One of the Las Vegas Strip’s oldest casinos is taking a step back to its, and Las Vegas’s past, with an old-fashioned bingo parlor and more coin-operated slot machines.
Circus Circus, which opened in 1968 and has had a reputation for lacking some of the glitter and glamor of newer casinos, is playing to its reputation for what it thinks is a growing market: People who are looking for fun, nostalgia and affordability
Affordability is an issue in Las Vegas in recent years; its days as a cheap place to stay with inexpensive rooms and buffets have been gone for a while. At the same time, much of the gambling has gone electronic; most slot machines no longer take cash, much less coins.
The last two bingo parlors in casinos on the Strip closed in 2007 and 2015, and where it has continued in other areas of Vegas, it, too, has gone electronic—but not at Circus Circus where the new Bingo Hall opened last week, with paper bingo cards and ink markers.
Shana Gerety, general manager of the hotel-casino, said the hall also affordable food and beverage options such as hot dogs, pretzels, nachos, beer, as well as a few chic cocktails. Prizes start at $50 and go up to $1500.
