Oyo Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas has halted alcohol sales for the second time in less than a year, prompting further questions about the property’s operations. Notices posted at the off-Strip resort said the latest suspension began at 9 a.m. October 23.
Oyo Las Vegas Stops Selling Alcohol Amid Unclear Licensing Issues
The casino has not said why it made the decision. There were a number of possible reasons, including an alleged failure to insure and possible complications with tax or licensing. However, none of these explanations have been officially confirmed, according to The Las Vegas Review-Journal.
The reason given was an insurance issue, according to an employee. Other reports have hinted that the casino may have problems with its liquor license or taxes.
The Clark County Department of Business License, which issues liquor licenses, shut down Friday. This did not answer the immediate question of the authorization of Oyo to sell alcoholic beverages. Employees at the property also refused to explain to reporters.
This latest disruption comes after a similar incident in October 2025. At the time, Oyo had terminated its management agreement with Highgate Hotels and could not sell or serve alcohol for about 10 days.
The liquor license for the property had been held by Highgate. Thus, the separation left Oyo without the necessary licensing arrangements to continue serving alcoholic beverages until the matter was resolved.
The management dispute comes after a January 2025 cyberattack exposed personal information belonging to about 4,700 hotel guests, casino customers and employees. The incident is said to have added to the tension over Highgate’s handling of the breach. Oyo resumed sale of alcohol but the latest suspension has again disrupted its operations.
Oyo Las Vegas Draws Criticism Over Alternative Hotel Listings
The casino has also been criticized for its online hotel bookings. Travel-booking sites such as Expedia and Booking.com had listings associated with the property in August under the names Palette Las Vegas and Collection O Las Vegas.
The listings came under scrutiny after questions were raised about whether they truly reflected the hotel. Critics said alternative names could make it harder to find the property and assess what existing reviews said about it.
The listings were planned as part of a rebranding effort at Oyo’s parent company, Prism. The pages were published prior to the completion of the proposed renovations and should not have been publicly accessible at that time, the company said. No rebranding has occurred in the interim.
The property has reportedly been preparing for an operational change as well. Reports in August said Fifth Street Gaming was to take over as casino operator from Paragon Gaming, pending regulatory approval.
The former Hooters Casino Hotel building near the Las Vegas Strip opened in September 2019 as Oyo. The property’s longer-term prospects may also be affected by its proximity to the former Tropicana site, where a stadium for the Athletics baseball team is being built.
The reason for the renewed suspension of alcohol sales is not yet clear. No public statement has yet been issued by the resort, leaving questions over when sales might resume and if licensing or other operational issues are at play.