He opened what would become the Riverside Resort, and later wanted to call the community Riverside or Casino, but the post office opted for Laughlin instead.

At the time, Don Laughlin operated the 101 Club in Las Vegas. Laughlin was named for Don Laughlin, an Owatonna, Minnesota, native who purchased the southern tip of Nevada in 1964 (informally called South Pointe). Laughlin is also 286 miles (460 km) northeast of Los Angeles. The nearby communities of Bullhead City, Arizona Needles, California Fort Mohave, Arizona and Mohave Valley, Arizona, bring the area's total population to about 100,000. It is located on the Colorado River, downstream from the Davis Dam and Lake Mohave, and directly across from the much larger Bullhead City, Arizona. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Laughlin as a census-designated place (CDP). As of the 2020 census, the population was 8,658. As a resort town, it is known for its gaming and water recreation. Laughlin lies 90 miles (140 km) south of Las Vegas, in the far southern tip of Nevada. l ɪ n/) is an unincorporated community in Clark County, Nevada, United States.

Map of laughlin casinos 2023