Limited stakes gambling is allowed in the mountain communities of Black Hawk and Central City, which are west of Golden and adjacent to each other, and Cripple Creek, south of Colorado Springs. The communities' casinos has posted $51.5 million in gross revenues for February, up slightly from the $51 million in February 2000 and the $50.9 million recorded in January, according to the latest data available from the Colorado Division of Gaming.

Black Hawk's 19 casinos have recorded $35.8 million in proceeds in February, down slightly from $35.9 million in January. The tally gives Black Hawk 69.5% of the statewide market.

Cripple Creek's 19 casinos had generated $10.6 million in February, up from January's $9.9 million for 20.6% of the state's total. Central City's five casinos have reported $5 million in gross proceeds in February, the same in January, for almost 10% of Colorado's market.

The Gaming Control Commission also has OK'd a $7.56 million budget request for fiscal year 2002 from the Colorado Division of Gaming. That's a $6.62-million increase over this year. Most of the increase has been from a one-time expense in paying $730,00 for the Clark Annex building, which houses the division's Central City office.