Working out the number of casinos in (and around) Las Vegas isn't an exact science, mostly because people disagree on what constitutes Sin City. However, the Nevada Gaming Control Board places the figure at 62, including places like Fremont Street with 435 casinos in Nevada as a whole.
The Gaming Board claims that players spent $142 billion on slot machines in 2022/23, of which, casinos kept $15.1 billion. Those figures are expected to climb, as more slot machines keep turning up (4.4% increase in 2022/23).
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It’s much easier to pin this number down - 30ish. This encompasses the area between the Mandalay Bay Resort and the STRAT tower, which may or may not be located on the Strip itself (depending on who you ask). Clark County considers everything inside of city limits, i.e. not Winchester, Paradise, Spring Valley, and other adjacent areas, to be Las Vegas itself.
And now, let's have a look at the Las Vegas list of casinos.
Despite the name, this part of Clark County is a city all of its own, known for Nellis Air Force Base, the Motor Speedway, and its golf courses. It’s impossible to escape the influence of its sister to the south, though. North Las Vegas is also a place of light and sound.
There are two Cannery venues in Las Vegas. One along Boulder Highway (more on that later) and a second on East Craig Road.
Cannery Casino and Hotel is an unusual venue themed around a 1940s factory - so expect the trappings of its inspiration, like exposed wood and metal, and a red-brick exterior. There's also a chimney on its northern side. All this retro finery is a facade (the Cannery is just 20 years old), but it's been well-received by travelers, earning a rating of 4.1 on Google from 10,864 reviewers.
Cannery Casino and Hotel is a 3-star resort with 72,000 square feet of space dedicated to games. It has over 1,500 slot machines, 20 tables for blackjack, roulette, etc., 16 cinema screens, and a paradisal pool bordered by palm trees.
Staying at the 4-star Aliante Casino on North Aliante Parkway will get you 40 tables, 2,000 slot machines, and an ultra-plush place to stay. It has an 8.8 rating on Expedia from 1,231 reviews, as well as a 4.3 rating from 11,345 posts on Google.
Aliante Casino, as well as the resorts in the purpose-built Aliante community, is in the far northern reaches of Las Vegas, around 20 miles from the glow of the Strip and Harry Reid International Airport. Coincidentally, it’s owned by the same group as the Cannery, Boyd Gaming. Aliante is likely to be of particular interest to nature lovers. Set at the foot of Desert National Wildlife Range, this hotel, casino, and spa is within reach of the Red Rock National Conservation Area and, like most of Las Vegas, the western edge of Lake Mead.
Santa Fe Station from Station Casinos bills itself as an "affordable" solution to stays in Las Vegas. It's another 3-star hotel sited in the northwest of the city proper, decked out in terracotta and orange for that authentic desert vibe.
There’s a lot going on here, too. Bingo, keno, poker, slots (including high-limit games), six different types of table games, and a sportsbook can all be found at Santa Fe Station. It claims to be the best casino for slots in Las Vegas, with 2,200 machines on the floor.
Recently renovated, Santa Fe Station is one of the more popular places in this quarter of the Nevada Desert - judging by the number of Google reviews, at least. The casino rates at 4.2 from 14,215 reviews, although its distant location (15 miles from the Strip, on North Rancho Drive) drags it down to an “average” grade on TripAdvisor.
Boulder Strip is a term used mostly by the Nevada Gaming Control Board to describe casinos in the vicinity of Boulder Highway, which runs through Henderson toward the southeast of Las Vegas. It’s known mostly for its slot machines but it's very much an out-of-the-way place, with the desert encroaching on its infrastructure.
Boulder Station Hotel and Casino is situated just a few minutes from Fremont Street by car, in Sunrise Manor. It's another Stations Casino venue, along with Santa Fe Station to the north of the city.
Boulder Station encapsulates Boulder Strip's love of slot machines, with more than 2,000 sandwiched between its walls and ceiling. It offers a beautiful, postcard frontage to guests who come to play in 75,000 square feet of gaming space. It also has a large number of table experiences to add to its motherlode of slots - around 40.
Like the Cannery, it's a themed hotel and casino (in this case, the railroad) but the interior is pure Las Vegas kitsch. It also continues the trend of local casinos earning praise on review sites. Boulder Station has an 8.2 rating on TripAdvisor from 1,472 reviews.
Although it's the lowest-rated casino on our list, at 3.8 on Google, Arizona Charlie's Boulder offers something that the Strip can't - a party out in the dust of the Nevada Desert, with views of the scorched Frenchman Mountain in the distance. It also has an RV park, oddly enough.
Arizona Charlie's Boulder sits beside the Boulder Highway between Winchester and Whitney. Its casino boasts daily bingo, 600 slots with a low-entry progressive jackpot, and a sportsbook. Of course, no gaming hub would be complete without its eateries, and there's a Dunkin' Donuts inside.
Designed for a more casual experience than found on The Strip, Arizona Charlie's Boulder has been entertaining guests since the turn of the millennium. It's one of two Arizona Charlie's in Las Vegas. Arizona Charlie's Decatur, which is owned by Golden Entertainment, can be found in Charleston Heights.
Downtown is quite a different place to The Strip. Vegas’ hedonistic heart beats in the latter area, while Downtown is a much more casual, open, and even mature (it was the city’s original centre before The Strip) place. Still, there’s plenty of partying to be done, even here.
Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel is a Western-themed venue and arguably one of the most famous gaming halls in Las Vegas. It’s a place of cigars, cowboy hats, and whiskey, now in its seventh decade on Fremont Street.
Binion’s, rated 4.2 from 4,767 reviews on Google, has several claims to fame, but let’s start with the important stuff. The casino has 42,150 square feet dedicated to gaming. This includes 30 table games, more than 750 slots, and video machines, and a handful of rarer experiences, like Pai Gow, Let It Ride, and 3-card poker.
Everything about Binion’s is ostentatious. Previously known as the Binion’s Horseshoe, and named for the Texas gangster Benny Binion, the venue has a Million Dollar Display inside, which contains $1 million in real cash. The 90-year-old hotel is allegedly haunted, too.
TripAdvisor ranks the Casino at the El Cortez Hotel as "very good", noting its authenticity and relevance to Las Vegas history. El Cortez is the oldest gambling hall in the city.
Resembling a Hacienda from the Spanish rule of Mexico, this unique establishment is aglow with neons and surrounded by neat palms. It has all the usual hotel amenities, like a fitness centre and a bar/lounge area, but that's perhaps not the first thing that tickles its patrons. That particular feather goes to its games.
The Casino at the El Cortez Hotel has an award-winning casino floor covering 41,842 square feet and includes nearly a thousand machines. Its 20 table games offer several variants of blackjack, as well as 3-card and Texas Hold’em poker.
Founded in the 1960s, Four Queens Casino is a 3-star hotel and 4.2-star-rated venue at 202 Fremont Street. It's the sibling of the TLC-owned Binion's across the street.
The Fremont Street Experience describes Four Queens as emblematic of "classic Vegas". It's a bright, flickering hub providing more than 800 games in 32,000 square feet of gaming space. It's suitable for all budgets, too, from penny players to high rollers.
Four Queens seems particularly proud of its array of table games, describing them as "second to none". This selection features casino-friendly poker, like 3 card, and roulette. You can also get hypnotized at the Four Queens’ occasional live shows, if that’s your kind of thing.
The Fremont Street Experience is a combined mall and covered walkway on, you guessed it, Fremont Street. It's also where The D lives, on the eastern side. Its name reportedly refers to either Downtown or Detroit, where the owners hail from.
Previously known as Fitzgeralds, The D has upwards of 900 gaming machines, including several exclusive to the venue. It's the only place in Vegas that still offers the mechanical horse racing game, Sigma Derby, for instance. The D complements this with its on-site sportsbook.
Ever heard of dancing dealers? The D has a troupe of these chaperoning each game. With eight bars and diners, this Derek Stevens-owned establishment seems to have everything. It also has a neat 4 stars on TripAdvisor from 3,620 posts.
Next on our list of Downtown casinos is the 20,000 square feet Gold Spike on Las Vegas Boulevard North. This place is quirky, eschewing the plush, opulent decor of its neighbours for something more modern.
Gold Spike has a Living Room, where visitors can co-work during the day, becoming a "house party" at night, as well as a Backyard furnished with games. These aren't your standard slots, though. Twister, Giant Chess, Giant LEGO, and even Ping Pong can be found outside.
Gold Spike is one of the highest-rated venues in Las Vegas, although it won't be for everybody. Giving it 4 stars out of 5, TripAdvisor describes it as an "adult playground". It’s a distinctly un-casino-like place but it does have a hotel, Oasis, that resembles a highway motel.
As in many parts of the United States, the legal gambling age in Las Vegas is 21.
Casino games are mostly lucked-based, especially slots. This means that there's no way to increase your chances of winning. However, some players use strategies like the Martingale to manage their bankroll. This requires the player to double their bet amount when they lose, to win back their bets faster. You can also learn the basic strategy in blackjack to optimize your game but, again, this only makes sure that you're playing optimally. Blackjack is almost unique at the casino in this respect.
Unfortunately, there's no easy answer to this question. Each person's favourite casino will depend on things like minimum/maximum bet values, choice of games, dress code, and whether or not a venue has a bar. Try out a few from our list and see where your heart lies.
Yes. Major casinos tend to operate gaming websites as well. Just visit their websites or check out your favourite app store for a mobile version.
Encore Las Vegas, with 191,424 square feet of gaming space, is the largest casino in the city.
The diminutive Slots A Fun on Las Vegas Boulevard South is just 17,000 square feet in size, making it one of the smallest, if not the smallest, casino in Sin City.
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