The practice of gambling is an ancient activity, dating back to as far as 2000 BC with the Egyptians. Almost every culture has had some sort of gambling within its history. Today, gambling is as easy as ever with the number of casinos around the United States to the possibilities of online betting.
Despite its ease and the fact gambling is legal in the United States, it is heavily regulated under US Federal Law. Each state has the ability to regulate or prohibit the practice. The state who has been allowing gambling the longest is Nevada, who used gambling to reinforce its state economy, since 1931. With this, Las Vegas is known as the best gambling destination in the world.
Legalized gambling followed in 1976 within Atlantic City, New Jersey and in 1990 within Tunica, Mississippi. In 1987, the United States Supreme Court ruled to allow Native American tribes to build their own casinos on tribal lands as a way to provide revenue for the tribe. Tribal gaming differs from state gaming in that tribes are considered sovereign nations and are often exempt from state laws. With this, tribal gaming is regulated under federal law.
Today, most states allow some form of gambling, most commonly in the form of a lottery system or even bingo.
While gaming is now a law but more of a set of rules and regulations that apply to the gaming and gambling industry, breaking such rules can put you in jail or be costly. Illegal gambling is a Federal crime if done as a business.
Gambling in the past was often pushed away from communities by churches or citizens – today, the gaming industry has exploded all over the United States. Statistics show gambling and betting online have even increased rapidly.
In modern history, the slot machine has played the largest role in increasing gambling, typically in casinos. According to Nevada Gaming Almanac 2001 Edition, 60.4% of casino area in Caesars Palace is slot area. Also, 66.8% in the Bellagio, 71.4% in the Excalibur, 70.2% in Mirage is used as a slot area. Simultaneously, casino revenues are largely based on slot machines with statistics showing 75% of casino revenue in Las Vegas downtown properties, 84.3% in Laughlin’s properties, and 86.6% of Boulder Strip properties come from slot revenue. Slot machines are very important in terms of square footage and revenue in casinos. (Nevada Gaming Almanac 2001 Edition)
Slot machines were invented in the late 1880s. They were coin operated and looked more like a poker machine. Players won cigar or drinks as a prize if they hit the poker hands on the machine. Then came the reel slots, invented by Charles Fey in1899.
By the early 1900s, the anti-gambling movement emerged. By 1909, San Francisco outlawed slot machines – they were followed by Nevada. The rest of California followed in 1911. Many a slot machine were smashed, burned and dumped into the ocean.
With the great depression came pressure to legalize gambling. The antigambling mood was squelched with the financial stress of the country. Legalizing gambling was looked upon as a way to stimulate the economy. Even churches were onboard, using Bingo to help them raise funds – making Bingo legal in 11 states by 1950.
With the legalizing of gambling came an increase in organized crime. In New York, the law cracked down on mobsters, pushing them from the state – which in turn drove them to remote places such as Las Vegas. Many early casinos were financed by mobsters.
Gambling provides large amounts of tax revenues and employment opportunities to states. While the practice of gambling is an ancient activity, it is still as popular as ever and quite legal.
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