their flashy marketing, their role as employers often flies under the radar. However, the truth is that gambling-related businesses in this state provide steady employment to thousands of people.

To be more precise, we are talking about nearly 20 thousand regular workers who contribute to this sector. This is possible because Colorado hosts 35 casinos, with each employing a diverse workforce that serves different purposes:

•  Management roles
• Customer service
• Operations
• Technical support
• Security personnel
• Marketing staff

More importantly, almost all of these roles come with all the benefits you would expect from a full time job (health insurance and career advancement opportunities, to name but a few). It’s a huge thing for three cities in which state casinos are allowed to operate: Central City, Cripple Creek, and Black Hawk rely on these businesses to sustain their local economies.

Casino Gaming Encourages Ancillary Businesses

One thing some people neglect is that the benefits of casino businesses extend well beyond mere gaming floors. On the contrary, we can witness many perks in terms of ancillary businesses that indirectly take advantage of local casinos.

Take Cripple Creek as an example – entrepreneurs in this small town launched many restaurants, bars, and hotels thanks to the steady stream of visitors drawn to the casinos. At the same time, transportation services continuously see increased demand because tourists want to quickly access local casinos.

This also benefits local suppliers – including food and beverage distributors – who can count on higher profits. Of course, we must not forget construction firms for facility upgrades as well as tech providers for gaming and security equipment.

For example, the Cripple Creek gaming industry is worth approximately $2.3 million, whilst the annual budget of this town is around $16 million. Simply put, 1 out of 7 dollars in Cripple Creek comes from gaming-related businesses – a truly stunning figure for such a small place.

The Bottom Line: There’s More to Gambling Than People Might Think

Gambling is so much more than a nice pastime activity in Colorado, USA. It turns out that this sector is responsible for thousands of jobs in the Centennial State, whilst it also supports and helps run a whole range of ancillary companies in three casino towns. That’s why the overall impact of gambling stretches well beyond entertainment to make for a well-rounded industry that benefits the entire state.