LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — Las Vegas has long been a hub for innovation — especially for gaming. On this day in history — August 14, 1951 — a casino that profoundly impacted the future of gambling and tourism in Las Vegas opened its doors.
Benny Binion bought the Eldorado Club and the Hotel Apache, combined them, and then reopened as Binion’s Horseshoe. It was the first casino to replace sawdust-covered floors with carpeting — and the first to offer comps to all gamblers, not just the high rollers.
Binion was also the first to institute higher table limits.
In fact, at one point, the Horseshoe’s limits were ten times higher than any other casino. The casino was also the first to host the World Series of Poker. It passed out of the Binion family’s hands in 2004 and was renamed Binion’s Gambling Hall & Hotel.
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