Overpriced Games And Bad Vibes Make This Popular Las Vegas Casino One Of The Worst In The City

Gambling is big business. Worldwide, casinos and casino-related markets are estimated to rake in about $55.5 billion in 2025 alone. Depending on your perspective, that's either $55.5 billion in wasted savings or $55.5 billion in fun and games that's going to go somewhere, somehow, anyway. If the latter is true, then folks headed to casinos want as much value for their money as possible, especially in a casino-flush city like Las Vegas with 175 options and counting. On this note, Vegas DisAdvantage Awards recommends staying away from one casino that stands head-and-shoulders above the rest at being the worst: Bighorn Casino.

Located on East Lake Mead Boulevard northeast of central Las Vegas, Bighorn Casino is a one-story, unassuming place that looks something like a Walgreens from the outside. Judging by pictures, the interior is uninspired and full of decades-old decor and games, and the food is questionable, at best. We would say that pictures can be deceiving, but reviews concur with the Vegas DisAdvantage Awards. Bighorn has a meager 2.8 out of 5.0 on Tripadvisor, with one person praising its "home cooking," but most reviews savaging the place. "I volunteered at homeless shelters that were cleaner than this," one reviewer wrote. "This place is a hole," another wrote, and another, "Dump — Dump — Dump." Reviews on Google are similarly uncharitable (3.9 out of 5.0).

The Vegas DisAdvantage Awards mentions even more issues with Bighorn. The casino's "overall environment is poor," it reads. Its "aura is negative," its "parking lot is too narrow," and ultimately it's "just a grind joint with bad odds." They also mention Bighorn's terrible video poker and a lack of the $5 blackjack that it used to have. All in all, it's probably best to take your business elsewhere.

There are any number of reasons why a local or visitor would choose Bighorn Casino over something like the Bellagio or Palms Casino Resort, no matter the bad vibes and crummy games. Maybe a guest wants a low-key place — something closer to a bar or diner, not a massive colosseum stuffed with glitz and noise. Maybe cost is a concern, and someone just wants to blow a few bucks on a beer rather than hundreds of hard-earned dollars on an overpriced cocktail. But even if this is the case, better options await.

Take Slots-A-Fun on Las Vegas Boulevard across the street from Fontainebleau. The quirky, retro establishment leans into the fun and is appropriately located next door to Circus Circus Hotel & Casino and its silly clown on the roof (and feet at the door). Slots-A-Fun is bright but not unnecessarily garish and might actually liven your spirits after work or on vacation rather than drag you down. Ten minutes by car up Las Vegas Boulevard toward downtown, meanwhile, sits El Cortez. El Cortez is a simple, unpretentious establishment that dates to 1941 and has low, approachable table minimums, like $5 initial bets on three-card poker.  

If folks want to get away from the Strip, they can head to local favorite Aliante in Las Vegas' far north, toward the edge of town. Aliante is a bigger place with higher minimums than El Cortez ($10 to $15), but the casino and hotel also has multiple restaurants and a full entertainment line-up. So take your pick. With such an array of casino options across Las Vegas, there's really no need to settle for less than the best — whatever that means for you.