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Tag: Circus Circus

  • Circus Circus Bingo Hall Reopens Soon • This Week in Gambling

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    Circus Circus Bingo Hall is set to reopen on the Las Vegas Strip in 2026, marking the return of traditional bingo to the corridor after more than a decade without a dedicated venue. The reopening is part of a broader strategy by the resort to lean into nostalgia-driven offerings while appealing to both longtime bingo players and tourists seeking a classic casino experience.

    The Bingo Hall is scheduled to begin operations in mid-February 2026. The venue will emphasize a traditional bingo format, relying on paper cards, ink daubers, and live number calls rather than electronic tablets. Management has positioned the bingo hall as a throwback attraction designed to foster social interaction and a slower-paced gaming environment, distinguishing it from the increasingly automated casino floor found elsewhere on the Strip.

    According to details released by the property, the Circus Circus Bingo Hall will be able to seat up to 255 players per session. Six sessions are planned daily, with each session consisting of 10 games. These will include standard bingo games, a bonus round, and a coverall game. Prize payouts are expected to range from smaller cash amounts to jackpots reaching approximately $1,500, keeping buy-ins accessible while still offering meaningful rewards.

    The bingo hall will be located on the promenade level of the resort and will feature a concession area offering classic snacks and low-cost beverages. Entry will be limited to guests aged 21 and over, in line with casino gaming regulations. The overall layout and amenities are intended to reinforce a communal atmosphere that has historically been central to bingo’s appeal.

    The reopening of Circus Circus Bingo Hall aligns with other retro-focused initiatives underway at the property. Plans also include the addition of an expanded coin-operated slot machine area in 2026, building on the popularity of existing vintage-style gaming options. These efforts are part of a wider refresh at the resort that includes updates to interiors and select food and beverage venues.

    Industry observers note that the return of Circus Circus Bingo Hall fills a notable gap on the Strip. While bingo has remained popular at several off-Strip casinos, it has largely disappeared from the main tourist corridor. By restoring a full-scale bingo operation, Circus Circus is positioning itself as a destination for players seeking a traditional Las Vegas gaming experience that has become increasingly rare.

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    This Week in Gambling

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  • Phil Ruffin’s Gilley’s Gambling Hall in Kansas Readies Opening

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    Posted on: December 12, 2025, 10:14h. 

    Last updated on: December 12, 2025, 10:36h.

    • Gilley’s in Kansas opens on December 15
    • Phil Ruffin is bringing the honky-tonk brand to Park City
    • Gilley’s replaces the former Wichita Greyhound Park

    The redeveloped Wichita Greyhound Park will open as Gilley’s next week.

    Gilley's Kansas Phil Ruffin
    The Gilley’s Girls are ready to lead line dances and pour drinks at Gilley’s in Kansas. The Park City gambling and entertainment venue from billionaire Phil Ruffin is set to open on Dec. 15, 2025. (Image: Gilley’s)

    Amid flagging interest in greyhound racing, Wichita Greyhound Park held its final dog race on Oct. 6, 2007. Kansas native Phil Ruffin, who owned the track during its closure and unsuccessfully fought for slot machines to save the facility and its employees, announced a redevelopment of the property soon after Kansas lawmakers approved slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) machines in 2022.

    The casino billionaire, who owns Circus Circus and Treasure Island on the Las Vegas Strip, will open Gilley’s Park City on Monday, December 15, at 6 pm.

    “It’s gonna blow your mind,” Ruffin told The Wichita Eagle. “Everybody’s going to be surprised at what we did at the track. It’s something even Vegas hasn’t seen yet. It would compete very effectively on the Strip.”

    Gilley’s combines gambling with family fun. Along with the Gambling Hall’s 1,000 parimutuel-based HHR gaming machines, Gilley’s has an arcade, golf simulators, and a bowling alley.

    For older guests, there’s a dance hall with live music, a sports bar, a parimutuel wagering racebook with simulcast racing, and a cocktail lounge.

    Gilley’s Brand 

    The original Gilley’s Club, cofounded by country music singer Mickey Gilley, opened in 1970 in Pasadena, Texas.

    Known as the “world’s biggest honky-tonk,” the popular club revived Gilley’s career, with the saloon’s mechanical bull portrayed in the 1980 film “Urban Cowboy” starring John Travolta. Gilley’s cover of “Stand by Me” on the movie’s soundtrack reached the top spot on the US country chart in 1980.

    Ruffin befriended Gilley in the early 1990s. Ruffin brought Gilley’s to Las Vegas in 1998 when he opened the Gilley’s Saloon at his New Frontier Hotel Casino. Ruffin opened a Gilley’s at Treasure Island after buying the Strip property in 2009, which remains in operation.

    Gilley died of complications from bone cancer in 2022 at the age of 86. Ruffin, 90, is carrying on his legacy.

    I have been a personal friend of Mickey Gilley and family since the early 1990s, and it led me to bring the Gilley’s experience to Las Vegas. Now, with his wife, Cindy Gilley, leading the company, I’m bringing the iconic brand to Park City, Kansas, guaranteed to be the best entertainment destination in the region,” Ruffin said.

    Gilley’s Park City is located off the Interstate 135 77th Street exit north of Wichita.

    Gaming Competition 

    While Ruffin’s Gilley’s won’t be able to house Vegas-like slot machines or live-dealer table games, a neighboring business can. Just steps south of Gilley’s is the CrossWinds Casino, a small gaming room owned and operated by the Wyandotte Nation.

    Being a federally recognized tribe holding a Class III gaming compact with the state, CrossWinds can offer traditional casino slot machines. While CrossWinds doesn’t currently offer table games, the tribe could bring in felt should it seek to limit Gilley’s poaching of its gaming business.

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    Devin O’Connor

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