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Question of the Day - 07 December 2025

Q:

Following up on the oldest casino question, which U.S. casino is the oldest and in its original location?

AND

So which U.S. casino is the oldest inland in its original location?

A:

The oldest existing casino in Nevada, thus in the United States, is Railroad Pass on Interstate 11 at the turnoff to Boulder City.

It opened in 1931, shortly after wide-open gambling was legalized in the state a couple of years into the Great Depression and just as construction of Boulder (now Hoover) Dam was beginning. Railroad Pass will celebrate its 95th anniversary next August 1.  

The Bank Club in Reno received the first gambling license issued by the state of Nevada after casino gambling was legalized. Mayme Stocker's Northern Club on Fremont Street garnered license number two. Neither remain. Railroad Pass was issued Nevada gambling license #3.

From its inception, Railroad Pass was popular with dam workers living in Boulder City, where drinking and gambling were forbidden by the federal managers of the town. (Gambling remains illegal there to this day, one of only two locales in the state where gambling is not permitted.)

In the modern era, it was sold in 1985 to the owners of the nearby Gold Strike Casino. Ten years later, both casinos were sold to Circus Circus Enterprises and 10 years after that (2005), Circus Circus (renamed Mandalay Resort Group) was sold to MGM Mirage. In 2014, MGM sold Railroad Pass to a Henderson developer, who still owns it. 

 

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Comments

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  • Bob Dec-07-2025
    Inquiring Minds
    Just to fill in a couple of blank spots...  
    "one of only two locales in the state where gambling is not permitted"  The other is Panaca NV. which is about 3 sq. miles on the Utah border with a Pop. of less than 900.
    "sold Railroad Pass to a Henderson developer, who still owns it"  That would be Joseph DeSimone.   Now You Know... 
     

  • Artie Dec-07-2025
    Golden Gate ???
    Well heck, my guess was the Golden Gate, formerly the Sal Sagev.
    Where does the Golden Gate fall into license # and at the same location?

  • Gambler_7 Dec-07-2025
    Says is permitted
    Their website says all games plus sportsbook permitted

  • John Pitcher Dec-07-2025
    Thanks, Bob
    Excellent follow up, Bob.  Much appreciated.