We directed this one to well-known blackjack expert and equally seasoned aficionado of all things topless in Las Vegas, Arnold Synder, who is the mastermind behind our aptly named and newly launched sister site, ToplessVegasOnline.com. Take it off (oops!) away, Arnold.
Las Vegas casinos are allowed to have both topless pools and topless shows -- provided they follow all local laws and ordinances, that is, of which there are too many to enumerate.
Casinos located outside Las Vegas city limits have different -- and generally stricter -- regulations. A couple years ago, Green Valley Ranch in Henderson announced that their smaller, adult-oriented pool (The Pond) would be top-optional, which it was briefly, until the property was informed by local law enforcement that topless pools are not allowed in Henderson. These days M Resort, also in Henderson, gets around this regulation at their locals and party-oriented Daydream Pool Club by allowing women to be topless, provided they don pasties (available at no extra charge from the pool staff).
Sapphire Dayclub is another example of a pool that allows toplessness with pasties. Since Sapphire isn’t a hotel, the hotel-pool rules don’t apply. However, following a less-than-auspicious prior experiment, when this gentlemen's club took over one of the pools at the Rio only to be summarily shut down in a whirl of arrests for drug and prostitution offenses, when Sapphire was granted permission to be the first gentlemen's club with a swimming pool all of its own in 2013, they had to agree to keep things squeaky clean and abide by a variation of the hotel-pool regulations that outlaw female toplessness if the venue is hosting a party (and believe me, every day when Sapphire Dayclub's operating is a party).
Just because a casino can have a topless pool certainly doesn’t mean it will. In a less dramatic debacle than the Sapphire/Rio scenario, the Flamingo briefly had a great topless amenity -- the GO Pool -- which debuted back in 2009 when the hotel revamped its image with the sexy new GO rooms. The diminutive adult-only venue was, for a short while, topless pool-party central. To quote a couple of other sources:
"This adults-only pool is the Flamingo's own version of the sexy adult pools that are all the rage in Vegas right now. (See BARE and Tao Vegas.) European-style (read: topless) sunbathing is encouraged and the lines between poolside fun and nightclub debauchery are blurred as DJs spin music while guests drink cocktails in and out of the water." (Vegas Chatter)
"Saturday I was shocked that with all those people, there were only 3-5 topless. It helped when the pool attendant started passing out pink flamingo pasties! How cute was that. So I had to have a pair of those. You can’t just get a pair though, the attendant has to unpeel them and apply them or hand them to you to apply (they don’t want you to take them and use elsewhere). So, on my daybed, adorned with my pink flamingos…I relaxed and watched the young ladies attempt pole dancing. Yep, in the middle of the pool is a pole-dancing pole and platform. Apparently they were practicing for the 3:30 dance contest…$250 bar tab was the prize. There were a handful of 20 somethings that did go topless and were enjoying the alcohol (liquid courage, I hope) and dancing on the pole. Quite entertaining." (Trip Advisor)
That particular form of entertainment was short-lived, however, as was the original GO Pool which, ironically, is now the family pool at the Flamingo, while the former Lagoon Pool is now called the GO Pool. The problem was that the whole concept of the GO Pool turned out to be in direct contravention of the law in Clark County, which states that: "A resort-hotel may provide for its guests a specially designated portion of its swimming pool area where topless sunbathing is permitted. However, such a specially designated area must be separated from all other swimming pool and guest areas; be obstructed from the view of patrons in other swimming pool and common areas; be off-limits to all minors under the age of eighteen; and cannot be used for any special events, contests or parties while any topless sunbathing is taking place." While the GO Pool conformed to all other criteria, it most certainly did not comply when it came to the last of these, and the media hype its raucous parties quickly attracted soon spelled the kiss of death to any toptionality.
Hence, in order to stay in compliance, Tao Beach at Venetian allows topless females on sedate weekdays, but never on weekends, when the celebrity hotspot dissolves into a seething mass of party animals.
Red Rock Resort had a topless pool a few years ago (Cherry Cabana Club) but the demise of this venue stemmed from a lack of interest from female guests. If a pool is just an "adult" (no minors) pool that’s not topless, then the hotel no longer has to worry about whether or not their pool scene is a party, or suitably obscured from outside view etc., so if there's no or only a minimal market for bearing it all, it's simply not worth the bother to accommodate the odd daring soul/exhibitionist/European.
The Rio has tried three times to make The Voo pool topless, but none of the experiments has lasted for long (see above) and today it’s just an "adult" pool once again (contrary to the description on its official website). The Stratosphere used to have a rooftop topless pool (Beach Club 25) that had a beautiful panoramic view of the city, but it's been closed for perhaps the longest remodel of all time (going on several years now) and, as we reported in a recent QoD (6/6/14) specifically about that venue, while it's still allegedly set to return one day, that day ain't gonna be anytime soon.
All of the adult pools in Las Vegas, whether topless or not, are restricted to guests over 21 because all serve alcoholic beverages in the pool areas. As explained above, topless pools must also be located outside the view of both the general public and of hotel guests who are not specifically at the pool. As for nude sunbathing, it is not allowed at casino/hotel properties in Nevada, period.
When it comes to topless casino shows and erotic revues, there are age restrictions for the performers, crew, and audience, based on the availability of alcoholic beverages in the facility. Topless shows may allow guests under 21 if the show is in a theater with no beverage service during the show, but I believe topless shows cannot allow guests under 18. Zombie Burlesque in the Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has a minimum age allowance of 16, an exception because the dancers wear pasties. Totally nude gentlemen's clubs may also permit those aged 18 and up -- both on and off stage -- because these establishments are not permitted to serve alcohol, with the exception of the Palomino, which does serve liquor and not only has all-nude female entertainers, but also the also only legal all-nude male strippers in the U.S., on account of the club pre-dating the laws that outlaw its policies.
So, to conclude, here's my guide to Las Vegas topless laws in a nutshell: You’ve got to be 18 to see nipples in this town, but you can see breasts at 16 as long as the nipples are covered. You’ve got to be 21 to see breasts in a pool environment. But if it’s a pool party, then no one can see nipples, no matter how old you (or they) are. Nipples and pool parties just don’t mix. You can’t be naked or see naked at a pool, even if it’s not a party, but you can see naked and be naked in a show, any age from 18 up, provided there’s no alcohol served; if booze is served, then nipples are okay, but not full nudity. You can’t have alcoholic beverages served in a room in Las Vegas where there are female genitalia on display; however, if you go to North Las Vegas, Palomino Club and Lacy’s Lounge have fully nude shows and full bar service. (For in-depth coverage of gentlemen's club rules and etiquette, check out the Strip Club Survival Guide at ToplessVegasOnline, which addresses everything from the letter of the law when it comes to touching, to safe-parking tips, privacy issues, and how to avoid being hustled.)
We hope you got all that, but to break it down even more, the bottom line on toplessness in Sin City is that if what you’re looking for is to see people with their clothes off, you’ve come to the right town.
