Amendment 77 was anticipated to bring about a positive impact on Colorado games, giving rise to hope.
Yet, there was no definite or complete way to ascertain it.
The game memorial, which commenced on May 1, has proven to be a game-changer, primarily due to the statistics gathered in July. Furthermore, it has brought about significant changes in terms of positions, game areas, and even within the realm of casinos.
Before delving into the statistics, let’s briefly explore the background that led to this occurrence.
In the November election, voters approving Amendment 77 paved the way for Colorado casinos to introduce new table games and offer unlimited betting, which became effective on May 1.
Thanks to the measure, residents of the three gaming cities of Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek now possess regional control. This means that they are empowered to evaluate the inclusion of casino games as well as determine the maximum bet amount allowed.
As a result, the approval of voters has been obtained for the expansion of gambling restrictions and the introduction of new games in all three game towns.
The rules of the new games were given approval by the Colorado Limited Gaming Control Commission (CLGCC) as well.
The statistics for July set new records for AGP and income.
The outcome was that the impact was almost immediate.
In order to assess the impact of no-limit gaming and new games, the Colorado Division of Gaming (DOG) collected data to determine if any notable changes were occurring.
The most recent full year’s record numbers for adjusted gross proceeds (AGP) and taxes were analyzed by DOG. This pertains to the financial period of 2018. Based on data from July 2017 to July of this year, AGP has increased by 22.4% and taxes have seen a significant rise of 71.3%. These numbers reflect a record-breaking month for the Division.
Indeed, it appears that Colorado’s new game regulations are yielding results.
According to Kevin Dawn, the poker manager at Ameristar Casino,
There is definitely a noticeable shift occurring in the casino play in Colorado. All the casinos offering games are benefiting from the overall increase in business. Previously, we had no-limit games with buy-ins ranging from $1 to $3, $2 to $5, and $5 to $10 (representing the small and large blinds) per day. Additionally, we had spread games with stakes reaching as high as $100 to $200. However, due to the changes, the availability of spread games and direct limit games has decreased, resulting in a significant decline in interest for those particular games.
With Labor Weekend just a year away, those figures can be expected to rise.
After a challenging 2020 for casinos and Colorado’s three gambling communities, the prospect of this encouraging growth is a welcome sign for the remainder of the year.
Dan Hartman, the Director for the Division of Gaming, expressed
According to & , the gaming sector was significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic last year. We were uncertain about when and to what extent the industry would recover. However, the current economic recovery after the pandemic indicates that collaborations between regulators and the gaming industry can help businesses recover from the financial challenges they faced in 2020. & rdquo,
