Las Vegas is known as Sin City for a reason. Everywhere you look, you’ll find advertisements for exotic adult-orientated entertainment. In other words, there are a lot of strip clubs and stripper/escort agencies that specialize in naked fun for adults. But what constitutes being naked and how legal is it in Las Vegas?
Table of Contents
- A playground for adults
- What is considered nude
- Where it’s legal to be fully naked in Las Vegas
- Topless versus Fully-Nude Clubs
- The Law and Penalties
- Outcall Entertainment
A playground for adults
Las Vegas has had the reputation as being the go-to destination for bachelor, bachelorette, birthday, divorce, graduation parties, as well as other debaucherous reasons to getaway. This is the city where people save all year just so they can go crazy and party like a rockstar for one week or weekend. In a city known for sin, there is skin everywhere you look. So what’s the deal with nudity in Las Vegas?
What is considered nude
Nevada has laws barring nudity in a public place.
In Las Vegas, the government offices of Clark County defines “nude” as the “showing of the human male or female genitals, pubic area or anus with less than a fully opaque covering.” The code also considers male genitalia in a “discernibly turgid state, whether covered or not” as nude. In other words, even a “boner” can get you in trouble. But I wouldn’t worry too much. I have not been able to find any record of anyone going to jail for having a boner in Las Vegas. If it was truly enforced, our jail cells would be over-capacity every day. Be smart and just wait until you’re back in the privacy of your room before popping that magic blue pill.
“Topless” is defined as fully exposing the female breast and areola. Exotic entertainers on the Strip and on Fremont Street often get around this rule by wearing pasties or anything that can cover the nipple.
So it’s illegal to be fully nude in public. Duh! That’s pretty much the law in every state. But what about topless? While public nudity and indecency laws are in effect through Sin City, there are certain places where exceptions are allowed.
Topless pool clubs such as those at Sapphire, Bare Pool Lounge at the Mirage, Moorea at Mandalay Bay and the Artisan are allowed to exist because “they’re on private property.” They are termed “European-style” pools and men can wear speedos (please don’t) and the women are encouraged to go topless. Sometimes the pool will require pasties (depending on special event circumstances, etc), which are usually provided for free.
Where it’s legal to be fully naked in Las Vegas
Obviously you can be naked anywhere in your own private room or residence. But what about exotic entertainment, like strippers and strip clubs? Well, there are currently two strip clubs that have a fully nude license, and they are Palomino’s and Little Darlings. Little Darlings is 18+ and no alcohol is served while Palomino is 21+ and serves alcohol.
Topless versus Fully-Nude Clubs
Exotic dancing aka “Stripper” is fully legal in Las Vegas. While you may see a lot of billboard trucks and street promoters passing our flyers for exotic entertainment, be aware this type of activity is regulated just like anywhere else in the U.S.
Fully nude strip clubs cannot serve alcohol, according to a Nevada state statute. This applies to shows as well.
- Topless strip clubs: These are legally called “erotic dance establishments,” and they are a place where dancers can expose their breasts but must keep their genitalia covered. Topless clubs also have the option to serve alcohol (pretty much all of them do).
- Gentlemen’s clubs: Full nudity is available at a few select establishments, but these clubs cannot serve alcohol. Except for one. The Palomino. This club in North Las Vegas and had obtained its fully nude strip club license before July 1995, when the ordinance was amended to include prohibition of alcohol for businesses that offer full-nude erotic dancing.
The Law and Penalties
So how can I get in trouble when it comes to this law? There’s a few popular ways. Most of the people who get in trouble tend to be tourists who are arrested for disorderly conduct, public intoxication (which can lead to the next one), and/or indecent exposure. Even Sin City has it’s limits, especially when it comes to sex and nudity.
Aden Ocampo-Gomez of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department:
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Aden Ocampo-Gomez said when it comes to indecent exposure arrests, there has to be a victim. The victim could be anyone in proximity to the offense who reports it to law enforcement. An officer, he said, can’t be a victim. Officers also consider intent, Ocampo-Gomez said. For example, an individual who purposely flashes someone could be arrested, but a drunk tourist who accidentally exposes himself when falling over generally wouldn’t get arrested. When it comes to arrests relating to nudity, the numbers aren’t high, Ocampo-Gomez said. “People aren’t as easily offended because of the [Las Vegas] culture.”1
Indecent exposure or obscenity is a sex crime in Nevada if prosecuted. The state law can punish anyone who “makes any open and indecent or obscene exposure of his or her person, or of the person of another”. This means a person cannot expose their pubic area, breasts, anus or genitals. (Breastfeeding is legal however). Penalties for the first offense of obscene or indecent exposure can be up to 12 months in jail and/or up to $2,000 in fines. Another offense after that can lead up to 1-4 years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
A court order can also cause some defendants to have to register as a sex offender. These Tier 1 offenses are usually not searchable by the public unless the offense involves a child.
The most common arrests are for having sex in public places. Very rarely are indecent exposure arrests made in strip clubs.
Las Vegas Defense Group Attorneys outline the following scenarios in which an arrest can be made:
- A dancer without a valid stripper work permit exposes their genitalia
- A dancer at a strip club flashes his or her genitalia
- A dancer strips near the club’s doors or windows through which the public can see from the outside
- A persona exposes his or her anus, genitalia, pubic area or breasts.
These arrest cases aren’t the type you’ll see happen at the club. Most of the arrests involve undercover officers where they are busting girls for soliciting prostitution. It also comes down to the discretion of the police officer. Las Vegas is known for it’s wild atmosphere and party lifestyle and so most police officers are more tolerant.
Outcall Entertainment
Whenever you want to hire a man or woman to come to your house, apartment, hotel room or suite and provide erotic entertainment services, this is called “Outcall Entertainment”. There are agencies that provide exotic dancers, atmosphere models and escorts. Some of these agencies have girls that can dance fully nude! It is not against the law to have a person come to your room and get naked and even touch themselves or each other sexually. It is against the law in Nevada for a person to pay another person in exchange for sex. That is prostitution by definition. If an agency ever promises you over the phone that you can have sex with the stripper, they are lying. Strippers are exotic entertainers and can do most anything within reason. You are allowed to share your fantasies with a stripper and whatever happens between two adults is fine as long as it’s mutual consent.
When hiring an exotic dancer to come to your room, it’s always best to work with an honest agency that is licensed in Clark County, otherwise you stand the chance of running into an illegal agency. These dark agencies operate underground and are usually managed by pimps or gangs. Dealing with them can be risky and sometimes very dangerous. Whenever booking a stripper, make sure you do your research and go with a safe and reputable stripper agency, like Striptainers for example. Look for an agency that provides video to back up their claims. Don’t fall for fake reviews. The quality of their service can be discovered through actual pictures and videos of the entertainers on the website.
#1 Kelcie Grega of the Las Vegas Review Journal, September 2019
Fully Nude Strip Clubs in Las Vegas
- Palomino’s
- Little Darlings