
Las Vegas offers a wide variety of entertainment hotspots, whether you prefer a high-end casino and hotel experience or are looking to pass the time at the slots or table games against the backdrop of an old-school aesthetic.
During my recent trip to Vegas for G2E 2024, I paid a visit to two casinos on the Strip, one from each of these categories. I explored what Venetian Resort Las Vegas has to offer, as well as Horseshoe Las Vegas, which is owned and operated by Caesars Entertainment.
As is my custom, I will score these casinos based on qualities I find essential for a good entertainment destination, which include cleanliness, dining, look and layout, variety of games and guest services.
For extra fun, let’s score this matchup like we would during a game of HORSE.
The rules for the game are simple, for those who might not be familiar with how this basketball game is played. The first player shoots and makes a basket from a particular spot or angle. The second player must make the shot the exact same way to keep from earning a letter.
The first competitor to spell out HORSE loses the game.
However, I will modify the rules a bit and give the casino that does not take the category a letter. Otherwise, this contest could be lengthy quickly!
Let’s look at the history of each location before we move ahead with this challenge. Venetian Resort Las Vegas stands on the previous home of the Sands Hotel, which was imploded in 1996. Prior to the Venetian’s construction, architects and artists traveled to Venice, Italy to seek inspiration for the Renaissance-style destination. Construction was completed on the resort in 1999.
The Venetian Resort recently released details on plans to update its convention center for an estimated cost of $188m. The company said the renovation of its meeting space will be “completed in stages between 2024 to 2026.” The concept is based on celebrating the resort’s past, while “reinventing the future.”
The Venetian also recently hosted G2E 2024.
Caesars Entertainment currently owns and operates Horseshoe Las Vegas. Since the brand’s formation in Reno, Nevada in 1937, Caesars Entertainment has expanded over the years to include facilities that operate under the Caesars, Harrah’s, Horseshoe and Eldorado brand names.
Today, casino guests enjoy the facility under the Horseshoe Las Vegas name. However, the site itself has a rich history that spans more than 50 years.
Horseshoe was previously known to Las Vegas locals as MGM Grand Hotel and Casino. The destination opened for the first time on December 4, 1973. The original structure included a 26-floor hotel with nearly 2,100 rooms and was known as one of the largest hotels in the world at the time.
On November 21, 1980, nearly seven years after its debut, the hotel caught fire and killed 85 people. The disaster was noted as one of the worst high-rise fires in US history.
The following July, MGM Grand reopened after undergoing a $50m rebuild. The new 26-floor hotel expanded its capacity to more than 2,800 rooms and implemented additional fire safety features.
In 1986, Bally’s Manufacturing purchased the property and renamed it Bally’s Las Vegas. Caesars Entertainment later acquired the facility and rebranded it as Horseshoe Las Vegas in December 2022.
Now, let the game begin!
Cleanliness
This was a difficult category to score because neither casino was dirty or messy. However, both casinos allow smoking indoors, so I found several slots with used ashtrays as I played.
Though both places were clean and free of trash, I found the Venetian went above and beyond to keep the gaming floor looking nice. I was also impressed with the spotless condition of the bathrooms at the Venetian. Staff members were often wiping down sinks and keeping the floor swept during the times I used the restroom while at the Venetian.
So, the Venetian takes the first category, giving Horseshoe Las Vegas the letter H.
Dining
Horseshoe offers its guests access to 10 restaurants, including Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Sports Kitchen and Jack Binion’s Steak.
A major plus for this casino hotel is its 24-hour access to the Horseshoe Food Hall. This area of the resort serves American classic meal staples like burgers, pizza, sub sandwiches and hot dogs.
The food hall has four eateries, which is a great option when you need a break from winning or need to step away from your favorite slot or table game to recharge.
The Venetian offers a variety of dining and bar choices as well – 61 to be exact – no matter the time of day and what your budget allows. While visiting, getting a meal for as low as $15 - $20 is not difficult.
If you are looking for a place to sit down or options for fine dining, the casino hotel offers that too. However, the place was packed due to the conference, so sitting down at the bar to have a cocktail was challenging.
I appreciated how much space was available for dining on both the main and second floors. While at the Venetian, I had the chance to eat at Yardbird and Sugarcane. These restaurants offer higher-end dining options but still have meals that are cheaper than $30.
Again, this was a tough category because both have great restaurant choices. However, I will give Horseshoe the point because of its 24-hour food court option.
Which gives Venetian a letter H.
Look and layout
Each casino has its advantages and disadvantages in this category as well. First, we’ll examine Horseshoe.The gaming floor gives people plenty of room to travel from game to game without potentially bumping into someone else, regardless of whether one prefers slots, table games or live poker.
That is a huge plus in my book.
However, I found the layout of the casino floor to be a bit disorganized because the floor is divided into several sections that feel cut off and too independent from the others. Both ends of the casino floor had large groups of slot machines, with nearly all the table games taking up space in the middle of the floor.
This is great for those who do not want to spend a long time searching for a place to sit down and play, but I felt this took away from the flow of the room.
I thought the Venetian’s casino floor was designed well. I like that all the slots are grouped together, and that overhead directional signage is clearly visible. I also thought the colorful carpet mixed with beautiful hard-surface flooring created a pleasing aesthetic.
The disadvantage to this setup is that someone could easily get lost on the gaming floor. I know I took a few wrong turns more than once while making my way through the casino. Having so many beautifully lit and colorful slots in one place against a Renaissance backdrop left me feeling visually overstimulated at times.
That said, Venetian takes the point on this round because I enjoyed the organic flow of the gaming floor’s layout.
The score: Venetian with H, Horseshoe with H-O.
Variety of games
Horseshoe Las Vegas offers players more than 750 slot machine games, 36 traditional table games and 20 live poker games spread out through its 68,000 square feet of gaming space.
Now, I am not a table games kind of girl, but the fact Horseshoe features so many table games and live poker choices on its gaming floor was impressive. I was also pleased with the slot machine options present on the casino floor. Despite the smaller space, many new and frequently played games were there.
The Venetian’s 100,000 square-foot casino features more than 1,000 slots, 225 table games and 37 live poker tables. Along with these gaming options, the casino floor is also home to its Yahoo Sportsbook, powered by William Hill, as well as a high limit room.
Venetian wins this category solely based on scope. Both casinos had many of my favorite games, but I had no trouble finding all of my go-to slots while playing at the Venetian. And, this casino offered many fan favorites in multiple denominations.
Our score now stands with Venetian with the letter H and Horseshoe with H-O-R.
Guest services
Staff at both casinos were friendly and accommodating. However, I noticed that staff at the Venetian were present more often and frequently asked those sitting at slots if they wanted to place drink orders.
I give the Venetian credit for having an attentive staff. However, this was more of a distraction than an opportunity for me to feel pampered. When I’m playing slots, I am fully engaged in the game. Personally, I do not prefer being interrupted by staff offering drinks or a chance to sign up for the casino’s loyalty program.
Again, it is great service and goes above and beyond what I have seen at other venues. Nevertheless, I have to give Horseshoe Las Vegas the point on this one because of a lack of interruptions.
This brings our final score to Venetian with two letters, H and O, with Horseshoe earning three letters, H-O-R.
So, Venetian will walk away from this challenge as the victor by a narrow margin.
Final thoughts
Though these two casinos differ in many ways and take a different approach to their visual presentations, I enjoyed myself at both.
Each casino hotel is a great place to visit and stay on your next pilgrimage to Las Vegas, or on the next business trip in my case!