A packed craps table at the Lodge Casino in Black Hawk, Colorado. (July 2, 2009) |
BLACK HAWK, Colo.—
Casinos in Colorado just pulled their first all-nighter. The new expanded gambling policy went into effect at one minute after midnight Thursday.State voters approved Amendment 50 in November, letting voters in the mountain casino towns of Cripple Creek, Central City and Black Hawk decide whether to expand gambling.
Voters in all three agreed to boost betting limits from $5 to $100, add craps and roulette to existing offerings of poker, blackjack and slots, and allow gambling 24 hours a day instead of stopping between 2 a.m. and 8 a.m.
Economists for the state Legislature predict the changes will produce $30.6 million in revenue in fiscal 2009-2010. Some of the money will go to fund community colleges.
Casinos collected $180 million in gambling tax revenue in fiscal 2007-2008.
