There are plenty of reasons to visit either Las Vegas or Atlantic City, and each of them are fantastic cities in their own right whether you like to gamble or want to enjoy a unique vacation. However, when it comes to gambling, the age limits between the two may determine which city you choose – that is if you fancy a flutter on the slot and table games when you visit..
Las Vegas certainly needs no introduction. It holds the title as the number one destination for gambling, and although Macau might have overtaken Vegas in revenue in recent years, most still regard Vegas as the casino capital of the world – a title the city has held onto for decades. Probably because Vegas has better marketing and more casinos than Macau boasting over 100, while Macau turns over a larger GGR (Gross Gaming Revenue) via 40+ land-based establishments – less than half than its main rival. As for Atlantic City, it is not quite on the scale of Macau or Las Vegas, with 9 land-based casinos, but it also has something neither Macau nor Vegas has – online casinos and plenty of them.
In this guide, we explore the minimum legal age to gamble in each city and some of the intricate details you will need to know about the age restrictions. You can also check the US gambling age by state provided here, which is an interesting guide in itself.
The Minimum Age to Gamble in Las Vegas (Nevada)
While federal laws state that the minimum age for gambling is 18, many states put in place their own laws which determine how old you have to be to enjoy the various forms of gambling available.
If you were to ask anyone what Las Vegas is famous for, most will tell you that the city is famed for its casinos, entertainment, and nightlife. They’re not wrong, of course, as Las Vegas is always on the bucket list of anyone that has a fondness for playing roulette, craps, blackjack, slot machines, or any other type of casino game. The city also hosts some of the biggest shows across the US, with the likes of superstars including Adele always putting on concerts or shows.
The question is, how old do you have to be to gamble within the state of Nevada and in Las Vegas? Well, first of all, you have to remember that there are many forms of gambling. It is not unusual for a state to put a higher minimum age depending on the type of gambling involved. Many will have a minimum age for casinos, online casinos, sports betting, online sports betting, online poker, poker, bingo, lotteries, daily fantasy sports or betting on horse races.
Well, Nevada is fairly consistent across the board as you have to be 21 years of age to enjoy most of the above. Daily Fantasy Sports is an exception, as it is illegal in Nevada. Even more surprisingly, wagering on lotteries is also illegal within the state! Who would have thought that?
Atlantic City (New Jersey)
Another city worth visiting and not just for the lively gambling industry is Atlantic City. As the oldest seaside resort in the US, you find plenty of interesting and entertaining things to do when visiting. There is no beating around the bush, though. The main reason anyone goes here is because it has a bustling gambling culture. This has been boosted by New Jersey becoming one of the first to liberalize online gambling laws. You can now visit Atlantic City not just to gamble at the brick and mortar sportsbooks and casinos, but also by visiting the online casinos, poker rooms, and sports betting sites.
As for the minimum age to do each of the above, for most forms of gambling, it is 21 or over. All forms of gambling are legal here and the only ones you’re allowed to enjoy when 18 years old are Bingo, lotteries, daily fantasy sports and mutuel/horse race betting.
Made Your Decision?
As you can see, there is not too much difference between the two states with regard to minimum gambling ages. When enjoying the most popular forms of gambling, such as visiting casinos and enjoying sports betting, you must be at least 21 years of age.
If you are 18 years old and that is not the news you wanted to hear, all is not lost. You can visit land-based casinos in Montana, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin, or Wyoming instead. Just note that if you are planning to mix alcohol with your gambling, some of those mentioned will let you gamble but not drink at 18!
