You can learn more about Spa gambling in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

Author David G. Schwartz discusses Chapter 8, “Wise Guys & One-Armed Bandits,” of Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling (Casino Edition). 

This chapter covers the rise of Saratoga Springs as a racing and gambling center, the invention of slot machines, and the development of gambling syndicates throughout the nation. These groups dominated illegal gambling in the cities they controlled and were a precursor of the larger organized crime groups that took over during Prohibition.

Finally, it discusses the growth of illegal casinos throughout the United States, legal casinos in Cuba and Tijuana, and the Kefauver Committee, whose reforming zeal closed down illegal operations in many states.

If you don’t see the video, go here: http://youtu.be/0QZ0nmBekGI

For more information about the book, including where to buy it, visit http://rollthebonesbook.com/.

There’s plenty more about Monte Carlo in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

Back in the early days—2006 or so—American executives signing on for tours of duty in Macau felt like they were stepping into the Wild West. Street violence had subsided since the island’s 1999 reversion to mainland control, but there was still a sense that this was a frontier, a place where anything could happen. And when strangers rode into town—often from the former frontier town of Las Vegas—they went where strangers always go first: the saloon. In this case, that meant the Embassy Bar at what was then the Mandarin Oriental hotel. It was an admittedly upscale saloon, but for an expat executive it was an oasis, a free-port, a place to make crucial first connections and ease into Chinese life. It offered just enough reassuring familiarity, and just enough tantalizing strangeness.

via The History of Our Future | Vegas Seven.

At 4,000 words, this is a long magazine piece for me, but I think you’ll agree it packs a lot of story into those words. The great art really helps. I’m as proud of this as I am of anything I’ve written so far.

You can learn more about Stanley Ho’s career in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

You can learn much more about the history of Chinese gambling in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

Some digging for numbers and comment later, I had a story. You can read it for yourself:

But with limited floor space, games that no longer draw don’t last. This is nowhere more apparent than in looking at the fate of Caribbean Stud Poker in Nevada. Once nearly ubiquitous, it’s now nearly gone from the state’s casinos.

Caribbean Stud Poker is known in the industry as a proprietary table game. Some games, like roulette and blackjack, have rules that are in the public domain; any casino can offer them, as long as they get regulatory approval. Proprietary games, on the other hand, are developed by a creator who patents his or her work. The creator then sells the game to casinos, which pay a per-table rental fee ranging from $30 to $2,500 per month; more profitable tables command higher rents.

via One Game’s Wild Ride | Vegas Seven.

I learned a lot writing this one–I hope you find it interesting as well.

There’s lots more about the early figures of Las Vegas gambling in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

Video summary of Chapter 7, “Fools of Fortune,” in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling (Casino Edition).

This chapter covers the spread of gambling throughout urban America during the 19th century, starting with the first urban gambling houses and ending with “trade stimulators” throughout the small towns of America. Topics covered include wolf traps and other early gambling houses, New York City faro houses, John Morrissey, Chicago gambling, Midwestern gambling houses, and professional gamblers.

If you don’t see a video, watch it on YouTube.

There’s plenty more about casino restaurants (but, regrettably, not much about cetaceans) in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

You can learn more about Bad Homburg and other 19th century spas in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.

Chapter 6, “Wild Cards,” summarized by the author—including material about gambling in New Orleans, riverboats, the Civil War, the Gold Rush, and woman gamblers on the frontier.

How about getting back to urban basics and creating a worthwhile street-level experience? That’s what MGM did on April 18 with the formal announcement of The Park, comprised of retail/dining development on underutilized land between New York-New York and Monte Carlo, a renovation of the Strip-front facades of both resorts and a 20,000-seat arena operated by international sports and entertainment giant AEG.

via MGM’s Park, and Competition With Linq, Will Be Good for Vegas | Vegas Seven.

It’s a project that I think is correctly scaled to what Las Vegas is today. And from what people say about it, I’m looking forward to the Shake Shack, if nothing else.

With all that success, it’s no wonder today’s nightclub scene is crowded. Meanwhile, clubs are working themselves more deeply into the weft of resort fabric, with dayclubs and vibe dining carrying them into new areas. At the turn of the millennium, nightlife started going Vegas. Now Vegas has gone nightlife.

via Anatomy of a Nightclub | Vegas Seven.

One of the things I like best about the online version is the link back to my January Green Felt Journal, which wondered if Las Vegas had a nightclub bubble.

That’s one of the interesting facts about the changing legal face of Nevada gambling you’ll learn  in Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. 

Go here to read an excerpt from the book, or learn where to buy your copy.