Laughlin is at the southern tip of Nevada along the Colorado River. It is in Clark County, just like Las Vegas. The two casino markets are about 1.5 hours apart by car.
No commercial airport serves Laughlin. Charters operated by two casinos use the airport across the Colorado River in Bullhead City, Arizona. Las Vegas is the closest commercial airport.
Laughlin is home to 10 casinos. Nine are commercial and clustered together. Another is a tribal casino about 14 miles away. A free shuttle connects the nine casinos. There is also a river taxi that gives access to the eight along the Colorado River.
Laughlin is largely a casino town. The only other popular activity is related to river recreation. The water temperature is cold year-round. Consider that when making reservations for water sports or river swims.
The water taxi runs in the late mornings and afternoons during the offseason, except that it closes for about two months around the winter holidays. It runs late into the evenings during the summer peak tourism season. A one-way ride is $5. An all-day pass is $25.
Entertainment options are limited. Edgewater’s LA Comedy Club, related to the one at The Strat in Las Vegas, offers shows at least five days a week. Concerts from well-known artists are available several times per year. These are usually in the summer months.
Don Laughlin founded the area in 1964. He built the Riverside Resort. At the time, no bridge connected Laughlin and Bullhead City, Arizona, which sits across the Colorado River. Davis Dam, miles down the road, was the only connection by road. A boat shuttle brought guests from the Arizona side to the Nevada side. Don Laughlin paid to build a bridge next to his Riverside Resort. While the bridge brings vehicular traffic to Laughlin from Arizona, the free boat shuttle still operates.
List of Laughlin Casinos
- Aquarius Casino Resort
- Avi Resort & Casino (tribal casino located 14 miles southwest)
- Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort
- Edgewater Casino Resort
- Golden Nugget Laughlin
- Harrah’s Laughlin
- Laughlin River Lodge
- Pioneer
- Regency Casino
- Tropicana Laughlin
Aquarius
Aquarius is owned by Golden Entertainment, a Nevada company that mainly operates gaming taverns. The company also owns The Strat and both Arizona Charlie’s in Las Vegas. The hotel has about 1900 rooms. Aquarius is home to over 1200 slots and 30 live table games. It has one of the largest table game pits in Laughlin.
Avi
Avi is located 14 miles from the far southwest end of Laughlin. It is a tribal casino owned and operated by the Fort Mojave Tribe. It is on the Fort Mohave Indian Reservation.
Avi has over 600 slots and a small table game pit. It has nearly 500 hotel rooms. A movie theater is next to the casino. Since it is on tribal land, fireworks are sold and may be launched in a nearby dedicated area.
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort is the town’s original casino. It has two table game pits with dozens of games, about 1200 slots, a poker room and a bingo room. One bar overlooks the Colorado River for a unique gaming experience. Riverside Resort has three casino floors, including one that is smoke-free with a small table game pit. Riverside Resort has more restaurants than any other Laughlin casino. It also has several entertainment options and a nightclub. There are two hotel towers with over 1400 rooms.
Edgewater
Edgewater has about 750 slots and 15 table games, along with a bingo room. It has over 1000 rooms. Golden Entertainment is the casino operator. A small gaming bar overlooks the Colorado River. Edgewater is home to the LA Comedy Club, one of the few regular entertainment options in town. Most major concerts are at Edgewater.
Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget has 300 hotel rooms. Its restaurant lineup is like other properties under the brand, as it is owned by Landry’s. The options include Saltgrass Steakhouse, Claim Jumper, Bubba Gump Shrimp Co., and Bean and Bread. The Rush Lounge is one of only two Laughlin nightclubs. The casino floor has Laughlin’s only keno lounge. It hosts about 15 table games and 900 slot machines.
Harrah’s Laughlin
Harrah’s has three hotel towers. The North Tower was renovated in 2024. Harrah’s has over 1500 hotel rooms, including nearly 200 suites. The Range Steakhouse is considered by many to be the best Laughlin restaurant. The casino floor has about 750 slots, over 20 live table games and a poker room. A free shuttle connects Harrah’s and Tropicana, both owned by Caesars Entertainment.
Laughlin River Lodge
Laughlin River Lodge is owned and operated by the same company as Dotty’s, a chain of Las Vegas mini-casinos. The hotel, which gets among the worst reviews in Laughlin, has 1000 rooms. The casino floor is split into five brands: Dotty’s, Bourbon Street, Red Dragon, La Villata, and Points. These are the same brands used by the company for its gaming taverns and small casinos. Laughlin River Lodge has over 600 slot machines. The Laughlin River Lodge does not have table games or full-service restaurants. The only dining options are bar food at the counter of some of the branded casino rooms.
Pioneer
Pioneer has about 700 slots and 400 hotel rooms. It has no live table games. A handful of electronic ones are available. The only dining option is Blueberry Flats.
Regency
Regency is a tiny casino with no hotel. It has about 70 slot machines. The Chuckwagon Restaurant is the only dining option.
Tropicana
Tropicana is the only one of the 10 Laughlin casinos that is not on the Colorado River. It has 1500 hotel rooms, a bingo room, over 600 slots, and eight live table games. It has five restaurant options. Tropicana is very slow during the week. Its table games and dining options have limited availability on weekdays, especially during the offseason.
Laughlin Casino Games
Laughlin has a large selection of table games for a market of its size. Blackjack rules are nearly universal. Most games deal two or six decks, pay 3/2, hit soft 17, and allow double down before but not after splitting. Riverside Resort has the only 3/2 single-deck blackjack game. It only allows doubling down on 10 or 11. Free Bet Blackjack and Super Fun 21 are the only variants in the market.
Live baccarat is notably absent from Laughlin. It is available on some electronic table games.
All craps tables offer 3-4-5 times maximum odds. The Field pays double on all Laughlin craps tables. All roulette is double zero, except Harrah’s has one triple zero table. US Casino Advantage has the latest details about poker pit games and minimum bets.
Most Laughlin casinos have at least one 99% video poker game. Golden Nugget and Regency are the exceptions.
Several Laughlin casinos have high-limit slot rooms. However, none have a table game salon. The highest minimum bet in the pits is usually $25. The lowest is $5.
Nice to see Laughlin getting some attention! It’s not as glitzy here and the river is gorgeous! Here’s a few additions, from a local (me!):
There is no free shuttle serving the 9 casinos.
There is a free shuttle between Harrah’s and Tropicana, run by Caesar’s from 10am – 10pm every 2 hours, more hours on weekends/holidays.
There is a city bus every hour/24hrs and a 2nd schedule 6:45am-pm, $2 per ride ($1 for 60+/disabled) and there are taxi’s. Schedule at sntc.net/services, choose Laughlin Fixed Schedule. The SNTC Vegas Express doesn’t go to the airport, but has a stop at the transit center near the airport.
There is a daily Las Vegas airport shuttle that drops at the Riverside. VegasAirporter.com
There are several bars with bartop games (VP, slots, BJ, some roulette): The Hideaway (across from Golden Nugget), Old Towne (next to Harrah’s), Gilligan’s (on Needles Hwy, on the way to Avi) and Bikini Bay (across from Aquarius; affordable breakfasts, burgers, etc) and in Laughlin, up the hill, is Jackpot Joanie’s.
There are no electronic Baccarat games in Laughlin, except at Avi.
Aquarius has a 50c minimum carousel ETG. Pioneer and Avi have $1 minimum ETGs; Edgewater, Trop, Harrah’s have $3 minimum ETGs.
The Pioneer also has the popular River Rick’s Pizzaria, to go, with limited seating. Bumbleberry’s has a buffet on Sat and Sunday.
The Riverside has a Daily brunch buffet and a dinner buffet Tue-Sat.
Golden Entertainment also owns the Colorado Belle, the closed casino/hotel that looks like a river boat.
The Poker rooms are at Harrah’s and The Riverside.
This is all great stuff Cyndi, and we hope help others considering a visit to Laughlin as well!
I use to go to Laughlin when my late hubby and I would go to Vegas twice a year. We luved the Colorado Belle…that’s history..it’s closed years ago. I like the Trop and Edgewater. We visited most of the casinos to the south of Edgewater..but none north of Edgewater. Not sure if it’s such a hot spot now. It’s much hotter as far as temps go. Be prepared for 100 – 125 degree temps. The outlet mall use to be nice…the last time we were there it was almost abandoned. I hope Laughlin is coming back to it’s hey day. I will have to visit when I get there some time this fall. I am moving to Vegas this year. I can’t wait.
Laughlin definitely could use a boost, Darlene, but some of the properties have been doing some work in recent years. Harrah’s remodeled one of their hotel towers, for instance, and it does seem like the properties are investing more in the casino floor. Here’s hoping!
Hi, I’m confused.
First you say that the Golden Nugget has the only Keno lounge in Laughlin, yet right below that, you say that there’s a Keno Lounge at Harrah’s.
One of those two data points is wrong.
Thanks Larry! Harrah’s use to offer one, but no longer does, so that’s an editing error! We’ve updated the article to reflect the current availability.