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We've got a great guest post today from reader Shadeymonk, who headed up to Black Rock the other day to see how the new rule changes have shaken things up there. Great stuff here for the CO contingent... Take it away Shadey!

Let me start off by saying that Black Hawk didn't even feel like it used to, and that is definitely a good thing. In order to really get how much things have improved, I feel I should explain what Black Hawk used to be like and then how it was different this time around.

In 1993 Colorado agreed to allow limited stakes gaming in the former mining towns that were on their last legs: Central City, Black Hawk, and Cripple Creek. Central City and Black Hawk are a mile apart and Cripple Creek isn't anywhere near them. When the gaming started, Central City was the big place to play and Black Hawk was struggling to find it's feet. The gaming laws in Colorado were strict. Casinos had to close by 2:00AM, No wagers higher than $5 a hand, and the only gaming allowed was Slots, Blackjack, Poker, and any variations there-of (ie 3 card poker, Caribbean stud). Once people started frequenting Central City, the big companies wanted to get in on the action (Isle of Capri, Riviera, etc). Central City refused to change it's bulding codes to keep the small town feel, while black Hawk was more than willing to allow them to move in. As these places opened, Black Hawk quickly surpassed Central City as the main gaming city in Colorado. When you would visit Black Hawk, however, while it was fun, it never really wowed you like being in a Vegas or Atlantic City casino. It just seemed like the only people there were very old or hardcore gambling addicts.

In November, Coloradans had the option to vote for Amendment 50. This allowed the casinos to accept bets up to $100, add Craps and Roulette, and stay open 24 hours. 75% of the increased tax revenue would be set aside to fund the community college system in Colorado. The amendment passed and it was up to the cities to decide if they wanted to implement the system. On July 2nd, all casinos in Colorado switched to allow the changes from Amendment 50.

So how was it different when I went up there? My favorite casino in Black Hawk is the Ameristar. It's also the nicest. When betting maximum's were $5, you would often find blackjack tables which featured a Maximum and Minimum bet of $5 a hand. Now the Ameristar didn't even have $5 blackjack or craps available. So we ended up playing at the Golden Mardi Gras. It was packed! I don't know if it was the new novelty or a trend, but everyone was very excited. I played at the Craps table first. They definitely are still learning how to deal and they aren't very efficient. The game stopped for over 10 minutes while they brought more chips to the table and the dealers had trouble keeping track of all the chips and payouts. But I'll chalk that up to everyone still being new to the game. The stick guy, however, did a great job and his call-outs were top notch. I had to wait to get on one of the three $5 blackjack tables at the Golden Mardi Gras, but unlike Las Vegas, the $5 blackjack in Black Hawk is still 3/2 with dealer standing on all 17s. The cocktail waitress came frequently, and I definitely had a lot of fun. There is definitely a lot more people around, and everyone seems to be having more fun. There's definitely a much more lively vibe around the city. I had the most fun I've had in Black Hawk, and while nothing will ever compare to Vegas, this can very adequately fill the void for any Colorado resident or visitor between Vegas trips.

Black Hawk has changed, and it's definitely for the better.

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