It is hard to talk about Las Vegas for an extended period of time without mentioning the casinos. Not that there is nothing else to do in Las Vegas but gamble, of course, but the fact is that the city itself is synonymous with 777kyat. Just as Los Angeles is inextricably linked with the movies, and Milan with fashion, Las Vegas is the casino capital of the world. There are major, world-famous casinos here, and also smaller gambling houses perfect for anyone looking to play the tables without being submerged by tourists.
Among the most spectacular casinos in Las Vegas, one that continues to attract visitors in huge numbers is the Bellagio. Inspired by the resort on the shores of Italy’s Lake Como, the Bellagio Las Vegas was built on the site of the now-defunct Dukes’ casino and features as one of its main talking points an eight-acre lake containing a dancing fountain – the Fountains of Bellagio. The fountain is synchronised to music. The casino itself is attached to a five-star hotel and is considered to be MGM International’s flagship resort in the city. Although the main point of a casino is, inevitably, the chance to gamble, there is a lot more to the most famous casinos in the city than that. Many have their own hotels attached and, like the Bellagio, have numerous entertainment and dining options. It is not uncommon for holiday makers in the city to use one of the casino hotels as a base for the holiday. If you were so minded, you could spend an entire week within the confines of any one of a number of casinos in the area – though it would be better to at least venture out for a bit of sight-seeing.
There are various themed casinos among the most famous, one of which is Treasure Island. Like Caesar’s Palace, Treasure Island has been referenced extensively in popular culture (including in movies such as Dodge Ball and Miss Congeniality 2), and has a hotel attached. In addition, the casino is linked by tram to the larger Mirage casino and by pedestrian bridge to the Fashion Show Mall. It is also possible to see the Cirque du Soleil show Mystere here.
Only the most hardened casino gaming enthusiasts will manage to get gaming time in at every one of Las Vegas’ famous casinos – there are so many to name that listing them all and describing their features would make for an article too long to read in a single sitting. Rest assured that there are casinos to suit all tastes – some relatively sober and others which make a selling point of their glitz and glamour. As has been mentioned, the casinos are not the only thing to see in Las Vegas, but they are integral to the city experience – most of the notable concerts in Las Vegas will take place inside a casino, and they are where you will find the most glittering hotels.
