Las Vegas has always been known for wild nightlife. Some of that includes drinking, gambling, and of course, prostitution.
Prostitution and Vegs almost go hand in hand, but recent data shows the city might be cracking down hard on the world’s oldest profession.
Or, is there possibly another reason for the rise in arrests?
I talked to some sources to find the answer.
Prostitution Arrests In Las Vegas Increase
The numbers don’t lie and in Vegas, prostitution arrests are up 50% in 2024 according to a KTNV local news report.
In neighboring Spring Valley, arrests are already up 230% compared to last year.
But the real question is, are arrests going up, or is prostitution on the rise in Las Vegas?
Keep reading for my take on the issue.
Prostitution On The Las Vegas Strip
According to several sources in the area that I spoke with, in early 2024, the casinos started cracking down on prostitutes working within the casinos. While they didn’t kick them all out, security became much quicker to approach a prostitute and kick them out.
The result was many girls moved to the Fremont Street area, which is considered “downtown” Las Vegas.
However, the sudden influx of prostitutes on Fremont caused another crackdown there. Soon, the girls had nowhere to go and many began working the streets around Tropicana and other tracks around town.
Why Are Prostitution Arrests Up In Vegas?
The reason seems to be twofold and the rise is the result of the first crackdown.
As police and casino security started cracking down on hookers inside the casinos, they moved to new locations. Eventually, they had nowhere to go but to solicit on the street, leading to additional arrests.
On the streets, it’s much easier to arrest girls. Inside a casino, unless you literally catch them accepting money in exchange for a sexual act, you can only kick them out under suspicion of prostitution. That means they have to leave, but there’s no arrest.
This is a relatively new development for Vegas since most prostitution occurs in the casinos and resort corridor. Street prostitution was present, but limited compared to other cities.
It seems that may be changing as street prostitution makes a comeback in Sin City.
