This Week in Gambling: A new ordinance in Las Vegas

Can you really get arrested just for standing in Las Vegas? A new ordinance going into effect in the middle of this month says "yes", you can. And if you do get arrested in Nevada, you might be banned from Downtown Las Vegas for a year.

Believe it or not, the simple act of standing on one of Las Vegas pedestrian bridges is now illegal. A lot of silly things happen in Sin City, but this law appears to be one of the more bizarre and it really seems we can thank the Formula 1 folks for this one.

Yes, you can gamble just about anywhere, find almost every sort of food imaginable, and even enjoy legalized marijuana for recreational use. So what’s the big deal about standing on a damn bridge? In a city where just about every sort of vice is allowed or tolerated, the Clark County commissioners have criminalized stopping and standing on all Las Vegas pedestrian bridges.

While the F1 race was in town, the bridges offered a free view of the race and the race folks really hated that. So, after watching the masses of people congregate on the bridges and the stairs and escalators and common areas… the Commissioners have rolled out this brand new ordinance which (it seems) was written to appease their overlords of F1.

Under this new law, anyone who blocks the flow of foot traffic in what they call a “pedestrian flow zone” can be charged with a misdemeanor. The penalty may include up to six months in jail, a fine as high as $1,000, or both. These flow zones, as they call them, include all bridges, and the stairs and escalators the serve them, as well as 20 feet surrounding them. This law goes into effect sometime around 15 January.