Vote Yes On Proposition DD and Question 2C
~ by Trevor Phipps ~
Imagine sitting at a sports bar in Cripple Creek, drinking a beer and betting on your favorite sports team.
For years gambling has been legal in the town to include most games except professional sports betting.
Next month the entire state will vote on whether sports betting will be legal inside Colorado’s three legal gaming towns. This issue is referred to as Proposition DD. In Cripple Creek, the sports betting issue is on their ballot as well under question No.. 3 or 2C, so Cripple Creek residents will vote on the matter twice. As part of the proposal, the majority of the voters in the impacted gaming communities must say yes the idea.
Most of the city’s leaders and others in the gaming community support the bill and welcome sports betting with open arms. The city council last week passed a resolution supporting the measure. Many see it as a way to bring growth to the gambling town and attract different clientele.
The addition of a new type of gambling is coming at a time when three of the town’s casinos are planning hotel expansions. The casino owners think that new and improved lodging will help the town compete better with Black Hawk and fulfill the dream of becoming a destination area.
Sports gaming may also help bring people into the mountain city. One casino in town has already announced a partnership they plan to form with an established sports betting company when and if sports betting becomes legal.
To me, this is all great news. Not being a big gambler myself, I don’t participate much in the types of gaming the towns like Cripple Creek have to offer. I sometimes play poker and blackjack but I am not really into slot machines and I don’t know how to play craps.
I am, however, an avid sports enthusiast, and occasionally I like to bet on sports. The way the laws are written now the only way you can bet on sports games legally is if it is between a group of friends and no person or entity is taking a cut. At one time, I ran a football pool within a group of friends and everyone seemed to have fun with it.
When I bet on sports, I feel like it gives me a reason to watch and pay attention to games and teams that I otherwise would ignore. I feel that having a little bit of money on a game, makes watching and following all sports more exciting.
Therefore, I think that sports betting would be a good addition to Cripple Creek and it will make it so everyone can bet and not just those that know someone that runs a pool. I also think that it will attract people that may not engage in other types of gaming such as myself. When I ran my pool, people that didn’t gamble or even watch sports still liked to join in on the betting because a majority of it is luck of the draw.
I am also excited that the legalization of sports betting could come at a time when casino 
owners are investing back into the town. I think that the addition of higher class restaurants, hotel rooms, and sports betting will help the town increase their gaming revenue and grow.
I personally know some married couples where one person likes playing slot machines and the other doesn’t. But, with sports betting more couples might come up because one can watch sports and bet on them, while the other can take their chances on the slot machines and table games.
The other good part about legalizing sports betting is the increase in the state’s tax revenues. Some of the funds generated will go to enforcement of sports betting, gambling addiction services, and businesses negatively affected by the new law. Also, a hefty portion goes to address a serious issue: grappling with a comprehensive state water plan. The rest of the taxes generated will be refunded back to Colorado taxpayers.
Overall, I think that the addition of legal sports gaming will be good for the state and I think that voting yes next month is a win-win for everyone. The tax revenue increase and the growth possibilities make it valuable for those that don’t bet on sports or gamble as well as those that want a way to legally bet on their favorite team.
But some important advice for avid sports fan if the sports betting propositions get passed: Don’t bet on the Denver Broncos or the Colorado Rockies. Otherwise, you may have to pay for a sports therapist.
