Las Vegas
Top 10 Best Fremont Street Casinos (May 2024)
The Vegas Strip is one of the most iconic boulevards in the world. Filled with casinos, resorts, high-end retail stores and celebrity chef restaurants, it attracts loads of tourists to the Desert State. However, it is not the only place where you can go to get your games in Vegas. If you find the massive casinos and rich glitzy buildings on the Strip a bit too much, you can try some casinos in downtown Las Vegas. Fremont Street has plenty of casinos to offer, which are far smaller and less extravagant than those that you would get on the Strip.
History of Fremont Street
Fremont Street is as old as Las Vegas itself, dating back to 1905. Outside casinos, this street has a lot of cultural and historical importance in the city. It was the first street to be paved and the first to have a traffic light, which was placed there in 1931. Fremont Street got its gambling licence in the same year. The street runs through downtown Las Vegas, and then at the junction of Sahara Avenue, the road continues as the Boulder Highway, which keeps going Southeast.
Top 10 Casinos on Fremont Street
While far shorter and smaller than the Vegas Strip, the street has its fair share of hotels and casinos. These bear a resemblance to the casinos on the Strip, but they are considerably smaller and therefore have a cosier feel to them. Also, if you are a gaming enthusiast, then they may be more interesting to try out as they tend to have better payouts than the big establishments. Here, we will look at the top 10 casinos on Fremont Street, and what each one offers.
1. Golden Nugget
Golden Nugget is located on 129 Fremont Street, in the heart of downtown Las Vegas. It has a hotel with more than 2,400 rooms and plenty of amenities, including a pool with a shark tank, five specialty restaurants, and a theatre where Frank Sinatra used to perform. The theme of the casino is the Gold Rush, and it has the biggest golden nugget on display. Called the Hand of Faith, you can see this nugget in the main lobby. With the sharks, gold and cabaret music acts, it has a bit of a James Bond vibe to it.
The casino has won numerous awards and has slot machines, gaming tables and poker tables. With 38,000 square feet of gaming and over 1,000 gaming machines, it is a fairly large casino on Fremont Street. Here is a quick list of what the casino has to offer:
- 38,000 square foot casino
- 1,000 slots
- 55 table games and 13 poker tables
- Race and Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Hand of Faith Golden Nugget
Check Prices at the Golden Nugget.
2. Golden Gate
This is the oldest and smallest hotel on Fremont Street. It is impossible to miss the building, as it sits on 1 Fremont Street, and has a 1930s San Francisco Art Deco architectural style. With only 122 rooms to stay in, it may be difficult to find a room to stay in here, but it is definitely worth it. The hotel was opened in 1905 and was called Hotel Nevada. In 1931, a casino was added to the hotel, and it was renamed Sal Sagev, or Las Vegas backwards. Finally, in 1974 it was rebranded as the Golden Gate Hotel and Casino. The establishment is famous for its shrimp cocktails and dancing dealers, this casino is a throwback to days gone by.
The casino has a speakeasy theme, with plenty of machines, game tournaments and even a sportsbook, by Circa. Gamers who play Craps will be especially pleased with the games here, which have 10x maximum payouts. There is also a high limit room at the casino, where you can play Blackjack and various other table games.
- 12,000 square foot casino
- 350 slots with denominations starting from 1 cent
- 20 table games
- Circa Race and Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Shrimp Cocktails
Check Prices at The Golden Gate.
3. Circa Resort & Casino
You can find Circa Casino & Resort at 8 Fremont Street, and it has 512 rooms. The casino is owned by brothers Derek and Greg Stevens, who also own the Golden Gate and The D Las Vegas. It is easy to spot this casino as it is the tallest building on Fremont Street standing at 480 feet tall. The resort has six bars and lounges, including a rooftop lounge called the Legacy Club. There is also a massive outdoor swimming pool, called the Stadium, which has a big TV screen with sports and sports betting possibilities.
The casino is spread across two storeys and has many slots and table games. However, the owners announced that the resort will focus more on sports betting. It has a three storey sportsbook, operated by Circa Sports, and has a capacity of 1,000.
- 8,000 square foot casino
- 1,350 slots
- 49 table games
- three-storey sportsbook, by Circa Sports
- Key Feature: Stadium Swim – pool with sports betting
Check Prices at The Circa Resort & Casino.
4. The Plaza Hotel & Casino
The Plaza Hotel and Casino is not on Fremont Street, but it is on 1 Main Street, which is approximately 5 minutes by foot from where Fremont Street starts. The hotel has 995 rooms and is decorated by three 21-storey murals on its facade. There are lots of facilities here to enjoy, such as the 3,500 seat CORE Stadium for shows, and numerous bars and restaurants. In addition to those, there is also a rooftop pool and 12 pickleball courts.
The casino is considerably larger than a lot of the venues on Fremont Street and has 80,000 square feet of gaming space. There are 700 slot machines scattered across this area, as well as table games, keno and even a special area dedicated to bingo. The Super Bingo event attracts hundreds of players and includes a ballroom and open bar.
- 80,000 square foot casino
- 700 slots
- 23 live table games including Keno
- William Hill Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Super Bingo Tournaments
5. Four Queens
Four Queens has a Victorian carnival theme and is located at 202 East Fremont Street. It has 690 hotel rooms and has a number of quaint, themed bars to eat at such as the Royal Pavilion, Canyon Club and Hugo's Cellar. It has a key location and is a stone's throw from all the nightlife and fancy shops on Fremont Street.
The casino in this establishment is fairly large and has over 1,000 gaming machines. The casino also has its own free gaming app, with which you can pick up some nice rewards that you can start playing with instantly.
- 27,000 square foot casino
- 1,000 slots and video poker
- 27 table games
- William Hill Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Excellent range of video poker
6. Fremont Casino
Fremont Hotel and Casino is located at 200 Fremont Street and houses 447 hotel rooms. The building is covered in lights, and you will notice it almost immediately. Designed by Wayne McAllister, it opened in 1956 and has always been a bit of a quirky place. In 1963, it was further expanded with a vertical parking garage, the first in the city. The institution also includes a number of quality restaurants, such as Tony Roma's, Lanai Express and Steak ‘N Shake.
Fremont Casino has everything a gamer could need. There are 1,000 gaming machines, where you can play slots, keno or video poker. In addition to that, it has a casual sportsbook and plenty of tables to play your favourite live games at.
- 32,000 square foot casino
- 1,000 slots, keno and video poker
- 24 table games
- FanDuel Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Massive progressive jackpot slots
Check Prices at the Fremont Casino.
7. Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino
Downtown Grand Hotel and Casino is on 205 N 3rd Street, which is close to the Plaza Hotel and Casino. Neither casino is far away from Fremont Street. This hotel and casino was originally a news stand and barber shop. It became a casino in 1964 and has changed ownership numerous times. The hotel has 1,124 rooms, and amenities include a range of bars and restaurants, as well as a rooftop pool. The last thing most visitors would expect in Vegas is to go sailing, but at Downtown Grand they can join the Groove Cruise. This is a three-day event on land, which captures the sailing vibe and combines it with a festival.
Downtown Grand has an awesome selection of games, including the best slots, video poker and live games around. It also has an onsite William Hill Sportsbook, where you can go to watch games, make your predictions, and enjoy cocktail service all day.
- 24,000 square foot casino
- 325 slots
- 15 table games
- William Hill Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Groove Cruise party
Check Prices at Downtown Grand Hotel & Casino.
8. The D Las Vegas
The D in The D Las Vegas stands for downtown. It used to be called Fitzgeralds until it was purchased by the Stevens brothers. The building is located on 301 Fremont Street, and has 638 hotel rooms. The D has a lot of features that draw in many visitors and guests. It has a fine selection of restaurants, including the first American Coney Island, and finers such as Joe Ficari's Andiamo Italian Steakhouse. The resort also has one of the longest bars in Nevada, the Longbar, which is just under 100 feet long. Guests can enjoy tonnes of excellent facilities, and The D has also hosted martial arts events.
In 2013, The D became the first land based casino to accept bitcoin. A Bitcoin ATM was placed near the gaming floor, so that visitors could trade their bitcoin and play for money. The D, like Golden Gate, features Dancing Dealers who put an exciting spin and kick on each draw (not literally).
- 42,000 square foot casino
- 1,000 slots
- 42 table games
- Circa Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Accepts Bitcoin
Check Prices at The D Las Vegas.
9. Binion's Gambling Hall
Binion's Gambling Hall and Hotel was originally a family run business, operated by the controversial Benny Binion. Binion had quite a few run-ins with the law, and his gambling licence was revoked, but his family ran the business successfully from 1951 to 2004. It was bought by TLC in 2009, a corporation which also owns Four Queens. Binion's is not far from the Four Queens, you can find it on 128 East Fremont Street. In the complex, you can visit the Pool Deck, the Top of Binion's Steakhouse, the Whiskey Licker Up Saloon or Binion's Smokin' BBQ & Brews. The motto of the establishment's questionable owner was “good food, good whiskey cheap, and a good gamble”.
You can definitely get a good gambling session at Binion's as it features a wide variety of table games, and generous video poker games, in the Video Poker Hideaway. There are also lots of table games, where the croupiers are cowgirls.
- 77,000 square foot casino
- 800 slots
- 40 table games
- Binion’s Sportsbook
- Key Feature: Old-school casino experience
10. El Cortez Casino
El Cortez is located on 600 East Fremont Street, which is also right in the heart of downtown Las Vegas, and not too far from the Strip. This venue has a Western theme and was opened in 1941. It has 364 hotel rooms and has a very simple architectural design. If it was not for the El Cortez Casino sign at the door, you may not even realise that it is a casino. Yet, this humble venue has plenty to offer visitors. There is live entertainment at the Parlour Bar, as well as a spa, beauty salon and speakeasy barbershop. Guests who want something a little different can walk through History Hallway, a museum that displays pictures of all the legends who came to Vegas, such as Sinatra, Presley, Ali, and so on.
History Hallway is right next to the casino. There, you can find table games and an abundance of slots. There is also a high limit room, where you can play $250-a-spin slots.
- 40,000 square foot casino
- 1,000 slots
- 19 table games
- Station Casinos Race and Sportsbook
- Key Feature: History Hallway Exhibition
Conclusion
When you plan to visit Las Vegas and check out the casinos, we recommend you also check out Fremont Street. It may not be as large as the Strip, but the atmosphere is just as electric, if not more so. You can find loads of possibilities to play top games and participate in poker tournaments. Additionally, it may be a bit cheaper to eat or stay here, so keep an eye open on the hotels when you are booking your accommodation.
