Native reservations have sovereignty laws that mean tribes can bypass state laws when it comes to gambling. One is located in between/south of Pagosa Springs and Durango, the other casino is south of Cortez. Both have hotels attached so accommodations and modern amenities are on-site. Gambling in the southwest offers the fun of Vegas-style gaming two 24/7 casinos. Native American Casinos in Southern Colorado Sleeping Ute Mountain rests behind Ute Mountain Casino. In fact, the mountain range when seen in profile is said to resemble the chief of the Ute tribe lying down with arms folded across his chest. The highest peak in the Ute Mountains is called the Sleeping Ute Mountain and is a sacred place for the Ute Tribe. It is an area that covers parts of southwest Colorado and neighboring Utah and New Mexico. Colorado’s Native American casinos are found within the Ute Mountain National Reservation, where the Southern Ute Tribe has lived officially since 1897.
