History of Gambling in Nevada and the Sin City

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Posted: December 12, 2021

Updated: December 12, 2021

  • The hidden riches of Nevada
  • The story behind the regulation and legalization of gambling
  • Megaresorts and their part in the history of gambling in Nevada
  • Online gambling in Nevada might soon change

Nevada is famous for many things. Area 51, the historical Hoover Dam, the Death Valley, Lake Tahoe, Burning Man, and many more. From its beautiful desert scenery to the numerous colorful events held there. But there’s one thing that makes this desert state stand out in the world, Las Vegas. Nevada is home to the casino capital of the world and has been for some time now. The history of gambling in Nevada runs deep and we’ll explain why.

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Nevada entered the Union in 1864 during the waning hours of the Civil War. When we think about Nevada we think of casinos in the middle of a desert. But there’s more to that. There are national parks, forests, lakes, beautiful mountain ranges, historical sites, and an insane amount of hotels. That’s right, Las Vegas has more hotel rooms than any other city in the world and it’s all related to the history of gambling in Nevada. Are you wondering why, of all places, this one became famous for gambling? Well, it might have to do something with the fact that Nevada is the largest gold-producing state in the US.

Nevada was first made famous by the discovery of the Comstock Lode, the richest known US silver deposit. Nearing the end of the 19th-century people had all these riches and they started to become a bit bored. Rightly so, what can a man do in the middle of nowhere? Start gambling, of course. It all started with the invention of slot machines in 1893. In 1898 the “Liberty Bell Slot Machine” saw the daylight and it quickly became extremely popular. Thankfully today, we have a wide range of options when it comes to slot machines available at online casinos in the United States.

Regulations and Law Changes In the History of Gambling in Nevada

In 1910 Nevada slowly but surely became the last western state to ban gambling. With Las Vegas flourishing everything seemed to be going in the right direction, until 1917. Nevada rose to great heights quickly and it also started to quickly decline in the 1920s. A nationwide strike in 1922 was the last nail in the coffin. The economy was in ruins and the famous silver mines were running out. As the population was rapidly decreasing the state resolved to legalize gambling in Nevada in 1931. This was followed by the legalization of divorce the same year.

 

history of gambling in Nevada
Picture Source: Pixabay

The Hoover Dam project drew in tens of thousands of male workers who needed some kind of attachment to Las Vegas and Nevada. And so the entertainment business, backed by Las Vegas business owners and the Mafia, started to grow. Casinos and showgirl theaters were built.

As the Dam neared its completion, the worker population slowly phased out from Las Vegas. In 1937 electricity flowed into the city and the streets and casinos were shining in lights. From this moment, Las Vegas started to become a tourist attraction. One thing is certain, the original Las Vegas casinos paved the way for today’s online casino sites in the United States. Nobody can deny that the history of gambling in Nevada has a major part in the history of gambling in the world.

The Beginning of Modern Las Vegas and All the Glamour

By the 1950s millions of people were visiting Las Vegas yearly for its casinos and a taste of the limelight. Celebrities and music artists became regulars and a new casino core, the Strip, became famous worldwide. As the rest of the country was still mostly anti-gambling Las Vegas flourished, while other places slowly diminished. People poured into the city’s casinos to play roulette and blackjack as Nevada provided a haven for them. Some of the most famous resorts were opened on the Strip, including the Stardust, Caesars Palace, Riviera, and more. If you can go to these places, here are some of the best casinos in Nevada! If not, check out Ignition Casino where you can play blackjack, the most popular casino games, and more.

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There is one man who is extremely important in the history of gambling in Nevada and that’s Howard Hughes. From 1966 and onward, he purchased many of the well-known hotels and turned them into prestigious resorts. He is credited with changing the image of Las Vegas from a Wild West gambling town to a cosmopolitan city. As the background crime organizations slowly disappeared the general public started to have a better opinion about Sin City. According to online gambling news should follow other states in the upcoming years in the legalization of online casinos. In the meantime, online gambling is legal in the state.

The Place of Megaresorts in The History Of Gambling in Nevada

The previously mentioned Mafia or criminal era came to an end in the 1980s as the new generation decided to go in a different direction. Megaresorts are places that feature large-scale attractions like casinos, golf courses, and accommodations. These hotels have full-sized luxury facilities and attract crowds with both business and vacationing intentions. The Las Vegas Strip is the most famous megaresort in the world. The Mirage, MGM Grand, Bellagio, Monte Carlo are names we’re all familiar with. Some of these hotels were built in places of older landmark hotels during the 1990s. These created a new standard for luxury and attracted even more tourists to Vegas than before.

history of gambling in Nevada
Picture Source: Pixabay

We know you’ve seen countless movies that were filmed in one of these places, we all have. Have you ever wanted to play poker like James Bond? Or to sit at a roulette table at the Bellagio with everyone watching you? It’s all possible but it takes practice. If you are planning to visit one of these hotels in the future make sure you practice with Ignition Casino beforehand. After all, those games are not your regular Poker nights. Plenty of online casino sites in the United States offer you the chance to try out these games. If you want to become a piece of the history of gambling in Nevada you best start now.

Online Gambling in Nevada – Everything You Need to Know

Nevada is also an online gambling state. Sports bets and online poker are legal as long as you are inside state lines. While online poker is legalized, online casinos are not. Online gambling in the United States is turning out to be a great success. Of course, with a new generation more focused on online gambling, Nevada is sure to soon follow the other states. After all, the gambling capital of the world is never behind on the latest developments.

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The first online sports betting app debuted in 2010 in Nevada, making it the first in the United States. You can bet on almost any sport in Nevada. The one downside to this is that you have to visit a land-based casino to complete your registration. But hey, at least you get to see Caesars Palace or the MGM.

At the moment no online casinos are operating in Nevada. The low interest from tourists and Nevadan casino operators consider this a low priority. The direction that our world is moving towards, might change soon. Online poker is completely legal in the Silver State so players are free to try their luck online. The online gambling sites require you to be 21 or older but you don’t have to be a Nevada resident to play. In the future, we’ll see how online gambling influenced the history of gambling in Nevada.

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