Casino directory
Savan Vegas / Savan Legend Hotel & Casino
The original large casino in Laos, in Savannakhet on the Thai border — later rebranded as Savan Legend after operating changes. 4,900 m² gaming floor, 480 hotel rooms.
Savan Vegas Hotel & Casino — in 2016 onwards rebranded Savan Legend Hotel & Casino — sits in the Savan-Seno Specific Economic Zone in Savannakhet province, central Laos, across the Mekong from the Thai town of Mukdahan. It opened in 2009 and was for years the largest casino in Laos by floor area until eclipsed by the much bigger Golden Triangle SEZ complex on the Mekong further north. Its operating history has been turbulent — it has changed concession holders, been the subject of long-running international arbitration, and operates today on a smaller scale than at its peak.
Where it is
Kaysone Phomvihane (Savannakhet city), Savannakhet province, Lao PDR. Roughly 5 minutes from the Lao end of the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge II, which crosses the Mekong to Mukdahan, Thailand. Most visitors are Thai cross-border tourists making a same-day trip. There is no rail connection to Savannakhet; the China-Laos Railway runs north of the city.
What is on site
- 4,900 m² gaming floor with more than 500 slot machines and 50+ gaming tables (baccarat, sic bo, blackjack)
- 480 hotel rooms in the attached hotel tower
- Two restaurants and two bars
- A café and small spa
- Outdoor swimming pool
- VIP rooms for high-limit play
Who can play
Foreign passport holders only. The customer base is overwhelmingly Thai, with a smaller mix of Vietnamese, Chinese and Western visitors. Chips are denominated in Thai baht (the Thai market is the primary feeder). Lao nationals are not permitted to gamble.
Status in 2026
After several ownership disputes and an international arbitration involving the original concession holder Sanum Investments, the property has been operating under a different concessionaire since the mid-2010s. The casino is open but at smaller scale than its peak. Hotel occupancy has recovered post-pandemic, partly driven by spillover from the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge II traffic.
Getting there from Boten
The most efficient route is the China-Laos Railway south to Vientiane (~4 hours from Boten), then a 7-8 hour bus/car transfer to Savannakhet via Route 13. Total travel time roughly a full day each way.
→ See also: All casinos in the region · History of Boten