When it comes to alcohol consumption, this city has some of the nation’s least restrictive rules. We checked with the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Dept. and they confirmed that it's fine to wander down the Strip –- or any other street in town –- openly swigging your beer or sipping a cocktail; no brown paper bag required. It's also absolutely fine to bring your drink into a casino, but generally, it's not acceptable to take a drink from outside into other licensed properties, such as bars or clubs, which make their money from serving their own liquor. Of course, no property is too thrilled if you try to take out a drink in their glassware, but most are happy to supply a to-go cup if you want to leave before you've finished.
Drinking while in a moving vehicle is another story. According to Nevada’s open container law (NRS 484.448), it's "unlawful for a person to drink an alcoholic beverage while he is driving or in actual physical control of a motor vehicle upon a highway" or "for a person to have an open container of an alcoholic beverage within the passenger area of a motor vehicle while the motor vehicle is upon a highway." However, this law exempts "a motor vehicle which is designed, maintained or used primarily for the transportation of persons for compensation, or to the living quarters of a house coach or house trailer."
In plain English, legally it's okay to drink while you're the passenger in a cab, shuttle, bus, or limo -- provided that it's a fare-charging vehicle -- or in the back of an RV (if your cabbie says no, quote him the statute). Some companies have their own restrictions, however: For example, for the safety and comfort of their passengers, the city's Citizens Area Transport (CAT) buses have a no eating/drinking/smoking rule, and alcoholic beverages are not allowed on the Strip monorail.
