Updated on: February 16th, 2024
Nevada is known as the gambling capital of the United States. It was the first state to legalize gambling, and they did so as a way of attracting tourism. This has proven very effective up until this day, even after other states have legalized gambling and launched casinos.
One of the biggest reasons Nevada is still known as a huge gambling hub is that there are few restrictions on what you can do in the state. Games like slots, blackjack, poker, roulette, craps, and so on, are all legal, as is sports betting. The only game you are really going to miss playing in the Silver State is the lottery.
If you would like to find out more about what gambling in Nevada entails, keep it on this page. Below we have a look at the following areas:
- The legality of gambling in Nevada (brick-and-mortar and online)
- The types of gambling available
- The best casinos in the state
- The history of gambling in Nevada
We also list the best online casinos available so that you can get started with gambling online if you feel that visiting a casino is out of your way. So, what are you waiting for?
Best Online Casino Nevada
Online Gambling in Nevada
Online gambling is allowed in Nevada but there are restrictions on the types allowed. Here is a full list of ways you can gamble online in Nevada:
- You can place sports bets through registered and licensed sports betting companies through websites and mobile apps. Pretty much all bets are available, including live bets.
- You can play poker online from anywhere you like. However, you cannot play other online casino games unless on the property of a casino.
- Fantasy sports are legal in Nevada but they require a gaming license in the state. Most DFS don’t agree with this notion, which is why they abandoned the state in 2015.
Brick-and-Mortar Gambling
As we’ll get into a little bit more in the next section, there are very few restrictions on the available gambling games in the state. Only lottery games are illegal. Aside from this, there are simply restrictions on which type of venue can offer which types of games. So, you can engage in the following gambling activities:
- Slots
- Blackjack
- Poker
- Craps
- Roulette
- Sports betting (including horse racing)

Nevada Gambling Laws
Nevada has probably got some of the strictest laws surrounding gambling in the United States, despite it being legal. Some important highlights to note include the following:
- People convicted of gambling-related crimes are not allowed to visit casinos in Nevada.
- The lottery is illegal. It is highly unlikely it will get approved any time soon as two-state referendums would be required to do that.
- No casino games are restricted. In some states that have casinos, only games like blackjack and slots are allowed but not roulette and craps. There are no such restrictions in Nevada. However, every casino is required to undergo a 60-day test period to obtain an unrestricted gaming license, which allows them to offer table games and sports betting.
- One of the fine details involved with holding an unrestricted gaming license is that your venue needs to double as a hotel. The hotel is required to have at least 200 rooms, a 24-hour restaurant and a bar with 30 seats. These rules may be more intense in areas with a smaller population.
- Bars, gas stations, and grocery stores, among other businesses, are able to apply for a restricted gaming license. With this license, the establishment is able to feature up to 15 slot games in store. However, they cannot offer table games or sports betting.
- There are two cities in which gambling is not legal in Nevada and that is Boulder City and Panaca.
Top 10 Nevada Casinos
So, there are more than 200 casinos scattered across the state of Nevada with most being located in the cities of Las Vegas, Laughlin Reno. Instead of listing every single casino available in the state (which would be quite the task), we have decided to list the casinos we believe to be the best, so that you also don’t have to sift through all the establishments to find these.
Here are our 10 favorite Nevada casinos:
Rank | Casino Name | Address | Website |
1 | Bellagio | 3600 S. Las Vegas Blvd. | www.bellagio.com |
2 | M Resort – Henderson | 12300 S. Las Vegas Blvd. | www.themresort.com |
3 | Silver Legacy Resort Casino | 407 N. Virginia St. | www.silverlegacyreno.com |
4 | Peppermill Hotel Casino | 2707 S. Virginia St. | www.peppermillreno.com |
5 | Eldorado Resort Casino | 345 N. Virginia St. | www.eldoradoreno.com |
6 | Atlantis Casino | 3800 S. Virginia St. | www.atlantiscasino.com |
7 | Red Rock Casino, Resort & Spa | 11011 W. Charleston Blvd. | www.redrock.sclv.com |
8 | Green Valley Ranch Resort, Spa and Casino – Henderson | 2300 Paseo Verde Pkwy | www.greenvalleyranch.sclv.com |
9 | Treasure Island | 3300 S. Las Vegas Blvd. | www.treasureisland.com |
10 | Golden Nugget | 129 Fremont St. | www.goldennugget.com |
Some notable mentions are C
History of Gambling in Nevada
Nevada is the state most associated with gambling in the United States. And, with a look at its progressive gambling history, it’s not surprising that this is true.
Gambling was first decriminalized in the state in 1869, only a couple of years after the state was admitted to the Union. Although many tried to bring back laws banning gambling (and succeeded for a while), in 1931, casinos were officially legalized in the state and it has been that way ever since.
The Northern Club (later known as La Bayou) was the first casino to receive a gaming license (it closed in 2016). Soon afterward, many more casinos located on Freemont Street – the most famous area in Las Vegas outside of the Strip – received gaming licenses, including the Las Vegas Club (closed in 2015) and Apache Hotel (which reopened in 2019).
Outside of Las Vegas, gambling wasn’t exactly smiled upon in Nevada. There are still parts of Nevada, namely Boulder City, where gambling is still illegal. However, most cities chose to use the legalization of gambling to their advantage.
Sports betting was legalized in 1949 as was horse racing, providing more gambling options to bettors. Until very recently, Nevada was one of two states in which you could place a sports bet.
Nevada remained the sole gambling capital of the United States until New Jersey legalized gambling in Atlantic City, and the casinos started to appear on the country’s east coast. Several other states have since followed but there is still something that makes gambling in Vegas magical.
Nevada Casinos – FAQs
What cities in Nevada have casinos?
Las Vegas, Reno, Elko, Laughlin, Henderson, Paradise, Carson City, Fallon and so many more. Basically, the only cities that don’t have casinos are Boulder City and Panaca, where gambling is banned.
How many casinos are there in the state of Nevada?
There are more than 250 casinos in Nevada located in cities across the state.
What is the oldest casino in Nevada?
The Railroad Pass is the oldest casino in Nevada. It opened in 1931 – the year that gambling was legalized in the state.
What is the biggest casino in Las Vegas?
Currently, the biggest casino in Nevada is Wynn and Encore complex located on the Strip. It has 2,195 slot machines and 240 table games.
What casino in Vegas has the most slot winners?
The Excalibur paid the biggest slot jackpot at $40 million.
What is the richest casino in Las Vegas?
The Venetian Hotel and Casino is the richest casino in Las Vegas.
Why does Nevada have so many casinos?
Nevada has so many casinos due to the money involved with tourism. It is a strong part of the state’s economy.
Check out our other state guides: