Colorado to vote on increasing casino gambling limits

Colorado residents will have the chance to vote on increasing the gambling limits at the state's casinos this fall via the measure known as Amendment 50. Residents will vote on whether to give the local casino towns the ability to to raise gambling stakes to $100, up from the current $5 limit. This would give the opportunity to Black Hawk, Cripple Creek and Central City to hold their own elections on raising the maximum casino wager, a measure heavily lobbied by the local casinos, ever since the casino gambling slowdown began early this year. If bet limits go up, much of the expected increase in gaming- tax revenues would go toward student financial aid programs and classroom instruction at Colorado's public community colleges, junior colleges and local district colleges, the amendment provides.

Amendment 50 would also let local residents decide whether casinos can expand limited-stakes operations to 24 hours a day and add Las Vegas- style craps and roulette. Casinos in the above three towns currently must close at 2 a.m.

Published on 08/09/2008