Slots-A-Fun Casino

Slots-A-Fun Casino is a small casino property on the northern Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. It was opened in 1971 by Jay Sarno, the developer of Circus Circus Las Vegas, and became part of the broader Circus Circus property complex. Unlike a conventional hotel-casino resort, Slots-A-Fun has operated primarily as a compact gaming venue rather than as a destination defined by extensive accommodation, entertainment, or attractions. The casino was established during the early development of Circus Circus. Circus Circus opened in 1968 and initially faced financial and operational difficulties, including criticism of its circus theme, a lack of hotel rooms, disputes over construction-related obligations, and problems obtaining a permanent gaming license. Slots-A-Fun was added in 1971, before Circus Circus expanded substantially with hotel towers and other facilities. Its opening therefore belongs to the period when Sarno and his partners were attempting to stabilize and broaden the original Circus Circus operation. Slots-A-Fun is located close to Circus Circus Las Vegas and has generally been presented as a separate, smaller casino within or alongside the resort complex. Its name emphasizes slot-machine gaming, although available reference material does not establish a complete historical inventory of its games, amenities, operating statistics, or promotional programs. The property is not documented here as having a hotel, major entertainment venue, or independent corporate structure. Circus Circus was leased and later purchased by William Bennett and William Pennington during the 1970s and early 1980s. Their operating strategy emphasized slot machines and value-oriented gaming rather than high rollers, an approach that helped turn the wider property into a successful middle-market casino resort. Slots-A-Fun remained associated with that casino business as the Circus Circus organization expanded. Circus Circus Enterprises later became Mandalay Resort Group, which was acquired by MGM Mirage, now MGM Resorts International, in 2005. In 2019, MGM Resorts International sold Circus Circus Las Vegas and the associated Festival Grounds to Las Vegas casino owner Phil Ruffin. The transaction placed the Circus Circus complex, including the Slots-A-Fun operation, under Ruffin's ownership. Ruffin retained Circus Circus as a budget-oriented property and undertook a renovation program at the resort between 2019 and 2023. Publicly available reference material does not provide sufficient detail to determine the precise legal ownership, current gaming inventory, staffing, or financial performance of Slots-A-Fun as a standalone operation. The brand's market role is therefore best understood as a compact, value-oriented Las Vegas casino associated with the Circus Circus resort rather than as an independent national casino chain. Its historical significance comes from its connection to Jay Sarno's early Circus Circus development and its continued presence within one of the older surviving casino properties on the Las Vegas Strip.

Slots-A-Fun Casino was opened in 1971 by Jay Sarno, the founder and principal developer of Circus Circus Las Vegas. It was established beside the Circus Circus property during a period when Sarno's original casino was still being expanded and stabilized. Circus Circus had opened in October 1968 as a circus-themed casino without a hotel, and its early operation was marked by financial pressure, criticism from parts of the Las Vegas gaming establishment, and regulatory scrutiny. The addition of Slots-A-Fun formed part of the broader development of gaming facilities connected with the Circus Circus operation. The casino was smaller than the main Circus Circus resort and did not develop the same identity as a full hotel, amusement, and entertainment destination. Its name and historical role indicate a focus on accessible gaming, particularly slot-machine play. Available reference material does not establish a complete chronology of its floor layouts, individual gaming products, renovations, operators, or promotional campaigns, so its history is best documented through its relationship with Circus Circus. Circus Circus's ownership and operating structure changed substantially after Slots-A-Fun opened. In 1974, William Bennett and William Pennington became operators of Circus Circus through a lease arrangement with Sarno and Stanley Mallin. They emphasized slot-machine gaming and a middle-market customer base rather than concentrating on high rollers. They later exercised an option to purchase Circus Circus in 1983. The Circus Circus business operated through Circus Circus Enterprises, which was renamed Mandalay Resort Group in 1999. MGM Mirage acquired Mandalay Resort Group in 2005, bringing Circus Circus and its associated properties into the MGM portfolio. MGM later sold Circus Circus Las Vegas, together with the Festival Grounds, to Phil Ruffin in 2019 for $825 million. Ruffin continued to operate the resort as a budget-oriented Las Vegas property and initiated a renovation program extending into 2023. Slots-A-Fun remains identified with the Circus Circus complex, although publicly available sources do not provide enough information to describe it as a separately incorporated or separately reported business. The casino's continuing importance is primarily local and historical. It represents an early extension of Sarno's Circus Circus concept and survives as a small gaming venue within a long-running Las Vegas Strip resort. Its present-day brand positioning is tied to convenient, value-oriented casino play rather than to an independently marketed international brand.

• 2019

  Circus Circus is sold to Phil Ruffin

  [2]Circus Circus Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  MGM Resorts International sells Circus Circus Las Vegas and the Festival Grounds to Phil Ruffin.

• 2005

  MGM acquires Mandalay Resort Group

  [2]Circus Circus Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  MGM Mirage acquires Mandalay Resort Group, bringing Circus Circus and its associated casino operations into the MGM portfolio.

• 1999

  Circus Circus Enterprises becomes Mandalay Resort Group

  [2]Circus Circus Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  The corporate group operating Circus Circus changes its name to Mandalay Resort Group.

• 1983

  Circus Circus is purchased by Bennett and Pennington

  [2]Circus Circus Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  Bennett and Pennington exercise their purchase option for Circus Circus, consolidating ownership of the wider casino operation.

• 1974

  New operators take control of Circus Circus

  [2]Circus Circus Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org

  William Bennett and William Pennington become operators of Circus Circus, the resort complex with which Slots-A-Fun is associated.

• 1971

  Slots-A-Fun Casino opens

  [1]Slots-A-Fun Casinoen.wikipedia.org

  Jay Sarno opens Slots-A-Fun as a small casino associated with the Circus Circus Las Vegas property.

A compact, value-oriented Las Vegas casino associated with the Circus Circus resort, with a brand identity centered on accessible casino gaming and slot-machine play.

• Casino gaming · 1971

  Slot-machine gaming

  The casino's identity is centered on accessible gaming, especially slot-machine play. The available sources do not provide a verified current machine count, game mix, denomination range, or details of historical product generations.

• Casino gaming · 1971

  Casino gaming

  Slots-A-Fun operates as a small casino venue associated with Circus Circus Las Vegas. Its documented role is the provision of casino gaming rather than hotel accommodation or a large-scale entertainment program.

• 2019

  Sale of the associated Circus Circus propertyM&A

  Background

  MGM Resorts International divested Circus Circus Las Vegas and the Festival Grounds after owning the property since its 2005 acquisition of Mandalay Resort Group.

  Action taken

  The assets were sold to Phil Ruffin for $825 million; Slots-A-Fun is associated with the acquired Circus Circus complex.

  Aftermath

  Ruffin continued the property as a value-oriented Las Vegas resort and pursued renovations extending into 2023.

  Transaction value. $825 million (2019)

  Source

1. 1Slots-A-Fun Casinoen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Circus Circus Las Vegasen.wikipedia.org
3. 3Slots-A-Fun at Circus Circus Las Vegascircuscircus.com