How Many Casinos Are in Las Vegas?

Las Vegas is everyone’s first association with gambling and casinos. It is easy to see why the situation is like this. After all, we are all victims of pop culture. Las Vegas and Nevada alike are one of the first places in the USA where gambling was legalized. The city in the desert grew exponentially with every new casino. With time its popularity grew even outside the United States. When you add the number of movies and TV shows that depict the gambling Mecca in a positive light you get the picture. 

While undoubtedly a home to numerous casinos, the question arises, just how many casinos are there in Las Vegas? This question doesn’t have only one answer. It all depends.  The term casino is not seen the same way by everyone. But, we’re not going to take everyone’s opinion into account. Instead, we’re going to focus on what the Nevada Gaming Control Board has to say. 

According to this board, in order to qualify as a casino an establishment needs to have at least 15 gambling machines, including slot machines such as Sweet Bonanza or simple versions of video poker. Establishments that practice horse racetracks, sports betting, or bingo are not qualified as casinos. So, when you put these limitations into play one comes to a number that is close to 150 when it comes to casinos in Las Vegas. 

This is not a small number, and it is because of the sheer density of casinos in Las Vegas that this city is called the World Entertainment Capital. No city in the world comes close to the bright lights of Las Vegas. According to statistics no other city has as many casinos per square foot. There are plenty of casinos in Las Vegas, as we already pointed out, but there is also a fact that their number grows every year. Nevada Gaming Govern Board keeps track of every new establishment as the USA has strict laws regarding gambling so obtaining a license, gaining ownership, and getting your hands on games such as Sweet Bonanza Slot is not an easy task by any means. 

It is funny to look at the past, and the early days of Las Vegas. While WWII was burning the capitals of Europe, Las Vegas established itself as the gambling center of the world back in 1941. During that year 24 new casinos were opened in this desert city. Nevada jewel continued to grow and in the six following years, this number grew to 66. Once a decade passed by, and it became clear to everyone just what kind of future to expect for the gambling paradise in the desert, we had 91 casinos before 1955. It is hard to pinpoint the golden age of Las Vegas as this city is still on the rise even as we speak. Due to the technological growth, and globalization of our society, Las Vegas became accessible to people from all over the world. Millions of tourists visit this city every year, and we’re not talking only American ones. 

With more than 150 gambling establishments to its name, this desert city has plenty to offer to people from all over the world. Cult films such as Ocean’s Eleven, 21, The Hangover, and of course Casino did wonders for the popularization of the gambling Mecca. If you don’t understand just how big LV is in this domain, let us tell you about its most famous part. 

Las Vegas Strip

The Las Vegas Strip is the most famous part of this city. Strip is not just a street, a city neighborhood, or just some part of the city. It is Las Vegas in its essence. When you’re a tourist in Vegas you will be spending most of your time on the Strip. It is filled with not only casinos, but also hotels, restaurants, shops, and high-end studios where you’ll find some of the best artist performances in the world. 

The Strip is home to 31 casinos, some of which are cult locations you probably heard of, but more on that later. It is a part of the city that stretches from Mandalay Bay all the way up to the Stratosphere. If you are interested only in gambling, casinos are located downtown on the Strip. While there are more casinos in the rest of Las Vegas and Nevada, when it comes to income, these 31 locations generate the most income by far. To be precise a little bit more than 50%  of all gambling revenue in Nevada is generated by the Strip. 

Las Vegas Major Casinos 

Not all casinos are the same. As we said, an establishment can be registered as a casino with as little as 15 gambling machines. But, when most people think about a Las Vegas casino they picture the massive establishments as seen in movies. Bright lights and massive hotels are the first association with Las Vegas casinos. So when we’re talking about the truly big casinos in Nevada’s biggest cities the number falls to 60. If you’re in one of these establishments it is possible to engage in any form of gambling including poker, baccarat, blackjack, craps, slot machines, and everything in between. Even with the growth of online casinos and crypto gambling the popularity of Las Vegas hasn’t veined. Yes, the coronavirus years were thought on it, but is finally recovering to its old glory.  

The best part of the big casinos in Las Vegas is the fact that they are traditional establishments. In essence, they all provide the same games we all know and love. What differs is the overall setting, atmosphere, ambiance, and general facilities. Each of us has our preferences for both games and surroundings, but finding what suits you shouldn’t be an issue in Las Vegas. Some people don’t even leave their hotels when they arrive as everything they could need is found there. While this might be true one should never miss the opportunity to walk the iconic streets of Vegas, meet one of the Elvis impersonators, or, what do we know, get married. 

Smallest Las Vegas Casino

Let’s dedicate a fraction of our time to the smallest casino establishment in Las Vegas.  It is called Slots-A-Fun, and it holds the title of the smallest casino in this iconic city. It is a brand that came to this world in 2009 and it holds very well even today. But, it decided not to expand, and it proudly holds the title of the smallest casino in Las Vegas. It is home to some of the lowest betting limits in LV. This is what makes it so attractive to rookie gamblers and first-time visitors to the gambling Mecca. Add some of the cheapest meals and drinks in Las Vegas to the mix and you get the idea of why people know about this casino. 

The Biggest Casinos in Las Vegas

Now that we have covered the smallest establishment in Las Vegas, it is time to focus on the big guns. What made Las Vegas so popular are the big casino resorts that are often depicted in the films. Hollywood loves Las Vegas, and it’s for a good reason. When you already have a glamorous setting there is no need for props and studios, just move your cameras to Las Vegas. Without further ado let u check out the biggest gambling establishments Las Vegas has to offer. 

Wynn/Encore

Let’s start with the top dog. With 191,424 square feet of surface tied only to the casino, Wynn/Encore easily tops this list. This combo has been around since 2005 (Wynn) while Encore was added in 2005.  The joint accommodation prowess stands at 2,716 hotel rooms at Wynn and 2,034 suites at Encore. Separated, they would not be top choices, but this joint endeavor is the biggest casino resort in Las Vegas. The sister casinos boast 1,800 slot machines and 180 table games, and they keep adding. While most of the games such as roulette, poker, craps, baccarat, and blackjack can be played online with outlets such as Stake, you should indulge all of your senses at least once in life by staying at Wynn/Encore resort. 

MGM Grand Casino

MGM Grand Casino might be one of the most recognizable casinos in the world. With a surface area of 171,500 square feet, it is the second biggest casino in Las Vegas with its hotel providing more than 5,000 rooms. With more than 3 decades in the business, this casino has plenty to show for its customers. It is proud to present more than 2,500 slots to players, and more than 160 table games making it one of the real giants in the business. It is hard to top the establishments such as Wynn/Encore or MGM Grand Casino regardless of where you come from. 

Sunset Station Casino

While located just a little bit outside of Las Vegas in Henderson, this casino still made the cut. It’s close enough, and with 163,951 square feet of casino space, it is more than worth of exploration. On the market since 1997 Sunset Station Casino has more than 2,500 slot machines, but only 30 or so table games. But, what makes it unique is the fact that it’s the place where people go if they want to play high-end keno and bingo. 

Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino

Another big name in the industry and one you have probably heard of. Blessed with a casino’s surface area of 160.334 square feet and 3,209 rooms we’re truly talking about one of the greats. This establishment was opened back in 1999 and it has been going strong ever since. Bathed in gold, Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino offers 43 floors to its visitors all filled with table games and slots. It is hard to look past it as an ideal location for a weekend gambling getaway. 

Bellagio Casino

Bellagio Casino opened a year before Mandalay Bay and while it was topped by its competitor it still remains one of the more popular Las Vegas casinos and resorts. With 156,000 square feet, it has enough space to boast as one of the top locations in Sin City. With 3.933 rooms it is a home to hundreds of thousands of tourists yearly. The popular film, Ocean’s Eleven has its story depicted in Bellagio Casino which is only a testament to its greatness. Due to its feature in this Hollywood film, it became one of the best-known casinos in the world. At least Danny Ocean thought that it was worth robbing due to its revenue. Well, you can only imagine how much money 2,300 slots and more than 100 table games rake in on a daily basis. 

Santa Fe Station

Here we have a less familiar name, but still a big casino in its own right. Santa Fe Station spreads on 151,001 square feet of space which is enough for 200 rooms and 2.400 slots. There are also 39 table games with the focus being on keno and bingo. Going strong since 1991 Santa Fe Station made a name for itself by featuring numerous types of video poker games. All in all, this was enough to feature on this list with the rest of the Las Vegas giants. 

Aria Resort and Casino

Another MGM-owned and operated casino, Aria Resort and Casino has 150,000 square feet of space and a staggering 4,004 rooms. Built in 2009, this one is home to more than 2,000 slots and almost 150 table games. Their focus is on poker, but you can play different slots and table games such as blackjack, craps, and baccarat too.

Summary 

As you can see, in terms of gambling and pure entertainment, Las Vegas has plenty to offer, but you already know that. What you know now is a few statistical data and a few good locations where you can spend your time in Las Vegas. Just remember, if you don’t plan on going anytime soon, the number of casinos will grow, that is for sure.