Rick Langenberg
So much for past enemies and the bashing of familiar rock ‘n’ roll cliches.
The city of Cripple Creek has joined forces with fellow gaming rival and one-time staunch foe Black Hawk in a pre-emptive strike against the state legalization of internet gambling (knowns as i-Gaming), in what some leaders are calling the biggest threat the industry and town has faced in the last decade.
For months, reports have circulated regarding a new legislative bill, aimed at taking the first step to legalize online casinos in Colorado. That’s a no-no in the eyes of the local gaming industry, the state casino association and community leaders, with officials and business leaders regarding this as a death blow for limited stakes gambling in Cripple Creek and the two other mountain communities.
The city has successfully thwarted a variety of efforts to expand limited stakes gaming activity to other venues, but the online prospects have leaders quite nervous, especially with a state government that is desperately eying a potential revenue jackpot. Currently, the state government is starring at a $1 billion-plus deficit, an amount that could result in certain lawmakers siding with plans to allow full-fledged i-Gaming in Colorado, even if these plans crush the three mountain towns where legal bets are permitted.
City leaders believe thousands of jobs are at stake, along with the future of brick-and-mortar gaming establishments. One study has predicted that the gaming mountain towns could lose more than 1,200 jobs, and not a single new casino operation or expansion will occur in the three gaming communities, if online casino-like gambling is legalized. Opponents of this development fear this could open the door for a multitude of digital online casino platforms with no restrictions, taking away any incentives to frequent local casinos or for visitors to partake in local festivals and events. And worse of all, the state could get hit with an estimated $830 million in social problem-related costs from serious online gambling addiction woes.
“This is being able to kind of sit in your bed on your cell phone and spin the slot machine over and over,” said Jason Gumer, vice-chair of the National Association Against i-Gaming (NAAG), according to an article in the Mountain Ear. “As of now, there are only seven states in the United States that allow this, but Europe has had it for a while. We look at what’s happening in England, and they introduced [iGaming] as a savior for governments and for tax revenue… but nothing’s been further from the truth. “If iGaming comes, you will not see another casino opened, brick and mortar, again.”
Cripple Creek leaders agree with this view, already endorsed by the Colorado Gaming Association, and have taken an official anti-i-gaming stand in preparation for a legislative battle over this issue.
City Adopts Formal Anti-Internet Gaming Resolution
In a recent meeting, the city council endorsed a resolution indicating their opposition to internet gambling. More specifically, this resolution heavily supports Black Hawk and Mayor David Spellman, in their fight against a pro-i-Gaming position adopted by Caesars Entertainment and an online digital platform that leaves the three gaming communities in the dust. The i-gaming movement has brough back memories of the battle raged over sports betting, with the three gaming communities ending up as big losers.
This left Cripple Creek leaders rehashing the popular 1970s catchline from the Who rock band, “We Won’t Get Fooled Again.” The sports betting debacle has raised the ire of city leaders and officials, as if it wasn’t for the support of gaming towns and local casinos, this $3 billion-plus a year industry would never have been possible. Instead, Cripple Creek received zilch revenue from sports betting, which legally only could get started in designated casinos in the mountain communities, and through their related apps.
Black Hawk recently became the first community in the nation that teamed up with NAAG, a newly formed coalition, aimed at battling online casino gambling throughout Colorado and the country.
City leaders in Cripple Creek aren’t too far behind and are ready brandish their political and legal swords if necessary. Both City Administrator Frank Salvato and city lobbyist Sol Malick expressed deep concerns about the impact of i-Gaming and warned leaders to prepare for an end-around maneuver. “We need to support anyone who is against i-Gaming,” said Salvato at the council’s April 2 session. “It is going to hurt the community.”
More importantly, he cautioned leaders to remain vigilant regarding any legislative attempts to sneak a i-gaming package into legal action by attaching it to another bill. As a result, Cripple Creek leaders would not have any time to comment on the legislation in the final weeks of the 2025 session.
Ultimately, the issue would likely have to be voted on by the citizens of Colorado. But officials from Cripple Creek want to stop i-Gaming in its tracks in the early, preliminary process. “This could be a dangerous bill,” said Malick. “I am very concerned.”
He noted that some of the online, digital platforms have the full capability of mimicking games of chance played at any local casino.
Salvato stated that he would prefer to attack this type of pending legislation with a joint resolution, with several entities, such as possibly the Teller County commissioners, signing on. But the city administrator indicated that time is not on their side, if they want to defuse the prospects of i-Gaming becoming a reality in the 2025 legislative session. “That is a very wise thing to do,” said Malick.
City elected leaders have fully supported this opposition to the legalization of internet, online casino gambling, with no apparent controls.
From Enemies to Allies
Ironically, their stand puts Cripple Creek on the same side as Black Hawk, a community that it previously fought with repeatedly regarding key historic preservation issues and tax revenue the gaming towns should receive. For years, the two towns battled each other in the legal trenches.
But those earlier conflicts are over, due to such largescale issues as sports betting and i-gaming.
Black Hawk Mayor David Spellman came out verbally swinging in a strongly-worded letter addressed to the chief executive officer of Caesars Entertainment. At issue is the Nevada company’s apparent support of i-Gaming. “I am writing to express my deep disappointment and profound frustration with Caesars Entertainment’s decision to abandon its longstanding and valued partnership with the city of Black Hawk by refusing to oppose the legalization of internet gambling. This blatant disrespect of our community…is nothing short of fa betrayal.”
The mayor has urged the gambling and entertainment giant, which the city has strong ties with, to reconsider their position “before irreparable damage is done.”
