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History of Gaming in the United States
“A Win or a Loss?” 

Pulling The Handle 

Although the United States did not invent gambling it is almost a certainty that the first wager was made soon after the first settlers got off the boat.  Gambling dates back in time to the period of 2300 B.C., when the Chinese were first recognized for wagering.  Historians do know that in the early 1800’s informal gambling was taking place along the Mississippi River in some of America’s earliest known casinos.  Travelers would play games to pass the time, and the smartest among them would help the wealthier passengers lighten the load in their purses by playing with and taking them for all that they could.  It was right around this time that the Chinese also brought lotteries to America, which many years later would become Keno, among other lotteries. 

Back in the Wild West, Nevada, gambling was legal from the 1850’s to about 1910.   It then became a felony to operate a gambling game.  Apparently before the “3 strikes you’re out” rule was the “One bust and we shoot you” rule.  As was prevalent in the days before 1910, is today and will be tomorrow, gambling draws opposition, both for, and against, its legalization.  Most of this is based in moral and ethic arguments, but as is usually the case with a divided public, the side that ultimately wins is the one that is smart enough to have the government behind it.

Even today the government is no match for illegal gambling, so one could only imagine what the early 1990’s were like in America.  With lawlessness and widespread corruption, saying gambling was illegal was one thing, but trying to police it was like trying to enforce underage drinking today.  The laws seemed to have no effect, and our beloved mobsters and gangsters of the time operated illegal card houses and parlors, which were run by a house or banker.  We can only assume these illegal casinos had their own “In House” rules, and we can probably also safely assume that they were somewhat different from the legalized casinos now a days.   

Knowing that “a law is useless, unless in use”, the government of Nevada in 1931, legalized casino gambling to help increase revenue for the Silver State.  The gaming industry has grown by leaps and bounds every since. 

Spinning Reels 

While Mafia Kingpin Al Capone’s associates were busy running illegal casinos in Chicago, another Mobster, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel had moved west in the 1940’s.  It is no secret Las Vegas owes much of its success to Bugsy, who planned to open a great casino where the richest people could come and legally gamble.  If one didn’t know better, one could have assumed the Flamingo was being built by the government; by the time it finally opened, it was five times over budget.  The $6 million Flamingo Hotel and Casino opened in 1946 and although Bugsy was killed within a year, he realized his dream of making Las Vegas the gaming center of America.  In just the next few years the Desert Inn, Sand, Dunes and Rivera casinos would all open. 

As Las Vegas grew so did the gambling industry.  Slot machines started to spread rapidly throughout the States.  Although the federal government restricted some of their use in the 1950’s, by the 80’s, the one-armed bandits had passed table games in popularity in Vegas.  Of course since it only takes a 2 year old to pull a slot machine handle, it surprised no one they rose to the fore-front when you’re talking about ways people chose to lose their money.  Today, new technology by huge gaming companies such as IGT have brought the slot machine market to the computer age and beyond. 

The Jackpot? 

It is somewhat hard to believe that in quite a bit less than the last 20 years, casino gaming has come so far.  In 1989, only Nevada and New Jersey had legalized casino gambling.   Now casinos are raking in almost $30 billion annually, with over 25 States contributing to the pot.  Pretty much anyone, anywhere in the US, doesn’t have too far to go to try and double their pay checks at a game of skill like blackjack or a game of chance like slots.  Over 70 Native Reservations are now dealing to their locals, and new hot spots like Laughlin, Reno and Biloxi are being circled on the gamers map. 

As is the case with the next card that will come out of the shoe, it is anyone’s guess where it all will lead.  Slot machine jackpots have reached tens of millions of dollars, and state lotteries 10 times that.  The new medium seems to be the Internet, where the information world is brought to you.  As opposed to you pouring over the books of our Fore-Fathers, it’s all sent in “1’s” and “0’s” right to your home computer.  In the years to come, will on-line gaming be as popular as going to your local casino is today?  Well, 20 years ago, you didn’t have a local casino!!!   

A Losing Spin? 

One thing is certain, and that is gaming is here to stay.  That being said, you have a Voice.  Casinos will always remain very competitive for your dollar.  Please take the time to rate any casino you visit.  Please only frequent the highest rated casinos.  These casinos are giving us what we ask for, so now, and in the future, we should reward ONLY those casinos that reward us.