Las Vegas is rich in history. From the days of the mob and underground casinos, gambling has been present – way before the birth of the famous Strip. But, where did the neon lights and buzzing atmosphere come from, and why is Las Vegas now deemed so fabulous?
Las Vegas has inspired many land-based and online casinos alike, with Sky Vegas casino games, for example, capturing the bright lights, glitz and glamour, all from the comfort of your own home!
So, join us as we delve back to over a century ago, to see the evolution of the Las Vegas Strip, and how it’s influenced modern day casino gaming…
The first casino in Las Vegas
On 15th May 1905, the land for the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino (previously Hotel Nevada) was purchased on the corner of Fermont and Main Street for just $1,750. The following year, the first casino was born. However, in 1910, gambling was banned in the state of Nevada, and didn’t become legal again until 1931. Once Fremont Street became the first paved street in the city, the hotel changed its name to Sal Sagev (‘Las Vegas’ backwards), and began its first expansion.
The United States suffered a Great Depression, but the economy in, what is now known as old Vegas, boomed as workers dominated the town to build the Hoover Dam. The casino survived some hard times, and in 2012, underwent its first major expansion for 50 years, now featuring a 35,000-square-foot tower with dancing dealers, 16 suites and a new lobby, displaying bottles and evidence of secret gaming found back during the casino ban.
The Las Vegas Strip
On the site where the famous Mirage now stands, once stood the Red Rooster. The owners of the club were the first to get their gaming license in the whole of Nevada, receiving this on 1st April 1931. With just a few Slots and a single Blackjack table, the first casino on the Las Vegas Strip was in action…
A month after the Red Rooster was granted its license, a club named Pair O’ Dice, which stood where Stratosphere now stands today, was granted theirs. Against all odds, Pair O’ Dice managed to stay open, catching the Los Angeles tourist traffic on Highway 91 into Downtown, and successfully rebranded themselves a few times, until 2007.
Successful businessman, Tommy Hull, famously built El Rancho, a hotel that is said to have been the first hotel and casino on the Strip. His success inspired many others to travel to Las Vegas and start their next business venture. Bugsy Seigel, a famous mobster, then pioneered the building of much of the Strip, including the casino, the Flamingo.
1950-1990
In the 1950s, casinos were putting on shows with real tigers, showgirls, setting up gaming tables in pools, and being famed for being some of the most luxurious hotels in the world. The ’60s then saw even more famous faces such as Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe gracing the casino floors and stages, as well as Elvis Presley filming Viva Las Vegas with Ann Margaret. On top of this, slot machines were lining the walls of bus stations and the iconic Caesars Palace opened its doors.
The following decade, Las Vegas saw a trend of turning hotel casinos into mega resorts, creating entertainment venues to bring in even more tourists than ever before. During the 1970s, actor Sean Connery filmed the James Bond film Diamonds Are Forever at many casinos along the Las Vegas Strip. Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra became familiar faces on the scene and even Queen joined the iconic names performing at venues in Vegas.
1990-today
Come the ’90s and Las Vegas started hosting the World Series of Poker, adding more neon signs, resorts, casinos and entertainment venues– truly making Las Vegas one of the most magical places to visit.
Now, there are roughly 30 casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, most of which are full-blown resorts and entertainment venues, with about 24 more nearby in old Vegas, and so many more in the surrounding areas. The Strip now not only features all of this, but its very own shopping centre, separate from the ones found within the casinos, gondola rides, the world’s largest Ferris Wheel and collected $794 million in revenue in July 2021 from the casinos on the Strip – the highest of all time for the state of Nevada.
