Most everyone knows about Las Vegas from the endless stories you hear and the visual images that go along with this magical city dedicated to gambling and entertainment. What most people don’t often get to hear about is the background that made Nevada into the most famous destination everyone knows to be: ˝The Biggest Little City in the World˝. So honestly how did it all start and why is gambling legal in Nevada? What made this city so attractive that it has become an icon of American culture that is generally accepted for the entire family to visit?
We’ll review the best casinos you can find in Nevada along with an overview of the industry that covers the online casinos in Nevada. We will also cover which online casinos are accepting US players and their gambling regulations. There are also some online safety tips that can help you discover which ones are safe and trusted online casinos that can insure your online wagering freedom. So sit back and relax, this is one place you’ll find in America that is as ‘wild’ as the Wild West ever was!
How did Nevada gambling start?
The history of Nevada gambling goes back more than 140 years when prospectors visited the Sierra Nevada foothills searching for gold and other precious metal. Along with these treasure hunting adventure seekers, they also brought the typical games of chance with them to pass the time and trade amongst each other. It was in 1860, that Abraham Lincoln decided to appoint James Nye to be the Nevada Territory Governor. This prohibited all forms of gambling until Nevada became an official US State in 1864. In an ironic twist the next few years included a typical Wild West feud that later gave birth to what is legalized Nevada gambling laws for the entire State within established limitations.
By 1931, it was legal to gamble in Hotels and Gentlemen’s clubs and thus replaced the shady back alley gambling practice. Not only did this improve the image of gambling, but it made conditions safer to wager money without physical risks involved. It is still through this legislation that the modern era of Nevada gambling remains today. It is also one of the few US states where personal income tax and corporate income tax are exempt from Government collection, and also became the perfect revenue for those who decided to go into the gaming industry.
Why is Nevada gambling so popular?
With an estimated 42 million people expected to visit Las Vegas this year, the focus of gambling is less-likely to attract just the tourism. And while the city of Reno, Nevada still earned a whopping 24.6 billion USD from the land based casinos there, many more are rushing to Las Vegas with their friends and family to enjoy the multiple varieties of entertainment that make ‘Sin City’ a visit to remember! Las Vegas got its’ charm in the 1950’s and 1960’s, with plenty of press and celebrities that performed there. It didn’t take long before big corporate giants saw potential to expand with some all-around entertainment, making the Las Vegas strip into a spectacle unlike anything else in America.
The casino gaming floors in Vegas vary from Hotel to Hotel, though the attraction that never fails to impress are the slot machines. For the most part- many people do not know how the table games work and stick to the slots since they are uncomplicated enough to play without much instruction. Denomination amounts also welcome budgets anywhere from penny size bets up to high roller levels. While most casinos have switched over to the TITO (ticket in/ticket out) system players go to a cashier to purchase a playing TITO card. There are still some casinos that still offer actual coin slot machines too! Circus Circus, The Cortez, and Gold Strike still have coin operated slots in their casinos.
Is there online slot gaming in Nevada?
Since all forms of gambling are considered legal in Nevada, online gaming is no exception. Anyone wagering online at a casino in Las Vegas wouldn’t be breaking any law unless that online casino happens to be in another State or Country. The only exception is a deal between Delaware and Nevada which allows online poker gaming between the licensed poker sites in these States. It’s more of a principle that applies to internet law then anything else. While there is no federal gambling law that affects the Las Vegas gambling laws, the federal monitoring of online gaming sites largely like to target the online casinos who accept online gamblers as customers.
It’s a bit sad when you consider that over the Atlantic in Europe, many countries do not put restrictions on gambling and online gaming. There are way too few places in the US that still allow legal land-based gambling, so the struggle to be creative within these laws is wholly superficial until laws ease-up. A perfect example can be seen in television and films where increased violence and nudity has become more main-stream for restrictions. The recent hit film ˝Deadpool˝ which featured over-the-top violence and still received the ˝R˝ rating from the MPAA ratings board. Only time will tell when this trend will spill-over onto the online casino industry and get with modern times already?
Where is a good place to gamble in Nevada?
According to the Nevada State Gaming Control Board there are 171 actual land-based casinos all across Clark County which includes the Las Vegas Strip, Downtown Las Vegas, North Las Vegas, and the Boulder Strip. Finding a good one is a bit like finding the needle in a haystack. The list of top casinos and places to gamble that might be considered, are all subject to personal tastes. Some people like the glitzy lights of neon that make the Las Vegas Strip unique, whereas there are retro casinos that still offer the look and feel of the 1960’s-1970’s Vegas too. You might consider the Casino Royale or perhaps O’Sheas Casino, which are among the few who still haven’t been pushed-out from the shadow of the newly remodeled Las Vegas skyline.
Some of the top casinos in Las Vegas don’t always fit into a category either. There are often select elements that make them the best combined experience. If you want big experience more than anything, Circus Circus is one such casino that is a hit with parents and kids alike. You don’t have to believe it- but anything can happen in Las Vegas! Then again some go nuts over live card dealers and head down to Mandalay Bay which offers the best poker and customer services too. The same applies to Blackjack- which those who go El Cortez will offer the 3- 5 dollar tables in town. For those who want to live large, there is no substitute for Caesars Palace and the MGM Grand. These are among the most expensive of Las Vegas based casinos, but give an experience like no other for high roller wagers.