Anyone working a gaming role inside a Colorado casino needs a Colorado gaming support license from the Division of Gaming before their first shift. Fees start at $75, the license runs for two years, and approval turns on a background investigation plus a set of criminal-history and eligibility rules that disqualify some applicants outright.
Who Needs a Support License
Colorado law requires a support license for every person employed in limited gaming and for all gaming employees. You cannot work for or assist a gaming licensee until the license is in hand.1Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-501 – Licenses – Types – Rules In practice that covers dealers, cashiers, cage staff, surveillance, security, and most other casino jobs that touch gaming operations.
Limited gaming happens in three towns only: Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek. If you already hold a key employee license, you do not need a separate support license. Everyone else in a gaming role needs one first.1Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-501 – Licenses – Types – Rules
Do You Qualify
Check eligibility before you pay anything. The application fee is non-refundable, and some issues cause automatic denial regardless of the rest of your application.
Age and Identification
You must be at least 21.2Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Playing in a Casino – Gaming You also have to establish lawful presence in the United States, because a gaming license counts as a public benefit under Colorado law. Acceptable ID includes a valid Colorado driver’s license, a U.S. passport, a military ID, or a permanent resident card, among other government-issued documents. Standard driver’s licenses from Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, Nebraska, New Mexico, Utah, and Washington are not accepted on their own unless they are marked “enhanced” or paired with an original certified birth certificate.3Colorado Department of Revenue. Required Forms of Identification
Criminal History That Disqualifies You
Certain convictions end the application on the spot. Answering yes to any of these means denial:4Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Do I Qualify to Apply for a Gaming License?
- Any gambling felony, at any time.
- Any theft-by-deception felony (embezzlement, fraud, scams, con games), at any time.
- Any fraud or misrepresentation felony (bad checks, forgery, perjury, tax fraud, welfare fraud, false documentation), at any time.
- Any felony where you finished the sentence, including probation or parole, within the last ten years.
- Any misdemeanor gambling, theft-by-deception, or fraud sentence completed within the last ten years.
- Any professional gambling conviction, at any time, as defined under Colorado law.
- A career offender designation, or membership in a career offender cartel.
If you are not sure where your record falls, the Division’s online screening tool walks through each question before any fees are charged. Run it first.
How to Apply
You can apply online through the Division of Gaming’s portal or mail in the PDF application. The Division prefers online, but the requirements are the same.5Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Apply for a Gaming Support License
Fingerprints and Fees
Every applicant is fingerprinted. You choose whether the Division does it or an approved outside vendor does, and that choice sets your fee:5Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Apply for a Gaming Support License
- Fingerprinted by the Division: $115 for a new support license.
- Fingerprinted by an approved outside vendor: $75 for a new support license, plus whatever the vendor charges.
All fees are non-refundable.6Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. License Fees
After You File
The Division runs a background investigation covering criminal history, financial review, and verification of your identity and eligibility. For key employee licenses the Division states new applications generally take 60 to 90 days.7Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Apply for a Gaming Key License Support license reviews tend to be less involved, but the Division does not publish a specific timeline. Plan on several weeks at minimum.
If you mail your application, send photocopies of your ID documents but keep the originals. You will need them in person when you pick up your license ID badge.3Colorado Department of Revenue. Required Forms of Identification
Renewal and What You Must Report
A support license expires two years from the date it was issued.1Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-501 – Licenses – Types – Rules Your renewal application must reach the Division at least 30 days before the expiration date.8Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Renew a Vendor Minor License The renewal fee is $70.6Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. License Fees
Renewal is not automatic. You submit updated information, sit for another background check, and settle any fees or taxes owed by the expiration date of your current license.9Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-518 – Renewal of Licenses
Between renewals, one obligation trips people up: you must notify the Division of Gaming any time you are arrested or go to court.5Department of Revenue – Specialized Business Group. Apply for a Gaming Support License Employment changes should be reported too. And if something in your background changes in a way that would have blocked the license originally, the Commission can revoke it mid-cycle.10Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-524 – Suspension or Revocation of License – Grounds – Penalties
What Happens if You Get It Wrong
The statute is explicit that no one required to hold a support license may work for or assist a gaming licensee without one.1Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-501 – Licenses – Types – Rules Working without a license is a knowing violation of the Limited Gaming Act, which is a Class 5 felony carrying one to three years in prison and fines from $1,000 to $100,000.11Colorado Public Law. CRS 44-30-802 – False Statement on Application The same Class 5 felony covers false statements on the application, misleading the Commission or Division, and falsifying records connected to gaming. Employers who let unlicensed workers on the floor put their own retail or operator license at risk.
The Commission can also impose monetary penalties on support license holders of up to $2,500 per violation, alongside suspension or revocation.10Justia. Colorado Code 44-30-524 – Suspension or Revocation of License – Grounds – Penalties Individuals tied to serious violations such as fraud can be barred from any future Colorado gaming license, which effectively closes off the industry in the state.