Author:
Michael McKean
Last Updated:
26/05/2022
Experiences:
Huge sports and casino fan
Experiences:
Huge sports and casino fan
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Gambling in Nevada - So, what can you enjoy in NV?
Gambling in Nevada is a great part of the state’s overall economy. Land based casinos are available all over the place, especially in Las Vegas, where players can find a variety of options to choose from. The state was also one of the first to regulate certain aspects of online gambling, especially online poker.
However, things have been moving much slower in terms of online casinos. While there have been some political movements towards regulating this particular aspect of the gambling niche, legislators seem much more keen to allow games that go under the heading of skill games (like poker and DFS) and not so happy about classic gambling games like slots, roulette, etc.
Of course, some of the reasons for this are to be found in the land-based casino industry. Lobbies from this industry are working hard on making sure that online casinos remain illegal in the state to make sure their profit margins are unaffected. With regulated online casinos going live, land-based venues in Las Vegas could experience a sharp decline in profits.
Nevada gambling guide - Stay up to date with the latest legislation
| Permitted / Offered? | Notes & Restrictions | |
| Land-Based Casinos | Yes | land-based casinos are completely legal in Nevada and there are many brick and mortar casino venues operating in the state, especially in Las Vegas and Reno |
| Online Gambling | No | online gambling, except for sports betting and poker, isn’t allowed as of yet |
| Sports Betting | Yes | Nevada has had regulated sports betting even before the PASPA was overturned and this continues to be the fact |
| Lottery | No | Surprisingly, lotteries aren’t allowed in Nevada, save for charitable draws. There are no major lotteries like MegaMillions or Powerball |
| Daily Fantasy Sports | Yes | DFS are allowed but operators have to apply for a state license |
| House Gambling | Yes | home games are allowed as long as the organizer doesn’t take a cut |
| Minimum Gambling Age | 21 | 21 for all gambling activities |
Land-based Casino Legal Situation - Plenty of land-based choices
There is a great number of land-based casinos operating in Nevada. The greatest concentration of casinos is, of course, in Las Vegas, but there are gambling venues available in other parts of the state as well. The land-based gambling industry in Nevada is probably the strongest one in the world with people from all over the globe traveling to Las Vegas to try their luck here.
Cities like Las Vegas and Reno bring in huge revenues for the state each and every year. So, when it comes to brick and mortar casinos, Nevada is probably one of the friendliest states for the operators and there is a huge number of venues all over the place. This is unlikely to change moving forward regardless of the online situation as Las Vegas will always remain the tourist center for eager gamblers from all four corners of the world.
Online Casino Legal Situation - No laws just yet
Talking about online gambling Nevada, the situation isn’t nearly as nice or friendly as it is with regards to land-based venues. Although Nevada could be described as the gambling state, there is still no law regulating online gambling. This means that players have no access to regulated Nevada online casino sites at the moment.
This is likely to change in the near future, with the wave of gambling regulation coming across the entire US. Land-based operators will likely recognize the benefits of offering their services online as well and you will find that the best online casino Las Vegas will one day be fully legitimate for you to play at. Until then, let's hope the Nevada authorities will make a push towards passing the bill that would regulate this particular area.
However, things may move slower than most players would like. Nevada has a very specific situation on its hands as their economy greatly relies on revenues generated by brick and mortar casinos. Regulating online gambling could affect this and the state could actually lose some of its income in the process, which is something legislators are definitely not keen to see happen.
Mobile Casino Gambling Situation - Sorry, not just yet!
When it comes to mobile gambling in the state, the situation is pretty much the same as with the online segment. Operators can’t offer any of their games via web and they’re not allowed to offer mobile gambling apps, either. While poker players and sports bettors can do their gambling remotely, those who enjoy slots and table games don’t enjoy the same privileges.
While some of the best Nevada casinos do have their own apps, these don’t have any features that would enable players to play remotely. These apps usually contain the information about the casino and provide users with some other convenient options but not with the option to play for real money.
Online Casino Operator Licensing Process - How can online casinos get their licenses?
As strange as it may be, there is no process in place for a casino operator to obtain a license to offer its services online in Nevada. Even the most established venues in the state can’t get a permission to run a legal and regulated online gambling operation under current laws. Online poker rooms can get licenses for their sites but online casinos can’t.
Whether this will change or not moving forward remains to be seen. As one of the leaders in all other segments of gambling, Nevada should have no problems coming up with the licensing process and appropriate fees and taxation rates for those casinos looking to also offer their services online.
Once the law is finally passed, it is likely that land-based casinos already operating in the state will have the first go at the available licenses. That way, these operators will be protected from the outside competition and will be able to expand their businesses instead of having to protect their brick and mortar venues from online competitors. With the current political situation, we could see this happening in the next couple of years.
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The history of Nevada casinos & gambling - The story so far...
Nevada is one of the US states with most colorful histories. It became a part of the Union in 1864 and it was mainly inhabited by people who came there in search of gold. So, not surprisingly, different types of gambling were a part of the state’s culture pretty much from its inception.
However, despite of this, the law that was passed in 1861 made all games of chance illegal in Nevada. When it became a part of the Union in 1864, this law was challenged but it remained in place for several more years. Finally in 1869, certain forms of gambling were finally decriminalized. But then, in 1909, harsh laws against gambling were enacted once again.
Nevada continued with this hot-cold stance towards gambling until 1931. As the country entered the Great Depression, the legislators finally decided it was time to change the laws and the state passed the bill that made it possible for the unprecedented rise of the gambling industry that would happen in the next decades, turning Nevada and Las Vegas into world’s gambling hubs. This is when the history of Nevada casinos truly started.
Not much has changed since those early days as gambling and casinos are still very much welcome in the Silver State. Until recently, Nevada was also one of a few states where sports betting was legal. However, despite all of this and despite the fact the state was one of the first to legalize online poker after the Black Friday, online casinos still remain illegal.
Online casino Nevada - Your frequently asked questions
Responsible online gambling - Staying aboard
While Nevada may still not have regulated online casinos, there are other forms of gambling that can be done remotely as well as many land-based casinos all over the state.
We advocate responsible gambling at all times. Gambling should be seen as a fun activity and only done using money you can afford to lose. This is the only right approach and the only correct way to play any games of chance. When things stop being entertaining and you start spending more than you can realistically afford, problems may occur.
It’s not that hard for things to get out of hands. However, when and if this happens, it is important to know there are organizations out there like Gamblers Anonymous that can help you get back on the right track and fight your issues. If you or someone you know displays signs of problem gambling, don’t be afraid or ashamed to reach out and seek help.
Social Casinos - A risk-free alternative to traditional casinos
There aren’t many US states offering regulated and licensed online casinos. Nevada is one of those states where you can’t gamble for real money from the comfort of your own home despite a huge number of land-based operators scattered all over the state. So, what should you do when you have an urge to play?
Social casinos represent a decent answer to this quandary. These sites offer all sorts of casino games, from a variety of slots to numerous table games and more, all available for free. If you want to know more about these casinos, check out sites like Billionaire Casino, Slotomania, or Caesar’s Social Casino.
With these sites, you don’t have to risk any real money to enjoy the action. Instead, these social operators offer you a chance to play all of your favorite games in a play mode, meaning you only risk and compete for virtual coins.
This may not seem as exciting as the real thing, but many of these social casinos have done a great job setting up environments where you get to progress through different levels, unlock new rewards, and gain access to new games. All of this creates a lot of buzz and excitement even though there are no monetary prizes up for grabs.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) - Test your team managing abilities!
While you may not have access to legal online casinos in Nevada, there are still some good alternatives even if you want to play for real money. Daily Fantasy Sports are definitely one of the better ones, especially if you’re into sports and know your stuff. These competitions can be quite rewarding for those in the know as they are much more knowledge and skill-oriented.
Unfortunately, Nevada has pushed out all major fantasy sports operators and forced them to apply for licenses if they wish to continue operating in the state. This was bad news for the players as it meant that, at least for a while, they wouldn’t be able to enter contests on major sites like FanDuel and DraftKings.
At the moment, most leading DFS operators still refuse to accept players from Nevada as they haven’t applied for the local license and they don’t want to get in trouble for operating without one. So, DFS options for residents of Nevada are certainly not as versatile as they could and should be all things considered.
We can only hope that the state will look to change the laws pertaining specifically to Daily Fantasy Sports or that some of the big operators will eventually get the license and once again open themselves to residents of Nevada.
