Gambling Age in Las Vegas – Legal Age Limits

Las Vegas is maybe one of the most famous gambling destinations not only in the US. It enjoys great interest from tourists all over the world. This city with flashing lights is a place where gamblers around the world gather for grand tournaments and fantastic experience.

Gambling in Las Vegas has been legal for a long time. When gaming activities were fully legalised, the state saw the big opportunity and prospered throughout the years. With the strict gambling laws and regulations, nowadays Vegas casinos are among the most attractive gaming establishments in the United States. Everyone can attend casinos and play their favourite games as long as they have the legal age. To gamble in Las Vegas, you have to have a minimum legal age. Read this article to find more about the gambling age in Las Vegas.

How Old Do You Have to Be to Gamble in Vegas

According to the current gambling laws and regulations, the minimum gambling age in Las Vegas is 21. Incidentally, this is the same limit that applies at the best online casino USA sites. This is the same requirement at many of the top online casino PayPal sites in the US as well. If you are younger, then you cannot attend any of the gaming establishments across the territory of the state. The legal gambling age in Vegas is regulated by the state laws and the official authorities are paying serious attention to anyone who violates this law. The official gambling regulatory body in the state is the Nevada Gaming Commission and Control Board. It is responsible for implying all administrative regulations concerning gambling in Nevada.

You have to be 21 or older to gamble in Vegas but those who offer gaming services also have responsibilities. For instance, gaming establishments that have more than 15 slot machines have to pay an annual tax of $250 on each one as well as a monthly tax of 6.75% on gross revenues.

Gambling in Las Vegas was legalised in 1931. Soon after, the gaming activities in the state became popular and many people took advantage of the favourable situation. Till 1950, Las Vegas became a gambling centre in the United States. For a long time, the minimum gambling age in Vegas was 21.

In past years, when gambling was still not fully legal, the minimum gambling age was controversial. As laws were still not so strict, some gaming establishments tented to welcome players under 21 years of age. However, this was not well accepted and after a while when the strict laws were established, the controversial practices were terminated. Nowadays, those who are under 21 should simply walk past casinos, but cannot enter the gaming establishments and sit next to gaming machines and tables.

Gambling in Las Vegas Casinos

So, one thing is already clear – to enter a casino and gamble in Las Vegas, you must have 21 years of age. The laws are very accurate and anyone who tries to violate them is subject to an administrative penalty. For instance, if you violate the minimum gambling age by law and you are caught gambling under 21, then you might be punished with a fine of $1000 or more, depending on the situation.

But you are not the one, who could be fined. Casinos are responsible for keeping this law and have to pay careful attention to those who enter and play. If necessary, you may be asked to provide a valid ID or driving license to prove that you are 21 years of age or over before you enter a casino.

The casino is also subject to penalties if it is estimated that regularly accepts players who are under 21. A loss of gaming license may also occur along with the huge amount of the penalty. The casino is responsible for detecting players who are trying to lie about their age and has to immediately get them out of the gaming rooms.

Although in some states the minimum gambling age may vary depending on the gaming product, the legal gambling age in Vegas applies for all casino games – slots, table games, as well as poker, bingo, lotto, etc.

Online Gambling in Las Vegas

Unlike gambling in land-based casinos, online gambling is a segment where things are a bit different. The state of Nevada legalised online gambling in 2013. However, the law legalised only online poker. Soon after, the first online gaming platforms for poker started to accept players from Nevada who are 21 years of age or older. All other forms of online gambling in Nevada and Las Vegas are still illegal. This means that online gaming platforms based in Nevada are not allowed to offer any other online casino games different than online poker.

On the other hand, there is one thing that we have to mention. Players from Las Vegas who are aged 18+ can access offshore online gaming platforms and gamble freely. Those are one of the best casino sites and online roulette sites that operate on the international iGaming market. As long as the online casino or sportsbook is registered offshore, players who have a minimum gambling age of 18 can access and play casino games or bet.

This is an interesting differentiation and is very important to be mentioned. But keep in mind that there are other forms of online gambling that are also legal in Las Vegas and within the state of Nevada. Several online sports betting platforms are legal in Las Vegas too. However, to enter them, you have to be within the territory of the state. And, once again, the requirement for the minimum gambling age in Vegas estimated by the law applies.

Vegas Gambling Age Law Violation

Gambling laws in Las Vegas are really strict. And the Nevada Gaming Commission and Control Board regulates the gambling environment constantly. No matter if you are a player or provider of gaming services, if you decide to violate the gambling law, you will be prosecuted by law. For one reason or another, gambling laws are set to provide a safe gaming environment within the territory of Las Vegas and the state of Nevada.

Of course, some people disapprove gambling law regulations and try to somehow avoid them. Casino records in Vegas keep track of curious attempts of people trying to lie about their age while trying to get access to the casino and play. The official authorities also have stumbled upon smaller gaming establishments that are trying to skip the law and accept players who are under 21 years of age.

However, all violations of the gambling age in Las Vegas are treated according to the laws. If you are caught playing and you are under 21, then this is considered a violation of NRS 463.350 and Nevada misdemeanour. You can be either fined up to $1000 and/or even up to six months in jail.

Besides, providing a fake ID also represents a violation of the NRS 463.350 and the penalties that we described above will also apply.

Casinos are also subject to serious penalties and this is why they always try to detect fraudful activities by players.

If you are a keen roulette player, for example, and you want to gamble, then you’d better follow the legal requirements. Check our best roulette tips on how to play legally. Don’t risk being kicked out.

Legal Gambling Age in Vegas Pros and Cons

The laws regarding the legal gambling age in Vegas have always been subject to many disputes and controversies. Some people are against the gambling age law and others accept it. Some controversies emerge because citizens can enrol in the army, fight in battles and die for their country once they turn 18, but are not allowed to drink alcohol or put some money on the table before 21 years of age.

Some people think that the legal gambling age should be changed from 21 to 18, as this will lead to a significant increase in the gambling revenues. Thus the economy of the state will be boosted a lot. Logically, more people will be able to access casinos and gamble. There are quite many people in the age range between 18 and 21.

However, some official representatives think that the situation should not be changed. The current gambling age law keeps younger people away from gaming activities until they become old enough to be responsible for their deeds. This is among the main ideas that lie behind the established regulations concerning gambling in the state of Nevada.

Las Vegas Gambling Age Compared to Nearby States

As you may know, different states can implement their laws. This applies to gambling laws too. An interesting fact is that the legal gambling age may be different for the different state, depending on the specific laws in the jurisdiction.

In some of the states nearby Nevada, the legal gambling age is lower. For instance, in Idaho, the legal gambling age is 18 for casinos, poker rooms, lottery and Bingo. The same is the situation in Oklahoma, with the difference that you are allowed to play bingo games if you are 16 years of age or older. And in the sunny state of California, the legal gambling age for casinos vary between 18 and 21 depending on certain conditions. At the same time, if you are in California and you have 18 years of age you can play bingo and lottery.

So, here raises the question “If I am 18 years of age but I don’t have 21 yet, why should I not go to a nearby state and gable?”. For instance, the distance from Las Vegas, Nevada to Los Angeles, California is 270 miles. This means that within a couple of hours you will be able to visit LA and find a gaming room that may accept players of 18 years of age or older.

Besides, keep in mind that the laws regarding online gambling may also be different. Nowadays some states started to legalise online gambling and this increased the interest among players. Now players from different states can access the best sites for online gambling and enjoy the great gaming experience.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you wonder how old do you have to be to gamble in Vegas, then check the section below. Here you will find brief answers to the most frequently asked questions about the gambling age in Vegas. We hope that this additional information will offer you the details that you need to know.

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