Today Las Vegas success in built on being not just a gambling haunt, but an entertainment resort. Meanwhile, just a little south of the Pair O’ Dice now stands the Stratosphere, which boasts the tallest observation tower in the United States. The Red Rooster would become The Mirage, one of the town’s most famous destinations, popularizing the “Las Vegas Show” as legendary acts such as “Siegfried and Roy” and “Cirque de Soleil” attracted hundreds of thousands of tourists.

The evolution of Vegas as a resort city is mirrored by the evolution of the two areas where the Red Rooster and the Pair O’ Dice first opened its doors. Having been renamed “The Frontier” and then “The New Frontier”, one of the oldest casinos in Vegas was eventually demolished in 2007. The Red Rooster was shut down after less than 100 days for serving alcohol (prohibition was still the law of the land), while the Pair O’ Dice managed to avoid the wrath of the federal government and happily sold alcohol and offered gambling for decades. These two institutions would have varying fortunes.

The Red Rooster in April 1931, then the Pair O’ Dice in May of the same year. Gaming licenses were quickly granted to two pre-existing nightclubs on what would soon be called the Las Vegas strip. Las Vegas would soon make gambling legal, and an economic boom followed which would change the face of the gambling world. With this construction came thousands of workers, who each now how had disposable income to spend in the small town. Originally established in 1905 as a rest point for trains between Las Angeles and Salt Lake City, it would remain a small town until construction of the Hoover Dam began in 1931. Las Vegas is the by far the most famous gambling destination in the world, but its beginnings were humble. Not all locations are created equal however, so join us on a whistle-stop tour of the biggest gambling cities in the world. From the weird to the wonderful, players can choose to try their luck in some strange and wonderful places across the world.

Best casino cities in the world