Wikimedia commons Boomtowns are known to pave the roads to red-light districts in the industrial Old West, but, in modern times, while states shut down establishments selling sex, Nevada decides to keep the profitable business model. Today, it's the only state to have legalized prostitution through brothels and there are 28 in business as of With theories circulating that California may be next in legalizing prostitution, it seems brothel establishments won't be going anywhere, anytime soon.
Since , condoms became mandatory for oral sex and intercourse with all sex workers. Brothel owners are liable if a customer becomes infected with HIV after visiting one of their prostitutes. In , the Nevada State Board of Health added urethral examinations to requirements so male workers could be tested.
Most of them don't set their prices, but the brothel The Shady Lady lists theirs online and advertises that they cater to "the average working man. According to a former legal Nevada prostitute, she wasn't allowed to refuse a customer. Once the customer enters the establishment, the available employees line-up and introduce themselves. The customer chooses the one s he likes and then the two decides on a price.
In some counties and towns, prostitutes aren't allowed to leave the brothels during the days they're working, according to an article in The Guardian. Commercial sex workers are considered independent contractors and must register with the county sheriff. In the city of Winnemucca, sex workers must register their vehicles with the local police and in some cases, they aren't able to have cars at all.
Like other businesses, brothels and prostitutes pay local fees and federal income tax, but are exempted from paying state taxes. In , brothel owners lobbied to pay state taxes because they feared for the legitimacy of their businesses, however, their request was denied.
