Las Vegas is the first place when it comes to gambling, huge winnings and an exciting atmosphere of entertainment. It was – and still is – the world’s gambling capital. Other gambling centers popped up much later and have been built with Las Vegas being an inspiration. After all, even online gambling is still inspired by the Vegas vibes!
Sin City: The Beginning
The history of Las Vegas began in 1905 with the completion of the railroad from Salt Lake City to Los Angeles. That’s when the city was officially founded on the site of a large railroad junction. Most railway workers decided to stay there, this is why this area has been developed with all kinds of entertainment venues made legal under the local legislature. At first there were boxing fights for money; but later, in the 1910s, this town emerged as the unique card games and slot machines land-based venue. It was named after plenty of adult entertainment venues have been opened there, looking ‘sinful’ to many simple Americans, who, nevertheless, were striving to see them. Casinos were part of the Sin City’s landscape.
The first casinos in Las Vegas have been flourishing till 1919; this is when a new law banned gambling in the state of Nevada. In 1931, a huge water power plant’s construction began on the border of Nevada and Arizona. Then, to attract a workforce to Las Vegas, the state of Nevada legalized gambling again. This was the true birth of Sin City.
The power plant was up and running, and Las Vegas was to enjoy the influx of cheap energy. The whole city was lit by neon lights: it was the kick off time for the city; this is how it began to grow rapidly as the gambling industry center.
There are two main streets in Vegas: Fremont Street and Strip Boulevard.
Fremont Street is a pedestrian street for tourists, with plenty of fancy stores, cafes, bars… and, of course, some iconic casinos: Four Queens, Golden Nugget, Binion’s Horseshoe, Golden Gate. Now it is completely covered by a LED display dome, a truly fascinating experience to walk by there!
Las Vegas Strip
During World War II, when Sin City was still booming, the first casino there was built in 1941. You can check out some city landmarks there, like the Stratosphere Tower, the Bellagio musical fountains, the Flamingo Hotel and some of the most famous casinos in the world.
All the Vegas Money
How many casinos are there in Las Vegas? Oddly enough, there is no precise number; just because the data vary based on different methodologies. The Nevada Gaming Commission claims around 1,700 licensed gambling establishments, but only 130 of them are considered full-scale land-based casinos. According to statistics from the Nevada Gaming Control Board, in August 2019 there were 214 casinos operating in Clark County, with Las Vegas being its center.
The heyday of Las Vegas as a world’s gambling capital came in the mid-1970s. In 1977, the gambling industry in Clark County for the first time reached a revenue of more than $1 billion. In 2018, that number was more than $10 billion. Interestingly enough, casinos on the Strip generate more than 55 percent of all gambling revenues in the state of Nevada. Since 2012, revenue from establishments on the Las Vegas Strip has been fluctuating between $6.2-6.5 billion.