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Las Vegas, NV Gambling & Gaming: Casino Zoning Districts (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Core section
LVMC 6.40.150(B) parcel eligibility
District mechanism
LVMC 6.40.160 gaming enterprise district
State authority
NRS 463.3072-463.3094; 463.3082-463.3086
Effective date
January 1, 1990 for parcel rule
Permit effect in district
Title 19 special use permit waived
General penalty
Up to $1,000 fine / 6 months (1.24.010)

Summary

Casino-style nonrestricted gaming in Las Vegas is confined to specific locations under LVMC 6.40.150(B): parcels already licensed before 1990, parcels zoned for resort and gaming purposes, or parcels the City Council designates as a gaming enterprise district under LVMC 6.40.160. A casino cannot open on an ordinary commercially zoned parcel just because Title 19 would otherwise allow the use.

(B)Notwithstanding anything to the contrary that is provided in, or may be implied from, Subsection (A) of this Section or Title 19 of this Code, effective January 1, 1990, no nonrestricted gaming shall be conducted, maintained or operated on any parcel of land within the City unless:...(2)The parcel is zoned for resort and gaming purposes or the zoning of the parcel for such purposes has been approved by the adoption by the City Council of a resolution of intent pursuant to LVMC 19.92.120...or(4)The parcel is located within an area that has been designated as a gaming enterprise district established pursuant to LVMC 6.40.160. 6.40.160 - Gaming enterprise district. (A)Nonrestricted gaming within the City is subject to the gaming enterprise provisions of NRS 463.3072 to 463.3094, inclusive.(B)One or more individual parcels of land may be designated a gaming enterprise district in accordance with the provisions of NRS 463.3082 to 463.3086, inclusive.(C)In the case of a designation pursuant to Subsection (B) of this Section, the special use permit provisions that are contained in Title 19 of this Code shall not apply.

View official code

Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 61).

Full Breakdown

160. 3086. 150(C) clarifies that inclusion in a gaming enterprise district otherwise does not diminish Title 19's general applicability to the parcel. 155.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 6.40 does not set a dedicated fine for operating nonrestricted gaming outside a qualifying parcel, so a violation of LVMC 6.40.150's location rules falls under the Code's general penalty in LVMC 1.24.010: a fine of up to $1,000, imprisonment of up to six months, or both. LVMC 1.24.020 makes each day the unlawful gaming continues a separate offense, so exposure compounds daily until the operator either qualifies under 6.40.150(B) or shuts the gaming operation down.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a casino open anywhere in Las Vegas that is zoned for commercial use?
No. LVMC 6.40.150(B) restricts nonrestricted (casino-style) gaming to parcels that were already operating under a nonrestricted license before 1990, parcels zoned for resort and gaming purposes, or parcels the City Council has designated a gaming enterprise district under LVMC 6.40.160, regardless of the parcel's general commercial zoning.
What is a gaming enterprise district under Las Vegas law?
It is an area the City may designate under LVMC 6.40.160(B) in accordance with NRS 463.3082 through 463.3086, letting one or more parcels within it qualify for nonrestricted gaming even without the resort-and-gaming zoning otherwise required under LVMC 6.40.150(B)(2).
Does a casino inside a gaming enterprise district still need a Title 19 special use permit?
No for the gaming enterprise designation itself: LVMC 6.40.160(C) states the special use permit provisions in Title 19 do not apply to a designation made under Subsection (B). LVMC 6.40.150(C) notes Title 19 otherwise still applies generally to the parcel.
How is the number of slot machines at a bar or convenience store regulated?
That is a separate, restricted-gaming rule, not the casino district rule: LVMC 6.40.140 caps slot machines by location type and square footage, for example up to 15 machines at a qualifying full-kitchen bar meeting the seating and food-sales requirements in 6.40.140(A)(4).

Sources & Official References

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