The gambling capital of the world attracts over 30,000,000 tourists annually, which is no surprise. Las Vegas casinos are grandiose establishments with unique architecture, high-quality service, and a vast array of gambling entertainment. All of this is enhanced by daily spectacular light shows and live performances.
The History of Las Vegas Gambling
It’s hard to believe that the world’s leading gambling capital arose from a desert. In the 1930s, the governor of Nevada set out to solve the problem of illegal casinos that had sprung up after the ban on gambling. The idea arose to legalize this business in one city in the state and consolidate all gambling establishments there.
The Flamingo was the first casino to open in Las Vegas. It still welcomes customers, including both tourists and locals.
Gambling halls within the hotel opened a few years later and attracted even more visitors thanks to their wide range of services. This marked the beginning of a wave of openings of entire entertainment complexes.
The gambling capital’s active development continued throughout the 1960s. Thirty years later, modernization of the establishments began. Large corporations, including MGM and Wynn Resorts, began to enter the industry.
In which areas of the city are casinos located?
Las Vegas is rightfully called the gambling capital of the world—gambling establishments are everywhere. You can even start enjoying the fun at the airport. But mostcasinoconcentrated in three parts of the city:
- Downtown.Refers to the older part of Las Vegas. It was here that the first gambling houses appeared. Many of them have become museums, and some still welcome customers. The Golden Nugget and El Cortez are especially popular among them.
- Comic book.South Las Vegas Boulevard stretches 6.5 kilometers. It’s home to the largest number of hotels, which house the city’s largest gambling establishments. Their floor space exceeds 10,200 square meters. This stretch is home to the Stratosphere Tower, Mandalay Bay, New York, New York, and Luxor Las Vegas.
- Spring Valley.The western district of the gambling capital. Not as popular.Like the Strip, it’s remote—it’s a 3-kilometer taxi or shuttle ride from the center. But discerning players are willing to travel this distance to visit the luxurious Rio and Gold Coast.
Top 15 Best Las Vegas Casinos
There are over 100 gambling establishments in the gambling capital. It’s impossible to play at them all in a single visit to Las Vegas. Therefore, tourists start by visiting the very best.
Caesars Palace
The gambling establishment has been operating since 1966. Upon its opening, it was the largest and most extravagant casino in the city. The owners have renovated it several times, so today it is a large entertainment complex in the style of the Roman Empire.
Caesars Palace is a casino that has frequently been used as a filming location for Hollywood films and TV series, including Friends and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.
Visitors to the establishment have access to over 1,200 gambling entertainment options. There are several rooms with slot machines, dozens of tables with roulette, poker, blackjack, and other games. VIP clients have access to separate rooms where they can place high stakes.
Caesars Palace
Hotel guests also have access to other entertainment, including singing fountains, a 167-meter-tall Ferris wheel, and concerts by world-renowned stars like Elton John, Celine Dion, and Stevie Nicks.
Palazzo Resort
A luxurious Las Vegas casino in the Italian Renaissance style. Opened in 2007, it is part of a luxury hotel with the largest standard rooms in Vegas and a total floor area of 645,581 square meters. Guests have access to approximately 3,000 gambling games, including popular slot machines, roulette, cards, craps, keno, blackjack, and more.
The Palazzo Resort was used as a filming location for the movie “Ocean’s Thirteen”.
Venetian
The gambling establishment has been operating since 1997. Its total floor area is over 11,1148 square meters. It operates as part of a hotel and attracts tourists with its exquisite Venetian style. To visit, customers first need to take a gondola ride through the canal.
Upon arrival at the Venetian, you can head straight to the frescoed gaming halls. There are approximately 2,500 slot machines and over 200 tables. After playing, guests are invited to explore the complex’s attractions: St. Mark’s Square, the Bell Tower, and the Rialto Bridge.
In 2010, the Venetian hosted a major poker tournament with 872 entrants. The winner took home $827,648.
Luxor Hotel & Casino
The gambling establishment opened in 1993. Shaped like an Egyptian pyramid, it’s constructed of black glass and comprises 30 floors. The total floor area exceeds 800,000 square meters. The gaming halls occupy over 11,000 square meters, featuring approximately 2,000 slot machines and approximately 50 tables.
The hotel entrance is adorned with a sphinx statue and a sarcophagus. At night, a beam of light shines from the center of the pyramid, directed toward the sky, making it visible from anywhere in Vegas.
Again
The establishment has been operating since 2006. Its total area is 76,000 square meters. Designed in the Renaissance style, the interior exudes luxury and elegance, and the rooms are decorated with expensive sculptures and paintings.
The comfortable gaming halls feature 95 tables and over 1,500 slots. Sports and horse racing betting is also available. Matches and races are broadcast on large screens.
Paris Las Vegas
The establishment is an exact replica of the Hotel De Ville in France. But that’s not its only unique feature. Miniature Parisian landmarks are scattered throughout the grounds: the Eiffel Tower, an observation deck, a small church, and more. In the evenings, a live orchestra plays, accompanying the fountain show.
Paris Las Vegas
The casino occupies over 2,000 square meters. The gaming halls offer approximately 1,500 top and classic slot machines, as well as approximately 100 roulette and card tables.
Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino
The establishment opened in 1969. Originally known as the Las Vegas Hilton, it wasn’t until 2014 that new owners decided to rename it and undertake a major renovation. Today, the hotel comprises a sprawling complex with a total floor area of 258,000 square meters, including 5,000 square meters dedicated to slot machines, roulette, and card rooms.
Wynn
This Las Vegas casino is adjacent to Encore and is owned by the same billionaire, Steven Wynn. Opening in 2020, it covers 870,000 square meters and includes 60 floors of luxury suites.
The casino is located in a separate building. Customers have access to over 2,000 slot machines and about a hundred tables withroulettesand card games.
The Wynn complex features Ferrari and Maserati dealerships, a golf club, and the Lake of Dreams attraction. Various shows are held daily, including musicals, live performances, circus acts, and more.
Red Rock Casino
A luxury, premium resort opened in 2006. The hotel’s rooms offer views of the picturesque Red Mountains, attracting numerous tourists.
The total floor area is 240,000 square meters. About a quarter of this is dedicated to gaming halls, which house over 2,000 slot machines and dozens of card and roulette tables. There are also separate rooms for VIP clients.
Casino at Bellagio
The modern Bellagio complex opened in 1998. It boasts 4,000 rooms, ranking 12th in the world for hotel capacity. The ground floor houses gaming rooms with 2,500 slot machines and 200 card and roulette tables.
The main attraction of the Casino at Bellagio is the fountain with 4,000 lanterns, thanks to which guests can enjoy a spectacular light show every evening.
The Mirage
The Mirage is a tropical island located in the heart of the gambling capital. Opened in 1989, it was the most expensive hotel-casino in the city at the time, costing $630,000,000.
The total area is over 9,000 square meters. The grounds include a theater, golf club, swimming pools, lounges, a dolphinarium, and an artificial volcano.
The casino features several gaming rooms with over 2,000 slot machines and 130 tables. A separate room houses a poker room where cash games and tournaments are held.
In 2012, The Mirage debuted Free Bet Blackjack tables. This format’s unique feature means that players don’t risk any money when doubling or splitting.
The Mirage was the setting for iconic films such as “Vegas Vacation,” “2012,” and “Ocean’s Eleven.”
The Cosmopolitan
The establishment opened in 2004. Its distinctive design is unique: the façade is entirely made of glass, giving it a futuristic appearance. The towers stand 184 meters tall, covering a total area of over 70,000 square meters. The complex is included in the gold list of the world’s best entertainment hotels.
The casino features over 1,500 slot machines. There are 80 gaming tables with blackjack, poker, roulette, and other games. Sports and horse racing betting is also available.
MGM Grand Hotel & Casino
A hotel and entertainment complex built in 1993. Owned by MGM founder Kirk Kerkorian, the main building stands 89 meters tall. The entrance is designed in the studio’s signature style—a giant lion.
The casino covers 16,000 square meters and houses over 1,000 slot machines, 100 card and roulette tables, and separate rooms for high-stakes games.
At the time of its opening, the MGM Grand was the largest hotel in the world and was valued at $100,000,000.
Gold Coast
Gold Coast is one of the oldest casinos in Las Vegas. It opened back in 1986. Sixteen years later, management undertook a renovation: the space was expanded, the design was updated, entertainment was added, and bowling alleys were added. And most importantly, the casino’s bets were lowered.
| Type of entertainment | Minimum bet amount |
| Slots | 1 cent |
| Blackjack and poker | $5 |
| Roulette | $1 |
| Baccarat | $10 |
The Gold Coast boasts the largest bingo halls in Las Vegas, with eight drawings held daily.
Aria Resort & Casino
The most technologically advanced hotel and entertainment complex in Las Vegas. Its unique features include smart amenities: each room is equipped with innovative electronics to ensure a comfortable stay.
The gaming floors are filled with natural daylight, a feature not found in any other casino in the city. Customers have access to over 2,000machine gunsand several hundred tables.
Aria Resort & Casino was used as a location for scenes from the films Jason Bourne and Now You See Me.
Other attractions of the city
Gambling establishments aren’t the only thing to see in the gambling capital of the world. Tourists have access to many other attractions:
- Valley of Fire.Located an hour’s drive from the city, you can see natural sculptures here, formed by strong winds. There are also beautiful caves and arches.
- Fremont Street.For a long time, it was Vegas’ main entertainment center. Spectacular sound and light shows can be seen here every day.
- National Mafia Museum.Located just steps from Fremont, visitors can learn about the times when crime bosses and clans ruled the state and view terrifying exhibits: electric chairs, revolvers, shotguns, and other weapons of violence.
- The Phantom of the Opera.The musical takes place at the Phantom Theatre, featuring a leading cast, lavish sets and costumes, and a full orchestra. Thousands of spectators attend the performances daily.
- Antique Car Museum.Around 200 models are on display, valued at a total of $100 million. Among them is the Rolls-Royce that Tsar Nick drove.Olai II, and Hitler’s armored Mercedes-Benz.