It's difficult to say when the first resort fee was imposed in Las Vegas. Station Casinos is generally credited (if that's the correct term) with being among the first to launch the initial salvo in the early 2000s.

Mandatory "resort fees" began appearing in Las Vegas in 1997, but they didn't become a universal industry standard until roughly 2004 to 2008. Station Casinos was one of the first major local operators to implement them in 2004, initially as a small $5–$10 charge to cover "free" phone calls and gym access. MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment followed suit in 2008 and 2013 respectively. By 2026, these fees have grown significantly, often ranging from $35 to $55 per night at luxury properties like the Bellagio or Venetian. This practice was originally a way for hotels to list lower "base" prices on travel search engines like Expedia while still collecting a higher total. However, in late 2024 and throughout 2025, new federal and state "junk fee" laws went into effect, requiring Las Vegas hotels to now show the total price including the resort fee upfront in their booking calendars, ending the era of hidden "check-out surprises."