Amendment 77 Would Be Economic Life Preserver For Struggling CO Gaming Towns

Written By Ian St. Clair on 10/09/2020Last Updated on January 7, 2022

Gambling communities in Colorado need assistance.

The financial toll that the COVID-19 pandemic has taken on the Colorado casino industry, Black Hawk, Central City and Cripple Creek, the two counties and even the state has been pure havoc.

Amendment 77 is the possible lifeline.

Voters in Colorado will see the constitutional amendment included as they start to give general election ballots to them today.

Local Choice Colorado representative Karen Crummy told PlayinСolorado:

& , These historic towns were on the verge of going extinct when Colorado legalized gaming there thirty years ago. However, they were successful in becoming beach areas focused on game, constructing hotels, and launching retail establishments and restaurants. The majority of these towns & , tax revenue is now made up of tourism and gaming revenue.

& , However, they are now battling for their lives. The coronavirus has wreaked havoc on their cities. Colorado & , a formerly thriving tourism and hospitality sector, has been severely impacted by COVID-19 and is recovering over the course of several years. These three cities have been devastated by closures, furlough, and reduced abilities, leaving their businesses, governments, or communities in a desperate state of exhaustion.

Giving Cripple Creek, & , and other cities may benefit from the possibility of raising restrictions and adding game. Tax revenues would rise, regional economic opportunities may improve, jobs in travel and tourism would increase, and restaurants, hotels and casinos would make more money as a result. & rdquo,

Describe Amendment 77.

The proposed amendment would give the voters of three gaming towns&;the right to approve the maximum bet of any amount. The amendment was originally called Initiative No. 257&;until it got the required 125,000 signatures to get on the ballot.

The citizens had likewise consent to the addition of game games, such as blackjack, craps, poker, roulette, and slots, to what is already permitted by the Colorado Constitution.

However, the action has no impact on Colorado’s gaming laws.

If the program is approved, the three towns’ residents will simply have the choice of participating in a local election to determine whether or not they want to expand the betting restrictions and games.

As stated by Crummy:

& , This right of self-government is at the core of Amendment 77, which grants citizens of Cripple Creek, Central City, and Black Hawk the freedom to make crucial choices that have an impact on their local economies and financial future. These cities have centered their local economies on lodging, dining establishments, visitors, and tourists who come to play video games. These small communities should be permitted to raise betting restrictions because they are the ones who will be most negatively impacted if they want to encourage regional economic activity. & rdquo,

How Act 77 may be beneficial

As of right now, there are caps on maximum stakes in Colorado and South Dakota and . Casinos in Colorado have a$ 100 cap, while those in the storied town of Deadwood have an$ 1,000 cap.

The game that casinos may include is baccarat, which is the one that is most frequently mentioned.

The addition of more games doesn&;t just mean more revenue, it means more workers. The casinos in Gilpin and Teller counties would need to add more dealers and tables.

As David Farahi, the president of the Colorado Gaming Association (CGA) and COO of Monarch Casino and Resort in Black Hawk, said in June:

Local control is provided by Amendment 77 of & . It enables the communities that are most negatively impacted by games to choose for themselves the limits they want. and what brand-new activities they intend to release. For instance, casino is a fairly popular game in casinos all over the nation. However, casino is not permitted as a passport activity in Colorado. & rdquo,

What worries are there?

Crummy said that Amendment 77 has no organized opposition.

But what potential worries might citizens have?

Substandard claims:

The only worry we’ve heard, according to & , is that some people develop an addiction to gambling. Anyone who is experiencing any kind of habit is a major cause for concern and should not be dismissed. However, this action is not intended to make gambling andmdash, which has been permitted for 30 years in these three cities, legitimate. Otherwise, the Cripple Creek, Central City, and Black Hawk residents’ right to make fundamental choices that have an impact on their local markets and financial future is the subject of this article. & rdquo,

Similar game changes in Colorado

In terms of the past, the Colorado voters have approved the exact article, which wasn’t too long ago.

In 2008, Colorado voters approved Amendment 50.

The three gaming towns’ people were given the power to enact changes by the legal act. People had the option of increasing the maximum bet control, extending game hours, or approving new games.

Sounds familar, don’t you think?

Amendment 50 added craps to the list of games casinos in Colorado could offer and set the max limit bet at $100.

Therefore, Amendment 77 essentially improves Amendment 50.

The crucial question is now: Did voters support Amendment 77 and grant the gambling towns that potential lifeline?

As stated by Crummy:

It is no secret that high turnout is anticipated for this election cycle, & , It & . We are contacting as many Colorado electors as we can to inform them of the benefits of supporting Amendment 77. & rdquo,

Image by Dreamstime
Mr. Ian St. Clair Avatar
authored by

Mr. Ian St. Clair

Ian is a University of Northern Colorado student and an award-winning sporting blogger. He is a native of Colorado and has covered school and professional sports for more than ten years. He entered the gaming world just as Colorado legalized sports bets in 2020. Ian currently oversees the websites for some of North America’s largest betting markets and works as a PlayinСolorado researcher.

View all posts by Mr. Ian St. Clair