Las Vegas casinos

These days Las Vegas is synonymous with casinos and gambling but only 100 years ago at the start of the 20th century it was just a small, stop-off town for the railroad. Las Vegas became the first U.S. state to legalise casino-style gambling and in 1941, El Rancho Vegas Hotel & Casino was built on Las Vegas Boulevard, commonly known these days as 'The Strip', on a site which is now opposite the Sahara Hotel & Casino. The success of the El Rancho was a catalyst for a building boom that saw several more hotel casinos crop up during the 1940's & 50's and popularity grew on into the 1960's as Las Vegas expanded it's facilities to accommodate entertainment and show venues along with the steadily increasing number of casinos. By the 1970's the first mega-resorts started to appear featuring enormous casinos and a wealth of extra activities and entertainment options in their bid to out do rivals and entice more and more visitors through their doors.

Some of the original casino hotels still stand but many others have been bulldozed and buried under the new, giant mega-resorts that now line the Strip.

Free Casino Gaming Lessons
Many visitors who arrive for their holiday in Las Vegas are unfamiliar with casinos and the rules of many of the games to be found within them. They are also, perhaps, daunted by the prospect of doing something wrong and looking foolish amongst a table of seasoned gamblers. You needn't worry though as help is at hand in the shape of casino gaming lessons. These 30 or so minute classes are both fun and educational and in most cases, completely free! So why would the casinos want to teach you how to play, for free? Because they want you to gamble more, of course! These free casino gaming lessons are good for both beginners and the more experienced players who want to brush up on the rules. Casinos generally offer instruction in blackjack, craps, roulette, mini-baccarat and poker.

Not only do the lessons teach you the rules of the game, but they also initiate you into the etiquette and jargon that is associated with each game. Taking a lesson will give you the confidence you need to enjoy yourself in the casino without worrying that you are doing something wrong.

The best way to find out what gaming lessons are on offer and at what time is to check with a casino directly but you'll find that most of them offer lessons at certain times throughout the day. Some that definitely offer lessons for novices are Caesars Palace, Golden Nugget, Las Vegas Hilton, Luxor, MGM Grand, Monte Carlo and Riviera.

Casino Promotions
Many of the casinos have loyalty or members cards and signing up for them is free, easy and beneficial! By becoming a member you obtain access to many promotions run by the casino hotels such as cashback or rewards on the money you spend in the casino, discounts at the restaurants and shows at the casino resort and invitations to special events and promotions. Just ask at the casinos themselves or, in many cases, also at the hotel receptions about their casino loyalty cards.