When Was the First Casino Built in Las Vegas?

In 1946, Bugsy Siegel opened the Flamingo Hilton, the first casino in Las Vegas. The Flamingo was originally built as a luxury hotel by mobster Bugsy Siegel. The casino itself only occupied a small portion of the overall complex.

However, the opening of the Flamingo was a turning point for Las Vegas. It was the first time that a casino had been built from the ground up with gambling as its primary purpose.

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The success of the Flamingo caused a building boom on the Las Vegas Strip. In the 1950s and 1960s, nearly every major hotel in Las Vegas had a casino.

PRO TIP:The first casino built in Las Vegas was the El Rancho Vegas on April 3, 1941. Located on the Las Vegas Strip, the hotel and casino was owned by developer Thomas Hull and operated until 1960.

The casinos became the primary source of income for the hotels and helped to make Las Vegas the entertainment capital of the world.

Today, there are more than 40 casinos in Las Vegas. They range from large resorts like the Bellagio to smaller hotels like the Golden Nugget.

No matter their size, all of these casinos are still major contributors to the economy of Las Vegas.