Will the new Wyoming casino attract North Colorado gamblers?

A new gambling hub that recently opened in South Wyoming is likely to attract a high volume of Colorado gamblers. 

The Horse Palace at Swan Ranch opened on June 22 and has proven itself popular throughout July. While it’s impossible to currently say how many Colorado gamblers have traveled across the border to try out this new gambling facility, its convenient position in Cheyenne has likely already attracted – and definitely will attract more – Coloradian gamblers. 

This is especially true for gamblers who are based in northern towns and cities like Fort Collins. The Horse Palace is less than a 40-minute drive from Fort Collins, meaning that it takes far less time to carry out this cross-border drive than it does to reach the closest casino located on Colorado soil. 

While there are brick-and-mortar casinos located in the Centennial State, they aren’t located in popular cities. Instead, they can be found in the old mining towns of the state such as Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. They’re located in these towns to boost the economy and attraction of these historically significant locations. 

However, the location of these casinos makes alternative options, such as digital casinos, far more appealing for those located in the northern half of the state. There are several other reasons why online casinos have attracted such a high level of gamblers from Colorado. 

Sergio Zammit, an online gambling expert, states that the best online credit card casinos provide fast withdrawals and deposits and don’t add high fees for credit card use. They also feature live dealers and live chat customer support, which makes them as close to the real thing as possible. 

But what about North Coloradans who want to play the real thing? Before the opening of the new casino in Wyoming, those located in North Colorado who wished to play in-person casino games would have had to make the one-hour, 40-minute drive to Black Hawk. The Monarch Black Hawk Casino is the closest state-based casino for most residents of Fort Collins and other surrounding settlements. 

Now, North Coloradans can reach a brick-and-mortar gambling facility in less than half that time. However, the Horse Palace is not like the traditional casinos that you can find in Colorado. The new $25 million gaming hub focuses on simulated horse racing that visitors can bet on. 

There are also OTB (off-track betting) and HHR (historical horse racing) gambling machines. While there are slot and general gaming machines available onsite, gamblers won’t find the same games that they would find at the likes of the Monarch Black Hawk. 

The Horse Palace is not a Native American casino, meaning it cannot offer traditional casino games. The state only permits its four Native American casinos to offer traditional gambling options. If you’re looking to play real poker in Wyoming, you’ll have to travel to the Wind River Hotel & Casino in Riverton, as this is the only venue in the state that offers it. 

In addition to its horse racing-related betting facilities, the venue features a steak house, a live entertainment stage, and a Dunkin Donuts. Celebrity chef Shawn Jackson oversees the menu of the onsite restaurant. 

At this point, it’s too difficult to say whether the Horse Palace will impact Colorado’s $1.48 billion gross gaming revenue. While the new gambling hub offers North Coloradans a new gambling option in a convenient location, it doesn’t offer the types of games they’re used to playing at venues located within the state.

Coloradans may prefer to stay within the state and use crypto gambling sites or take a slightly longer drive to Monarch Black Hawk.