The U.S. has always had a thriving gambling culture, although it has also had to deal with more laws and legal restrictions than many other countries. Despite this, Las Vegas plays host to some of the world’s most illustrious sports events, and it continues to experience great success, especially after the recent wave of legalizations […]

The U.S. has always had a thriving gambling culture, although it has also had to deal with more laws and legal restrictions than many other countries. Despite this, Las Vegas plays host to some of the world’s most illustrious sports events, and it continues to experience great success, especially after the recent wave of legalizations for sports betting and casino gambling. 

The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018 has had a significant effect on the American gambling scene. Sports bettors can place wagers on everything from local wrestling to the Super Bowl, creating abundant opportunities to enjoy gambling entertainment. 

But it wasn’t always like this, which is something we mustn’t forget. Keep reading for a comprehensive guide to the history of U.S. gambling culture. 

Early American gambling in the New World 

While Native American civilizations almost certainly had their own forms of gambling, there isn’t much evidence for historians to go off. What we do know is that early French, British and Spanish colonists brought European gambling games to the American shores as early as the 16th century. 

For example, Miguel de Cervantes, the famous author of Don Quixote, references “Venti-Una” in one of his short stories. This is generally understood to be an early form of blackjack, so card games such as this were almost certainly played in the U.S. and Mexico during the late 1500s. 

During the age of colonialism, more and more gambling games found their way to America, especially the East Coast. British and French settlers are credited with bringing games like roulette, which was later modified into the American roulette version. 

Meanwhile, horse racing betting quickly became a favorite gambling pastime with the rapidly ascending middle and higher classes. Betting became particularly sophisticated in Virginia, where a group of wealthy landowners formalized things like stake limits and odds. This continued largely unchecked until the 19th century religious crackdown by Baptist and Methodist Christian fundamentalists. 

Lotteries were another early gambling option for Americans in the 18th century. There were 13 colonies that adopted lotteries to help fund their infrastructure and provide entertainment. However, the British Crown, still in control at this point, started to stem the availability of lotteries, a significant catalyst for tensions that would ultimately lead to the American Revolution.  

The 19th century crackdown 

Gambling was in good stead going into the 19th century, but a newly independent United States of America had other ideas. This is largely due to the development and formalization of religious groups like the Baptists and Methodists, which had a zero-tolerance approach to gambling, rejecting it as sinful. 

The protestant revival is best characterized by the Second Great Awakening, an evangelical wave that spread across Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and various other states. This all but banned gambling in almost all forms, from horse racing betting to lotteries and early casino games. 

But don’t make the mistake of thinking this completely halted gambling within the U.S.—far from it. Gambling houses went underground after the illegalization of things like roulette and betting, contributing to the emergence of saloons, especially on the frontier. 

New Orleans was one of the only places where Americans could gamble freely without hiding their activity during this time, and it quickly became a hub for casino and betting fans. Riverboats were also viable options, something that continues today in states like South Carolina, where gambling is still largely frowned upon. 

Charles Fey and the slot machine revolution 

By the end of the 19th century, the gambling underworld was expanding all across the U.S. There were huge amounts of cash to be made by gambling operators, and the general population was growing tired of religious Puritanism. Add in the rapidly accelerating American economy, and the conditions were ripe for a newfound gambling wave. 

Charles Fey is a name that must be mentioned here, as he created one of the most enduring and historically relevant gambling inventions of all time—the slot machine. Fey’s Liberty Bell machine set the blueprint for slots and online slots, giving gamblers in his native Californian saloons a quick and easy way to gamble. As you can see from the modern success of online slots, it’s a concept that is still incredibly relevant. 

Horse racing betting in the late 19th century 

Horse racing betting also flourished in the 1800s after being restricted by religious laws at the start of the century. By the late 1800s, horse racing was a bona fide American institution, and one of the main reasons for its popularity was due to the possibility of placing bets. 

Kentucky was the epicenter of horse racing betting, with races like the Kentucky Derby taking on near-mythical importance towards the end of the 19th century. If you’ve ever wondered why the U.S. has had such an openness to horse racing betting despite the illegality of betting on other sports, the cultural foundations for horse racing betting run extremely deep. 

Religious reforms in the 1900s and the flowering of the gambling underworld 

Religious reforms again threatened to marginalize U.S. gambling culture in the early 1900s, as reformers led by another evangelical wave succeeded in banning both gambling and horse racing in many states. As before, this merely sent gambling underground, much like the Prohibition Era sent alcohol into the criminal underworld.  

As an example, gambling was strictly illegal in early 1900s New York, but it was widespread regardless. The higher classes gambled in private members’ clubs, while the lower classes played games like dice or blackjack in underground clubs. 

Viva Las Vegas 

Nevada was an early frontrunner in modern U.S. gambling laws during the Great Depression, as the state legalized gambling to provide economic relief. Arguably, this turned out to be the most pivotal decision in the history of U.S. gambling, as it created a truly iconic city famed for its larger-than-life casinos and complete embrace of casino culture—Las Vegas. 

It wasn’t always an easy ride though, especially in the early days, when Las Vegas was a magnet for the mafia and other criminal gangs. At one point, almost all casinos were operated by organized criminals, but a wave of property investment by wealthy businessmen gradually changed this in the 1960s.   

As time went on and air travel became more convenient for residents across the U.S., Las Vegas grew into the world’s largest gambling hotspot. With iconic establishments like Caesar’s Palace and the MGM Grand, it still holds this lofty status today. 

Tribal casinos and the beginning of change in the late 20th century 

Other U.S. locations embraced gambling in certain forms during the late 20th century, such as Atlantic City. Tribal casinos also proliferated in the 1980s, as tribes such as the Seminoles took advantage of tribal land legislation to open commercial casinos. 

Pari-mutuel horse racing betting was legalized in dozens of states during this time too, setting the foundations for the modern sports betting revolution. 

Modern online casino and sports betting laws 

The winds of change in the late 20th century also spawned a new wave of legal online gambling avenues for Americans in the 21st century. Options like online poker became possible in many states, while frontrunners in the sweepstakes casino world created a whole new way for people to play online slots and other games. These platforms use virtual currency and a no-purchase-necessary framework to offer legal iGaming solutions. Some sites even offer cash prize redemptions, creating an exciting new world for casino fans, which is enticing for casino gamers who don’t live in one of the six legal iGaming states. 

Elsewhere, the recent sports betting boom is picking up steam across the U.S., with almost 40 states now providing some kind of legal sports betting activity. The U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act in 2018 paved the way for individual states to create their own sports betting laws, which has had an extraordinary effect on the wider sportsbook world.  

Industry leaders have created their browser websites and mobile apps with comprehensive betting features like same-game parlay builders, live streaming and personalized offers depending on your favorite franchises. It all makes for an exceptionally exciting future, especially with states like North Carolina launching their own sports betting operations soon. 

So, what does the future hold for U.S. gambling culture in general? Nobody is saying that Las Vegas will be knocked off its perch any time soon, but the overall availability of online casino gaming options will certainly expand as time goes on. Analysts expect online casino gambling to be legalized in many more states over the next decade, potentially generating a huge new windfall in gambling revenue.

This won’t only benefit the gamblers. U.S. citizens from Oregon to Massachusetts will benefit from billions of dollars in tax revenue over the next decade, vital money that can go toward education, health and public infrastructure programs. Whether you enjoy sports betting and casino gaming or not, the continued expansion of these industries will sow the seeds for numerous positive developments.

News Source : https://www.healdsburgtribune.com/us-gambling-culture-history/