Colorado

Last updated: 9/4/2026

This guide is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Poker laws vary by jurisdiction and are subject to change. Consult a licensed attorney in your state for specific legal questions about hosting poker games.

Home game poker is generally legal in Colorado under the social gambling carve-out in the definition of 'gambling' at C.R.S. 18-10-102. The statute does not impose a dollar limit on social wagers; instead the game must be incidental to a bona fide social relationship, involve only natural persons, and involve no professional gambling. Commercial gaming is authorized in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek and at tribal casinos.

Home Games

Generally Legal

C.R.S. 18-10-102(2) excludes from the definition of 'gambling' any game, wager, or transaction that is incidental to a bona fide social relationship, is participated in by natural persons only, and in which no person is participating, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling. Colorado courts have focused on whether participants came together for a shared purpose other than gambling. The statute contains no per-wager dollar cap for social gambling; the previously listed $100 limit reflected the former limited-gaming maximum bet for licensed casinos (removed by Amendment 77 in 2020), not the social gambling exemption.

Conditions

The game must be incidental to a bona fide social relationship among the participants
Only natural persons may participate (no entity, house, or business may be a party)
No person may participate, directly or indirectly, in professional gambling
No person may take a rake, fee, or other profit from operating or hosting the game

Age: 18+

Charitable Gaming

Legal - Limited

Charitable gaming is licensed by the Colorado Secretary of State, but the licensed charitable games-of-chance framework is centered on bingo and raffles. Charitable poker is not clearly authorized: in Charnes v. Central City Opera House, 773 P.2d 546 (Colo. 1989), the Colorado Supreme Court held that a nonprofit's casino-type fundraiser did not qualify for the social gambling exemption. This section should be re-verified against current Secretary of State bingo-raffle rules before being relied upon.

License: Required

Commercial Poker

Legal - Licensed & Regulated

Commercial casinos operate in Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. Amendment 77 (2020) removed bet limits for these towns. Tribal gaming also operates at Ute Mountain Casino.

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