5 Oldest Casino in USA 

The USA is home to many things, like its diverse landscape, amazing food, and interesting wildlife. It is also home to a booming entertainment industry, one that is complete with multiple casinos all over the country. Gambling is a huge part of American culture, bringing in billions of dollars every year. In this article, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the oldest casinos in the USA, how they originated, and if they are still open today.

Let’s get right into it!

5 Oldest Casinos in the USA

5. Tropicana Las Vegas

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Tropicana Las Vegas is one of the oldest casinos in both America and the state of Nevada! This casino was first conceptualized by Ben Jaffe, who was the owner of the Fontainebleau Hotel. At the time, the Tropicana Hotel was the most expensive hotel to have ever been opened in Las Vegas. Unfortunately, it started to lose its status as a luxury hotel in the 70s, since other more luxurious hotels and casinos opened up on the same street as this one.

Over the years, this casino changed hands several times. Previous owners even included members of the mob, and the FBI even launched an official investigation. However, the owners changed again after some time. This hotel and casino is huge, with over 1,400 rooms, and over 40,000 square feet of casino space.

Did you know? 

Tropicana Las Vegas is going to be demolished in April of 2024. A new baseball stadium and a new resort will be built on its old land.

4. Caesars Palace

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

If you’ve ever been to Paradise, Nevada, there’s a good chance that you’ve either heard of or seen Caesars Palace. This hotel and casino is one of the most famous places to visit in the state, and it is also a commonly shared landmark! Founded in 1966, this casino and hotel was founded by Stanley Mallin and Jay Sarno. They wanted to create a luxurious place filled with all kinds of luxurious pleasures that gave their guests the chance to feel like royalty.

Since their inspiration was the Roman Empire, the design inside Caesars Palace reflects Roman architecture. There are several columns, statues, painting, and other forms of iconography to give the guest a feeling of being in an opulent place.

Did you know? 

Caesars Palace is a popular place for musicians to perform, and has seen artists like Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion, Ike and Tina Turner, and various others.

3. Circus Circus Las Vegas

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Circus Circus is a place that everyone who visits Las Vegas should go to. In addition to being one of America’s oldest casinos, it is home to the world’s largest permanent circus and an indoor theme park. Just like Caesars Palace, Circus Circus was originally owned by Stanley Mallin and Jay Sarno, but was later leased to various other real estate developers named   William Pennington and Bill Bennett.

After the management changed, Circus Circus came to life. The buildings were expanded and grown, and the new management even added a series of motels to the main hotel to increase the number of rooms. The casino was also expanded, and today, is over 120,000 square feet.

Did you know? 

Circus Circus is a popular feature in popular culture. It has been written into shows and movies like Diamonds Are Forever, The Ed Sullivan Show, and Damnation Alley.

2. Flamingo Las Vegas

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Flamingo Las Vegas is one of the most popular hotels and casinos in America, as well as one of the oldest casinos in the country. The idea for this hotel came from the founder of The Hollywood Reporter, Billy Wilkerson. Wilkerson had purchased the land in 1945 but didn’t develop it immediately. A year later, he partnered with members of the mob to gain financing, only for the mobsters to take over the entire project.

Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel was one of the main mobsters who led the project’s development, and eventually, Flamingo Las Vegas was opened in 1946. As the years went by, the hotel’s owners changed hands, including the Hilton group.

Did you know? 

Donny and Marie Osmond worked at the Flamingo Las Vegas for 11 years until 2019 as part of an artist’s residency that the casino hosted.

1. Golden Gate Hotel and Casino

Image source

Photo Source: Wikimedia Commons

The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino is America’s oldest casino! This casino and hotel was first started over 100 years ago, in 1906. After John F. Miller went to Las Vegas, he purchased a building on Fremont Street and started a tent hotel a year later, called the Miller Hotel. Attached to the hotel, on its ground floor, was a casino that operated until there was a nationwide ban on gambling.

Sometime later, in 1931, Miller expanded his property and renamed his hotel Sal Sagev, which is just Las Vegas spelled backward! This hotel also had a casino attached to it on its ground, although this time, it operated as its own business. Some years later, the owners of the casino bought the hotel, and the entire business was renamed the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino.

Did you know? 

The Golden Gate Hotel and Casino was the first place in Las Vegas to popularize shrimp cocktails, which are now considered to be a cliche in Las Vegas. This dish was later discontinued in 2019 but was reintroduced in 2020.

Conclusion

In this article, we took a closer look at some of America’s oldest casinos. While all of the casinos mentioned on this list are located in Las Vegas, it’s worth noting that the other casinos in various other parts of the country were only opened within the last 10 to 15 years or so! We encourage you to visit these casinos if you’re ever in Vegas too.