When most recreational sports bettors consider going on a gambling vacation to Nevada to test their luck, they usually think of going to the popular towns known as Reno or Las Vegas. However, one of the hidden gems of Nevada can be found in the town of Laughlin, which has a slew of brick and mortar sportsbooks lined up along the beautiful. LAUGHLIN (KTNV) — Aquarius and Edgewater casino-resorts in Laughlin will reopen at 8 a.m. Where guests must be 18 years of age or older. The legal gambling age is 18-years-old on all land under California jurisdiction. Because Indian casinos technically operate on reservation land, they aren’t beholden to California legislation. They can set their own legal gambling age to some extent (with some government oversight). Golden Nugget Casino Laughlin Golden Nugget Casino Laughlin is 8.3 mi (13.3 km) from central Laughlin, and is a popular place to see during your stay. Hotels.com travelers also say the area is full of friendly people and has lots of nice beaches.

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How different is Laughlin from Las Vegas?

Rising room rates in Las Vegas due to resort fees, paid parking and withering gambling odds have some Las Vegas regulars pondering new destinations. One alternative option to Vegas that can make a lot of sense is Laughlin, just 90 minutes south.

See Also:77 free things to do in Vegas! A complete rundown of your options.

Laughlin offers plenty of contrast to Vegas and has a much different feel. Here are some of the differences between Las Vegas and Laughlin.

Looser Slots

Are the slot machines in Laughlin looser than those on the Las Vegas Strip? They sure are. We put together a graph of casino win rates (defined as the % of the total money bet on slot machines that the casino won) over the past 3 years to demonstrate that Laughlin Slot machines are looser than those in Vegas.

Cheap, Uncrowded Gaming

While you can find the occasional $5 blackjack game on the strip, they are usually jam-packed or feature the 6-5 variant that greatly reduces the player’s chance of winning. Laughlin is still a bastion of $5 gaming and you won’t have to wait hours for a seat.

The Colorado River

The river cutting through Laughlin is not only gorgeous and nice to look at, but it also serves as a recreational outlet. Rent a jet ski for a couple of hours and rip up and down the river.

Water Taxis

Laughlin features taxi boats that run up and down the Colorado River from casino to casino. Pay $5 for a one-way trip or $20 for an all-day pass. Better yet, it’s impossible to get long hauled by a Laughlin water taxi.

Old Vegas Feel

Longing for old Vegas? Laughlin may be the cure. The architecture resembles Las Vegas of the 80s and 90s and the main drag is absent of the mega structures and creative architecture that has replaced old classics on the strip today.

Rooms are Cheap!

Midweek rooms are as cheap as $20 and weekends won’t run you much more – Best yet, you can get a room with no, or very reasonable (compared to Vegas) resort fees. You also won’t pay to park in Laughlin as you will at most Strip properties. Is Laughlin cheaper than Vegas? Absolutely.

Leave your Kids at Home

Kids are welcome in Vegas, although I think you would be insane to bring them. While there are theaters, arcades and outdoor entertainment options in Laughlin, there isn’t enough to justify calling your binge gambling trip a “family trip”. There is nothing for kids in Laughlin that you cant find at home.

I, for one, appreciate not having to trip over strollers at 1 am.

Can you bring your kids to Laughlin? Sure, if you’re a bad parent.

No Outrageous Street Performers

Laughlin is a quieter destination than Vegas. Although some visitors get a kick out of Las Vegas street performers, I appreciate that I don’t have to see a 78-year-old man wearing a sock or a 563-pound lady not wearing a shirt. You also won’t have to put up with the porn slappers that line the Vegas Strip shoving their cards 3 inches from your face every 5 minutes.

Lack of Nightlife

When comparing the nightlife options in Laughlin vs. Las Vegas, there really isn’t any. Laughlin lacks the nightclub scene and array of shows that are available on the strip. As long as your motivations are any combination of gambling, drinking, and smoking you should be OK.

You also won’t find the free shows and attractions like you would on the Las Vegas Strip. There are no fountains or volcanoes.

Laughlin Visitors are… Older

If you are under the age of 67 you may have a hard time fitting in. Not necessarily a bad thing, but if you are looking for a youthful, lively crowd then Laughlin isn’t for you.

You won’t get that Big Shot Treatment

You can place big bets in Laughlin, just don’t expect the royal treatment like you would in Las Vegas. There will be no limos shuttling you from the airport, expensive meals or outrageous suites to make your ego feel nice and inflated. You’ll survive.

Laughlin is what is it is. Think of it as Las Vegas 30-40 years ago both architecturally but also as a place where the low roller is appreciated, slots are loose, the focus is gambling and everything is dirt cheap. It’s not a destination that will blow your socks off, but it is a great place to relax by the pool/river, enjoy a mellow atmosphere and try to win a few bucks at tables that won’t force you to access your home equity. For the gambler, Laughlin is a solid alternative to Vegas.

See Also: Check out our piece on where the loosest slots are around Las Vegas!

If you’ve just recently become a legal adult, you might wonder where you can go to gamble as an 18-year-old in California. With some exceptions, many legal casinos or card rooms in California will let you enter as soon as you turn 18. The same goes for any online gambling apps, although these are very limited because of California’s strict gambling legislation.

Here we will break down where you can enjoy 18+ gambling in the Golden State.

California Indian Casinos: Gambling Options For 18+

The legal gambling age is 18-years-old on all land under California jurisdiction. Because Indian casinos technically operate on reservation land, they aren’t beholden to California legislation. They can set their own legal gambling age to some extent (with some government oversight). Because of this, some Indian casinos allow anyone 18-years-old or older to enter, while others have a higher minimum of 21-years-old.

The reason for this is that some Indian casinos serve alcohol on open gambling floors or otherwise make it very easy for anyone to obtain alcohol, even while following licensing verification practices. They set their legal entrance ages to 21-years-old to prevent any instances of underage drinking on their premises.

This means it’s important to always double-check whether a tribal casino has a legal age of 18-years-old or 21-years-old before making the trip. Most tribal casinos follow the 21-year-old rule. However, there are more than 20 (out of 63) that currently allow 18-year-olds to enter.

Northern California 18+ Casinos

Northern California casinos are usually based around Sacramento or San Francisco: the two largest metropolitan areas in the top half of the state. These resorts run from large to very small, featuring diverse themes and lots of different gambling activities that range from slot machines to lottery games to blackjack and other electronic games. Most tribal casinos are located in the southern half of the state, but there are still plenty of worthwhile ones to check out north of Fresno.

Here are some of the best Northern California 18+ casinos:

Table Mountain Casino

Just 20 miles north of Fresno, this casino is due for a big renovation over the next few years. For now, it includes several thousand gaming machines and over 40 table games. It also offers 10 poker tables for reserved or spur-of-the-moment Sit’N’Go games. The casino is currently looking into creating an adjacent hotel, but there are plenty of other accommodations nearby as well. Dining and live entertainment activities round out its offerings.

Lucky Bear Casino

A smaller tribal casino totaling 5000 ft.², Lucky Bear is one of the most northern tribal casinos in California. It’s nestled in the beautiful mountains and features dozens of slot machines and other games. It’s an ideal place to gamble and relax while touring the Northern California wilderness or road tripping up the coast.

Elk Valley Casino

This Northern California casino is open 24 hours daily. It features 23,000 ft.² of gaming space, 11 table and poker games, and over 300 distinct gaming machines. These are available alongside a single restaurant for convenient dining access.

Southern California 18+ Casinos

Southern California casinos outnumber their Northern California counterparts by a fair margin, and they’re mostly concentrated around Los Angeles, Fresno, and San Diego. They also include plenty of spas to take advantage of the typically relaxing, sunny Southern California ambiance. Additionally, many of the casinos feature entertainment venues reflecting a focus on the show business industry. These venues often utilize iconography or themes that draw from Hollywood or other iconic neighborhoods.

Here are some of the best Southern California 18+ casinos:

Morongo Casino Resort Spa

This casino is a perfect choice if you want to mix some spa time with your gambling activities. It’s very close to Palm Springs and has over 150,000 ft.² in total with nearly 3,000 slot machines. It also includes a poker room and 13 reserve poker tables for private games, plus a variety of spa and resort amenities like massages services, and pool access.

Tachi Palace Casino Resort

This famous casino is located in Lemoore just south of Central California. It’s one of the best casinos in the region, with over 2,000 slot machines, a seven-table poker room, and a 255-room hotel and spa. Several restaurants and other dining venues nearby make it a great place for general relaxation and vacationing.

Full List of 18+ California Casinos

Sweepstakes Online Casinos In California 18+

There are a few ways you can enjoy 18+ online gambling in California even though the activity is broadly illegal. One way is by using sweepstakes sites. Sweepstakes sites technically don’t have you gamble with real money. Instead, you play with digital Sweeps Coins or other types of fake currency.

Because you aren’t gambling with real money, California’s anti-gambling legislation does not ban the activity. Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots are great examples of online sweepstakes casinos.

LuckyLand Slots offers hundreds of digital slot games if those are your favorite. Chumba Casino, on the other hand, offers a broader online casino experience and provides several options for digital table games. Of course, you have to be 18-years-old or older to sign up for either website.

Sweepstakes Online Poker In California 18+

Sweepstakes poker, which also follows the sweepstakes gaming model, is another option that circumvents anti-gambling legislation in California. Global Poker is really the only option you should consider, as it’s a well-regulated and well-designed website that allows you to find poker games against human opponents any time, all over the world. It’s also legal in most US states.

Global Poker offers two classic poker games: Texas or Omaha Hold’Em. You can purchase digital currency or get free bonus Sweeps Coins just by playing regular poker games. These coins can be redeemed for cash prizes, which adds a little bit of excitement to every game.

Traffic is fairly consistent, so it shouldn’t be difficult to get a game even if you want to play during the middle of the week when most people (in your location) are at work. There are some daily and weekly tournaments offered as well, although the Sit’N’Go format of poker is by far the most common type.

Be aware that poker tables can vary dramatically. Skill level matches are hit or miss, so you might sit down with one game and dominate the competition, only to find yourself drastically outmatched during the next.

See our full Review of Global Poker in California.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) In California 18+

Daily fantasy sports in California is still a gray legal area. In short, daily fantasy sports is neither legal nor illegal because there isn’t any California legislation outright stating either position. Big daily fantasy sports operators like DraftKings and FanDuel have so far managed to continue providing DFS without challenge.

Currently, anti-gambling legislation in California only bans players from wagering real money on games of chance. However, DFS operators claim that fantasy sports is a skill-based wagering activity.

Laughlin Gambling Age Rules

Until California legislation rules one way or the other, both DraftKings and FanDuel are excellent online DFS apps that anyone 18-years-old or older can enjoy.

Signing up for either app is pretty easy, and both providers offer intuitive user interfaces that look remarkably alike when you see them side by side. Both also provide opening bonuses, although DraftKings’ is much better, with a $500 deposit match guarantee and some free site credit.

You’ll also be able to enjoy tons of sports lineups and activities, ranging from major leagues like the NFL or NBA to women’s leagues or international soccer. The apps even have some options for eSports.

California 18+ Gambling FAQ

Laughlin Gambling Age Of Empires

If you’ve recently turned 18-years-old, be sure to have an up-to-date version of your driver’s license or government-issued ID.

Yes. However, in California, the only online gambling apps that are legal are for daily fantasy sports and horse racing. These apps will ask for your date of birth and your Social Security number to verify your information before allowing you to make an account.

No. Sports betting currently isn’t legal anywhere in the state. However, tribal organizations may bring this to their brick-and-mortar casinos in the near future.

Laughlin Gambling Age Rating

Not likely. The law is there to prevent underage drinkers from gaining access alcohol, not necessarily to stop them from gambling.

Laughlin Gambling Age Of Consent

There are slightly more in Southern California. In general, you’ll find more casinos or card rooms around big cities anywhere in the state.