Month: May 2025

In the United States, the outcome of the presidential election, which will be decided on Nov. 5, is expressed primarily by people voting. In Great Britain and other jurisdictions around the world, it is expressed by people betting.

Considering that, in line with previous years’ numbers, billions are expected to be wagered on America’s presidential campaign outcomes. In the UK alone, the money generated by the event is massive and anticipated to be in the nine figures.

Stateside, however, betting on the upcoming election is only gray-area legal and fairly tepid: less than $1 million in wagers from American punters on two different exchanges.

The action is considerably more robust on at least one crypto gaming site that already has in excess of $1.2 billion staked on Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris. And the wagering is expected to amp up significantly as Election Day approaches.

But there is no need to go too far out of your way if you happen to be in the right place.

Inside the Odds

At the time of this writing, on Oct. 19, the oddsmaking wizards working for 888 have Trump at 8/13 and Harris at 11/8. This makes Trump the favorite to win right now. Bet $130 on Trump and you will take down $80 if he comes in. Wager $80 on Harris and you will win $110 if she snags the election.

As far as the gamblers and the bookies are concerned, Trump is the favorite to win and those who bet on him to do so give up a premium for the privilege. Harris, as a longshot, will pay off more handsomely.

While this is fun for most of us and profitable for sharp gamblers, it is also meaningful for those who have a non-monetary interest in the election. Election odds, derived from gambling, are great predictors of actual outcomes.

The US presidential candidate who was favored by oddsmakers has lost only twice since 1866. Once was in 1948 and the second time was in 2016 when Hillary Clinton pooched it against Donald Trump.

So, that last bit might be comforting to people who oppose Trump as the leader of the United States.

Looking Ahead

The 2016 outcome provides recent proof that the odds do not always pan out. Such was the case, to a wild degree, outside of politics, when the heavily favored Mike Tyson lost a fight to Buster Douglas. Douglas was a 42/1 underdog and his 10th round knockout of Tyson cost the bookies a bundle. A similar outcome could happen with the presidential election.

It’s also worth noting that, heading toward the November showdown, election polls in America show what is pretty much a neck-and-neck race.

Not so in the world where people put their money where their mouths are. On the top crypto site, Trump has a 60% chance of winning and where it is legal for Americans to wager on the election, Trump trades at 56%.

That said, when it comes to voting, it’s one ballot per person. Where wagering is concerned, a whale with strong convictions and deep pockets can swing the odds one way or the other. But anyone who dares to discount the wagering side of things does so at his peril.

Bloomberg News, a major disseminator of business information in the United States, displays the gambling market right alongside the polling numbers in showing who is likeliest to make it as President of the United States.

While there are plenty of Americans who like to bet on elections, there are also those who take issue with people wagering on political outcomes. The general concern is that they’re turning something serious into the equivalent of a sporting event and possibly influencing the way that people vote.

Elon Musk does not count himself among the naysayers. In fact, he recently crowed on his social media site X, “Trump now leading Kamala by 3% in betting markets [a number that has expanded since his post]. More accurate than polls, as actual money is on the line.”

All of us who follow and participate in the betting world – whether it’s wagering on blackjack or pushing money through slot machines – would likely agree with Musk’s sentiment. But the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, which regulates the trading of commodities on Wall Street, has expressed a different view.

The commission has described election betting as “contrary to the public interest.” It also maintained that making bets on elections “essentially reduce key facets of the democratic process to a source of revenue for some, fascination and entertainment for others.”

Those of us who enjoy gambling and advocate it – including me – might yawn and wonder what is wrong with betting for profit, fascination and entertainment. Isn’t that why we do it?

Besides, election wagering has a venerable history that should be embraced rather than scoffed at.

History Lesson

Between 1868 and 1940, betting on presidential elections was common and organized if not exactly legal. Half the election betting in the United States took place in New York City. It started in pool rooms and taverns, out of which bookies operated. But by the 1880s, it was pretty much run by a predecessor to the American Stock Exchange and the amount in action on the election sometimes eclipsed that in the stock market.

Brokers shouted out betting odds as if they were on a trading floor, offering bids that others would take. The betting died down as a way of predicting elections when more official polling came into vogue during the 1940s.

Before then, however, the New York Times,ran a story statingin 1924 that Wall Street’s betting odds are never wrong. The article also made clear that sharp bettors do not let sentiment get in the way of a strong wager. I am with the golden-age gamblers on that one. I feel that there is nothing wrong with favoring one side for money and the other for politics.

Personally, I’d bet on Trump to win while voting for Harris. It’s like gambling against the Dallas Cowboys even as you root them on because you are a fan. Some people are all heart, others are all wallet, some of us are both. I fall into the latter category, with a vote to cast and money to bet. On the upside, no matter what happens with the election, at least I will have one positive result.

There’s nothing quite like rolling the dice at the craps table. There are plenty of cheers and high-fives as players watch those cubes tumble down the table and hopefully hit a much-needed point number. The chips move about the table at a fast pace as dealers pay off winners and collect losing wagers.

There are so many social dynamics that go into a game of craps making this an interesting setting that has inspired film directors and producers through the years. Whether shooting dice on the street or taking a spot at a high-end luxury casino, craps has served as an interesting activity in numerous films. Here’s a quick look at some movies that have featured craps games.

Casino (1995)

Ginger (played by Sharon Stone), the eventual girlfriend and later wife of Ace Rothstein (Robert De Niro), had some serious self-destructive tendencies. The Martin Scorsese masterpiece that reflected some of the real-life mafia events that took place in Las Vegas. In this scene, Ginger hits the craps tables and “earns” some cash from the player she is stealing chips from. Ace becomes infatuated with her “Ginger’s mission in life is money,” Ace says. Casino earned numerous award nominations and Stone won a Golden Globe and also was nominated for an Oscar.

Hard Eight (1996)

This thriller was written by Paul Thomas Anderson and was also his directorial debut. Hard Eight boasts a superb cast including Philip Baker Hall (Seinfeld fans may remember him as Mr. Bookman), John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Samuel L. Jackson, with the action revolving around an older gambler who takes on a homeless man as his protege. The film earned positive reviews with Roger Ebert noting: “Movies like Hard Eight remind me of what original, compelling characters the movies can sometimes give us.”

Owning Mahowny (2003)

With a great cast featuring Philip Seymour Hoffman and Minnie Driver, this film tells the story of a Canadian bank executive who steals $10 million to help fuel his gambling addiction. The film could be a warning for those who believe they may have gambling issues and sees Dan Mahowny taking his casino gambling much too far. He uses the cash for regular trips to Atlantic City and that includes some time at the craps table. The film is based on a true story as featured in the 1987 book Stung and things eventually come crashing down for Mahowny. Owning Mahowny was a dud at the box office, but earned plenty of accolades for the story and Hoffman’s performance.

The Cooler (2003)

William H. Macy stars as a casino “cooler” who is sent to winning tables. His inherent bad luck ultimately leads to losses in various casino games. His presence at the tables ends gamblers’ winning streaks and helps the house recover those winnings. The film had a great cast that also included Alec Baldwin, Ron Livingston, Maria Bello, and Paul Sorvino. The Cooler earned some nice reviews and Baldwin and Bello earned Golden Globe nominations. In the scene below, cooler Bernie Lootz amazingly finds a massive streak of luck at the craps table.

A Bronx Tale (1993)

This crime drama stars Robert De Niro and Chazz Palminteri and tells the story of an Italian-American boy grappling with whether to become a member of organized crime or to walk the straight and narrow. The film also features an underground craps involving a young boy. The story is based on Palminteri’s one-man stage show and much of the story was based on his own childhood. DeNiro acquired the rights to the story and made it his directorial debut. A Bronx Tale became a critical favorite and has been recognized as one of the best gangster films of all time by the American Film Institute.

Getting Back to Zero (2013)

In this craps-centric dark comedy, two brothers work to overcome the death of their father after inheriting his dice table and gambling debt. That cash is owed to some guys who are more than willing to collect the cash using their fists and more. There are plenty of ups and downs as the two brothers try and work that debt back to zero. The film may not have been seen by many, but generally earned a positive critical response. It’s a nice addition to this list and craps is a central part of the narrative.

Guys & Dolls (1955)

Frank Sinatra spent plenty of time in Las Vegas and seems like a natural fit for any movie involving craps. This film version of the famous Broaday musical also features Marlon Brando. In the film, one of the main characters regularly runs an underground craps game. Check out the trailer below for a look at some of the on-screen dice action.

Diamonds Are Forever (1971)

James Bond is known more for playing Baccarat while on her majesty’s secret service, but also mixed in some dice playing while on a trip to Las Vegas in this film. 007 (Sean Connery) comes decked out in a sharp-looking white tuxedo and impresses a nice lady named Plenty O’Toole, who just can’t seem to win. When he takes the dice, Bond rolls a 10 and takes full odds with an additional $200 on the hardway 10. When the dust settles, the superspy walks away a winner with $50,000 and gives a nice tip to the dealers with another $5,000 for Plenty. The film drew positive reviews and stayed No. 1 at the box office for seven weeks.

The House (2017)

This comedy stars stars Will Ferrell and Amy Poehler as Scott and Kate Johansen, parents who devise a unique way to pay for their daughter’s college – running an underground casino on a friend’s house. It’s a bit of a flimsy premise and the movie didn’t receive great reviews, with Rotten Tomatoes noting that The House had a “shortage of comic momentum.” However, there are plenty of gambling scenes including some action at the craps table.

The Big Town (1987)

Matt Dillon stars as J.C. Cullen, a small town craps player who heads to Chicago to try and hit it big as a professional gambler. Along the way he falls in love with two women, including a stripper named Lorry Dane (Diane Lane). He gets involved with a revenge plan hatched by Lorry and plenty of drama ensues. The film is based off the 1967 novel The Arm and was supposed to be similar to other coming-of-age gambling moves like The Hustler (billiards) and The Cincinnati Kid (poker), but didn’t receive the critical praise of those productions. The Big Town earns just a 50% score on Rotten Tomatoes despite the solid cast that also included Tommy Lee Jones. But few films may make craps as much of a centerpiece of the action as this entry on the list.

When casino managers look over new table games, there are specifics they must see before offering the games to the public.

The game must be easy to learn and play. No one wants players to be intimidated and walk away. Empty tables earn no money.

Table layouts must be clean and clear, not cluttered and confusing. The game must be easy to deal. The house edge must hit a sweet spot between earning profit for the house and being so high it chases players away. Everyone must feel like they have a shot to win.

And managers must see enough appeal in a game that it’s worth bumping another game off a casino floor.

That’s particularly important in live casinos, where physical space is limited. Often, you’ll see new table games get wider distribution in online casinos.

Still, many games come along every year that seem to fill the bill. Once they get their trial, either online or in live play, the public will decide if they have staying power.

Let’s check out a few of the latest and greatest table games to look for in the coming year.

Knockout 52 (M&M Entertainment)

Most new table games are based either on poker or blackjack. Not Knockout 52. It’s a match game that deals up to 52 cards to see if a card matches a denomination on one of 13 table spaces.

Lined up on the layout are 13 spaces marked in card denominations in order from Ace low at the players’ right through King high on the left. Up to four rounds of 13 cards are dealt one at a time until one matches the marked space.

As soon as there’s a match, or if 52 cards are dealt with no match, the hand ends. If an Ace is dealt on the first card, the hand stops without seeing any more cards. If it takes two-plus rounds of 13 cards plus a few more on the third round, then the hand ends on the third round.

Players have betting spaces with five options: Round 1, Round 2, Round 3, Round 4, or All the Way. If you bet on Round 3, you win if there is a match on the third round, or lose if the hand ends on rounds one or two or goes unto the fourth round.

Payoffs differ depending on round. A Round 1 winner pays at 1-2 odds, so if you bet $10, you win $5 in addition to keeping your wager. Winners pay 3-1 on Round 2, 10-1 on Round 3 and 30-1 on Round 4. If you bet on All the Way and four rounds are dealt with no matches, it pays a whopping 50-1.

That’s in keeping with the chances of winning. In a single-deck game, a match will come on Round 1 an average of 64.3% of the time, with 23% ending on Round 2, 8.2% on Round 3, 2.9% on Round 4 and 1.6% going all the way with no match. Numbers are slightly different if more decks are added, but not by much.

Michael Shackelford at wizardofodds.com calculates the house edge is lowest if you stick with Round 1 bets despite the low payback. In single-deck games, he lists house edges at 3.5% on Round 1, 8.2% on Round 2, 9.9% on Round 3, 9.4% on Round 4, and an enormous 17.2% for the long shot on All the Way. Given an eight-deck game, edges starting at Round 1 are 3.1%, 8.6%, 11.1%, 11.3% and 20%.

Knockout 52 is easy to play and can be a fun diversion, but beware those house edges, especially for two or more rounds.

Dead Man’s Hand Blackjack (Dunow Gaming)

A blackjack side bet, Dead Man’s Hand is named for the hand Wild West legend Wild Bill Hickok is said to have held when he was shot to death in 1876 in Deadwood, in part of the Dakota Territory that became South Dakota.

While playing poker, Hickok supposedly held pairs of Aces and 8s when Jack McCall shot him in the back of the head. Whether he actually had that hand is open for discussion. No reports from the time include the cards, and reports from the next few decades differ on hand composition.

Nonetheless, it’s a good piece of folklore. The blackjack bet plays into the Dead Man’s Hand motif by paying off anytime you’re dealt an Ace or an 8 in the first two cards. Bigger payoffs come for pairs of Aces or 8s, and drawing extra Aces and 8s after splitting those pairs.

Either an Ace or an 8 in the first two cards brings a 2-1 payoff. You get 4-1 with both an Ace and an 8.

Pairs can bring bigger rewards. Ace-Ace or 8-8 with no further dead man’s cards after splitting pay 4-1, unless the dealer has a blackjack. Then your pair is a big payer at 50-1.

If you split Aces or 8s and wind up with one Ace-8 in the first two hands after splitting, you win 20-1. And if you wind up with two Ace-8s, it’s worth a 100-1 bonanza.

The house edge decreases slightly with more decks. At wizardofodds.com, Shackelford lists edges of 4.98% with two decks, 4.63% with four, 4.51% with six or 4.45% with eight.

As with most side bets, all those edges are higher than the base game of blackjack, where basic strategy players face a house edge of less than 1%, with precise numbers depending on house rules.

If you’re looking for the best percentage play, stick with the base game. Dead Man’s Hand’s attraction is for players willing to spot an extra edge for a shot at bigger one-hand payoffs.

Split’em Stud (House Way Gaming)

Based on seven-card stud poker, Split’em Stud has similarities to pai gow poker in that you split an initial hand in two. It also has a pay table that will look familiar to Mississippi Stud Poker players.

To start, players must make an ante. Each player then is dealt four cards, and three community cards are dealt face down in front of the dealer.

Next, it’s decision time. You may either play or fold. If you fold, you lose your ante. If you play, you must make a bet equal to your ante.

Those who elect to play must then split their four cards into two two-card hands. Community cards are turned face up, and each two-card player hand is combined with the three community cards to make a five-card poker hand.

Payoffs are strictly according to a pay table. There is no dealer hand to beat.

Your best hand loses if it doesn’t have at least a pair of 7s. It’s a push and you get your money back on pairs of 7s through 10s. You’re paid even money on a pair of Jacks or better, 2-1 on two pairs, 3-1 on three of a kind, 4-1 on a straight, 6-1 on flush, 10-1 on a full house, 40-1 on four of a kind, 100-1 on a straight flush and 500-1 on a royal flush.

With one exception, that’s identical to the pay table on Mississippi Stud. The only difference is that pushes start on pairs of 6s on Mississippi Stud while Split’em Stud pushes start at pairs of 7s.

Split’em Stud also has bonus payoffs if you have winning combinations in your first four cards without the community cards. The bonus payoffs are the same as the basic pay table except there are no push hands and no full-house payoffs since it’s impossible to build a full house in four cards.

In addition, there’s an optional side bet on the seven-card hand formed by your four cards and the three community cards. Several pay tables are available. It’s up to the host casino to choose which to offer. The table displayed at the House Way Gaming website pays 2-1 on three of a kind, 4-1 on straights, 6-1 on flushes, 10-1 on full houses, 25-1 on four of a kind, 50-1 on a straight flush, 250-1 on a royal flush, 1,000-1 on a six-card straight flush and 5,000-1 on a seven-card straight flush.

The manufacturer says the house edge is 4.49% on the main game and ranges from 2.77% to 10.05% on the seven-card wager depending on which pay table is used.

The house edge is higher than some other poker-based table games such as Mississippi Stud and Three Card Poker. Split’em Stud does have some intrigue in the dual decision of whether to play or fold followed by splitting your four cards into two hands.

Las Vegas’s storied Tropicana became the latest Sin City casino to face implosion in October 2024. The site was cleared to make way for the construction of a new baseball stadium for the Oakland Athletics.

Like past casino implosions, the event drew plenty of media attention and spectators. Bally’s, the casino’s owner, made the property’s destruction quite a spectacle with a seven-minute celebration involving a drone show and fireworks display. Bally’s now plans to build another casino next to the stadium. The historic casino that dated back to 1957, but is now just another chapter in gambling history.

Las Vegas is a city that’s constantly changing and that goes for colossal casinos that dot the famous Las Vegas Strip and at other locations around the city. Casino demolitions receive so much hype that nearby casinos often increase prices as visitors head to town to check out the window-rattling destruction of another property.

“What Las Vegas has done, in classic Las Vegas style, they’ve turned many of these implosions into spectacles,” Geoff Schumacher, historian and vice president of exhibits and programs at the Mob Museum, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal after the Trop. Keep reading to learn more about the history of Las Vegas casino implosions.

Classics Come Down

The 1990s saw several casinos come down. The Dunes got the action going in 1993. The desert-themed casino had been operating since 1955, but the face of Las Vegas began changing in the late 1980s and early ‘90s as megaresorts began becoming more en vogue.

The Bellagio later took the Dunes’ place and became the most expensive hotel and casino ever built at the time at a price tag of $1.6 million. Along with plenty of blackjack, craps, poker, and slots, the property also featured fine art, high-end amenities, 3,000 rooms, and a 22-million-gallon lake.

The Landmark’s implosion in 1995 was coupled with some pop culture appeal. The property was used as the Galaxy Hotel in Tim Burton’s film Mars Attacks!, with the demolition actually incorporated into the movie with Martians blowing up the hotel. They must not have taken over as the casino, which once hosted Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra, is now used as a parking lot.

A year later, another casino was cut down. The Sands opened in 1952 and had once been the hangout of the Brat Pack. The property bit the dust and the Venetian soon took its place. The Hacienda was then demolished on New Year’s Day in 1997 to ring in another megaresort, Mandalay Bay.

The Aladdin was demolished in 1998 for a completely new version of the same casino. That property opened in 1966 and the Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts was spared and later became part of the new Aladdin that opened in 2000. However, Caesars Entertainment acquired the property in 2003 and renovated the casino to become Planet Hollywood.

Busy, Booming 2000s

The 2000s were a busy time for Vegas implosions as the city continued welcoming megaresort casinos to take the place of older properties. The El Rancho came tumbling down in 2000 to clear space for a development known as Turnberry Towers.

That property never came to fruition and instead became the home of the new $3.9 billion Fontainebleau, which opened in December 2023. The property was originally scheduled to open in 2008, but delays set construction back for years as the property faced lawsuits, numerous financial issues, bankruptcy, and ownership changes.

The Desert Inn was then the next to hit the dustbin in 2001 with the Wynn taking its place. The property had been open since 1950 and was the fifth casino to open on the Strip. The property is notable in that Frank Sinatra made his Vegas debut in the property’s Crystal Room in 1951.

Also in 2001, the Boardwalk and Bourbon Street casinos were brought down for bigger projects. The site of the Boardwalk, which had a Coney Island theme and operated since 1966, is now home to the Waldorf Astoria, part of the CityCenter/Aria casino complex. Bourbon Street was a small Strip casino that was simply made into a parking lot for the Westin Hotel.

Next to go was Castaways in 2006, which dated its Sin City history back to the 1930s. The property went through several name changes through the years, including being known as Mountain View, Showboat, and San Souci. Castaways had once been home to the largest bowling alley in the world with 106 lanes. Casino impresario acquired the property to build The Mirage, which opened in 1989.

In 2007, the New Frontier got the axe. Opened 1956, the property was the last casino owned by Howard Hughes and the first Vegas home for Siegfried and Roy. Also that year, the Stardust met the same fate. The property once hosted major acts like Frank Sinatra and inspired the Martin Scorsese film Casino because of the property’s links to organized crime. The film became one of the best casino-related films in history.

Tony “the Ant” Spilotro was in charge of the Stardust and other casinos for the Chicago outfit. He was believed to be responsible for numerous burglaries, thefts, and murders during his time in Las Vegas. As seen in the film Casino, Spilotro was later murdered himself and his body buried in a cornfield in Indiana. The Stardust wasn’t the only Vegas casino known to have connections to the mafia.

Recent Casino Demolitions

Along with the Tropicana, Las Vegas and Nevada have seen a few other demolitions in recent years. In January 2024, Terrible’s Casino became the latest to get the wrecking ball. The property is located just 25 miles south of Las Vegas in the city of Jean.

The property was notable as a landmark for California gamblers heading to town on Interstate 15. The demolition won’t pave the way for a shiny new casino in this case and instead a new industrial park.

Before that, the Riviera was the most recent Strip to be exploded into dust and debris. The property dated back to 1955 and was known to host major name acts like Liberace, Barbara Streisand, Liza Minnelli, Bob Hope, George Burns, Frank Sinatra, and numerous others. The Crazy Girls showgirl show was a popular attraction and the property also became the first Strip casino to add a fast food eatery when a Burger King opened in 1984.

The Riv officially closed in May 2015 to give way for an expansion of the Las Vegas Convention Center. The property’s removal involved two implosions of the casino’s hotel towers. The first came in June 2016 and the second came in August 2016. The total cost of demolition reached $40 million because of significant asbestos removal.

*****

Las Vegas isn’t like many other big cities. Huge buildings and major developments seem to come and go as new projects take their place.

It doesn’t look like that will change and the New York Times once noted that in Vegas, “old structures are dismissed as soon as they outlive their usefulness.” No doubt more impositions are set for Las Vegas in the future and the only question is – when?

Back in the day, being a casino dealer meant learning to shuffle cards in specific ways – with all kinds of artful riffles and passes – that were unique to different casinos. There were special cuts and reshuffles and a variety of techniques employed to make the cards as random as possible when they were dealt.

While casino dealers on some games still do hand shuffles, they usually get a finishing touch via mysterious boxes that execute a final mix before the cards are dealt. The process speeds up games and helps insure that advantage players will find it difficult to beat the games by predicting where slugs of cards will land for the next round of a particular game.

For that protective measure, casino bosses can thank a former truck driver by the name of John Breeding.

Finding Inspiration

Breeding was working as a long-distance trucker in the 1980s when he read a Wall Street Journal article about casinos having trouble reigning in advantage players. He figured that he had an easy solution: relieve the dealers of hand-shuffling cards and institute the use of automatic shufflers that could mix a single deck.

He somehow managed to borrow $30,000 and commissioned a group of engineers to help him come up with the device. It was some years in the making, but they did it. It worked, too. However, there was just one problem: the casino managers didn’t dig it. They had already begun spreading multi-deck blackjack games and nobody was all that interested in upending game presentations to satisfy Breeding.

Over the course of inventing his machine – amazingly, the earliest iterations were made mostly of wood – Breeding is said to have gone broke more than once.

Then, as he told the Las Vegas-based journalist Howard Stutz, his wife laid down a challenge. “If you’re so smart,” she is said to have told Breeding, “why don’t you invent a game that uses only one deck?”

Turning Game Inventor

He did. He came up with Let It Ride, a poker-based game that is now an institution and beloved by gamblers who enjoy the option of reducing their bets by a third. If they don’t withdraw, they, as the name suggests – let it ride.

Casinos love the game because the house edge is 3.51%, which is quite a bit more than that of blackjack and craps. It’s also difficult for ordinarily sharp players to beat. It’s not the sort of thing that can be overcome through card counting.

Breeding loved the game because the setup included the use of a shuffling machine. It not only earned him money as a game creator, but it also gave casinos the opportunity to experience his automatic shuffler, which was called the ShuffleMaster.

More Games, More Money

Business was good enough for ShuffleMaster that the company went public, developed more games and started buying up other manufacturers of casino-related devices and game creators. Over the years, it’s released games such as Three Card Poker, Casino War and Blackjack Switch.

There’s been a passel of slot machines that exist in casinos and online. Offerings include 888 Fortunes, Monopoly Big Spin and Very Fruity.

By 1999, the company was doing well enough to have made Forbes magazine’s list of the 200 best small companies. From that elite roster, it was even designated as one of the 10 hottest small American companies.

In 2013, ShuffleMaster was sold to Bally Technologies, which was later acquired by Scientific Games. The latter is now known as Light & Wonder. The trucker turned casino gaming tycoon enjoyed enough of a windfall that he chose to retire.

Back to Basics

While making waves and money with his casino games, prior to taking leave, Breeding and his ShuffleMaster company (now known as SHFL Entertainment) did not lose sight of their original mission.

The company became a leading designer of shuffling machines. And it was far from limited to the single deck offering that served as a foundation for Breeding’s operation. Over the years, ShuffleMaster has become a master in the wide realm of shuffling machines.

Having gone way beyond the single deck offering, the company pushes out machines that are used to organize poker chips along with continuous shuffle machines that totally thwart card counters by living up to the name: they’re always shuffling, which completely turns card counting into a moot endeavor.

The company’s products are so good that its Deckmate 2 was used by dealers at the World Series of Poker.

Okay, But How Does It Work?

The continuous shuffling machines (known as CSMs) have slots for each card. The cards circulate on a wheel; an automatic number generator dictates which cards will be dealt out when. That would be for a continuous shuffle machine that you see on gambling tables in casinos.

Interestingly, while the so-called CSM is hated by card counters – as mentioned above, you can’t count a blackjack game when the cards are being continuously shuffled – Mike “Wizard of Odds” Shackelford maintains that the CSM games are slightly better for straight-on basic strategy players. He says that this is because a higher number of 10 value cards than expected will be dealt, and that is always good for the player.

When you are playing a shoe game, the dealer takes cards from the discard tray and feeds them into an automatic shuffle machine, which uses hoppers and rollers to mix up the cards. There will be two sets of cards. As one is being dealt out to players, the other is being randomized in the machine.

Do the machines cheat players? The answer is that they do not. But according to a recent article in Wired, a “hacking device could alter the shuffler’s code to fully hijack the machine and invisibly tamper with its shuffling.”

Of course, this is not to say that anyone has ever done something so nefarious. And no doubt, the high-tech hustle is not something that Breeding had considered when he fashioned his earliest iteration of the fabulous shuffler that now keeps things moving in the casino, set off a load of popular table games and made the former truck driver a casino hero with a place in the Gambling Hall of Fame.

Nobody likes losing money to casinos. But most of us put up with the financial beatings, accepting that they inevitably happen when you risk cash in games where the other side has the best of it. Some of us find legal ways to turn the tables. Maybe we card count or hole card or seek out lingering bonuses on slot machines.

But even playing with an edge, no matter how much the casinos despise it, will get us only so far. Hell, I once sat next to hole-carding maestro James Grosjean at a blackjack table. He literally told me the dealer’s hole cards and I still managed to lose money. Decent sized edges do not lead to guaranteed profits.

Then there are the players so desperate to win that they will risk prison terms in order to do so. They are casino cheaters, people who devise and deploy ingeniously devious techniques to get over on the house. Never mind that such moves often entail enough work and training that the time, better spent, could have led to legal, long-running, profitable occupations.

Cheating Casinos by Being a Magician

A guy who goes by the pseudonym of Dustin Marks told me about becoming a crack sleight of artist to get over on the house. He would land dealing gigs in casinos and use his magic skills to rig decks and deal winning hands to collaborators at the tables.

Marks’ partners played as if they were ordinary gamblers. But they generated wins that were extraordinary.

He told me about one scam, involving a couple-dozen partners, in which he and his crew played with a 50% advantage. As Marks explained it, he dealt and his collaborator sat at first base. Before the opening hand was divvied out, Marks flashed what the first hit card would be. That prevented the guy from ever going over. Then, as he corralled cards at the hand’s conclusion, Marks flashed his compadre’s first card, and that dictated a bet size for the coming hand.

Asked why he did it, he told me, “I was never fond of gambling. I always wanted a sure thing.”

Getting Over on Slot Machines

Luckily for Marks, he exited the shady game before getting caught. Tommy Glenn Carmichael was less fortunate. A TV repairman turned slot-machine cheat, Carmichael was a wizard when it came to creating devices that triggered unwarranted payouts from slot machines.

As explained in the Paris Review, Carmichael used a guitar string and a piece of metal shaped like a nine to essentially hotwire machines into making consistent payouts that added up.

Working with various teams, Carmichael, now deceased, is said to have been a two-armed bandit who illegally extracted millions of dollars from the one-armed bandits.

It was going great until a fateful day in a Las Vegas branch of Denny’s. Carmichael was plying his trade on a vulnerable machine, when police swarmed the casual dining spot and arrested him. As a result, Carmichael did time in a federal penitentiary.

Sprung five years later, he returned to his craft with a vengeance. Using enhanced equipment – primarily, light wands that tricked the machines – Carmichael earned $1,000 per day.

He described his increasingly high-tech gambits as “credit cards that never ran out.” In the end, though, he was arrested again, went broke, and traded in his black hat for a white one. Carmichael turned to creating anti-cheating devices that were sold to gambling entities.

Marked Cards & Bogus Chips

Others lacked the ingenuity of Carmichael and enjoyed no second acts after the whip came down from law enforcement.

There were the card-markers who glued grains of sand to their fingertips and altered the backs of cards used in the game of Casino War. Others, including a Chinese gang nicknamed the Jade Blades, employed tiny razor blades under their fingernails.

And it’s not only games in the pit that get flimflammed. A poker player by the name of Christian Lusardi played a poker tournament at Borgata in Atlantic City and brought his own chips – never mind that the whole point of a poker tournament is that players start with set amounts of chips that are for the tournament only. When Lusardi sensed the heat on him intensifying, he flushed bogus chips down the toilet, clogged the pipes, and wound up getting busted. The next place he played poker was in prison, stuck with a five-year-long sentence.

The Card Eater!

Then there’s at least one baccarat scammer who foiled the cheater catchers.The guy was part of a team that made a habit of slipping an 8-denomination card in and out of the game, Considering that it is a key card in baccarat, the team played with a significant advantage.

Eventually, though, casino security realized what was going on, surrounded the card man and tackled him to the ground. Before he could be fully apprehended, the cheat folded his card, swallowed it and foiled casino officials.

“He ate the evidence!” a source told me. “It was brought before the Gaming Commission. They said, ‘You have no proof. Pay the man. Have a nice day.’”

‘World’s Greatest Casino Cheat’

Fake slot machine tokens, bribed dealers, and fast fingers for introducing 10s and aces into blackjack games (credit that gambit to a woman nicknamed the Vegas Vixen) all worked until they didn’t.

Same for the moves engineered by notorious Richard Marcus. Anointing himself the “world’s greatest casino cheat,” Marcus ran a team that made its bones with a ploy known as past-posting. They would surreptitiously swap chips in and out of betting circles, depending on the outcome of the hand. If he won, he’d slip in $10,000 via a pair of $5,000 chips. If he lost, it would just cost him $110, via a black $100 chip and two five below.

Like Dustin Marks, he retired from the cheating life when peril seemed to loom – but before it struck. Also, like Marks, Richard Marcus managed to avoid jailtime. Unlike the rogue magician, though, he found a second career after giving up on scamming the house. He wrote books such as American Rouletteand consulted with casinos to catch others of his ilk.

Hence, as Marcus and Carmichael prove, there is little honor among casino cheats

The island of Macau has become the largest casino market in the world and often referred to as the “Las Vegas of Asia.” The island, located right off the Chinese mainland, is the only legalized casino market in China and attracts wealthy gamblers from the mainland as well as other parts of Asia.

However, Macau’s focus on gambling may be changing in the coming years. A major slowdown in gambling revenue has led to China’s leaders to rethink the island’s focus on casino gaming and some are looking to diversify the economy.

“At present the overall situation in Macau is stable, but the internal and external environment is undergoing profound changes,” Chinese President Xi Jinping said during a celebration in December celebrating 25 years of Chinese rule. “Efforts should be made to promote moderate economic diversification … focus on cultivating new industries with international competitiveness.”

History of Macau

Macau had been part of China through the 16th Century, but Portugal began leasing the island as a trading post in 1557 as a key point for merchants shipping from west to east. The country eventually began treating the island as a de facto colony before finally reaching a deal with China in 1887 officially making it part of Portuguese territory.

AfterHong Kong became a British territory in 1842, that island became a more important trading region. Macau responded by legalizing gambling in 1847 and the industry flourished on the island, becoming a key source of revenue.

“By the 1850s, Macao had over 200 ‘fan tan’ [a Chinese gambling game] stalls in operation,” the Association of Certified Gaming Compliance Specialists notes. “The gaming industry began to thrive in the late 19th Century, and gaming taxes became the government’s primary source of revenue. Since then, Macao has become well-known for its casino industry, earning the nickname ‘Monte Carlo of the Orient.’”

Several companies were granted monopoly considerations to operate full-scale casinos for much of the 20th Century with the legislative assembly noting in a 1986 law that “the number of concessions granted shall be limited to a maximum of three.Despite that, underground gambling remained and in the 1990s, the island saw rival gangs battle over the island’s underground gambling market with more than 100 people killed in the violence.

That monopolistic approach to gaming changed after the island was officially handed back to China in 1999. The area was treated as a special administrative region (SAR) in a similar way as Hong Kong – a “one country, two systems” approach.

In 2001, the island enacted new laws to expand the industry on the island, allowing for multiple casino operators and large gaming resorts.

Macau and Casino Gambling

After approving a law for casino bids, Macau received proposals from major gaming operators from around the world including American-based gaming giants like MGM Resorts, Las Vegas Sands, and Wynn Resorts as well as Asian-based firms like SJM Holdings and Galaxy Entertainment Group.

Numerous casino resorts then began being built around the island throughout the 2000s, with the island reaching 42 casinos by 2021. Players could easily hit the roulette wheel or practice their blackjack strategy, Gambling has not only been a boon to the island, but also to the overall Chinese economy.

Once a quiet island, Macau has seen some huge changes over the last 25 years and has become a major tourist destination. The casino industry has led to an economy valued at about $6.5 billion in 1999 to $46 billion in 2023, according to the Associated Press. Many locals have found jobs in the industry and others appreciate the $1,240 annual payments made to residents from gaming taxes.

However, things certainly took a downturn during the COVID pandemic, when China limited travel to the island. Revenue dried up almost overnight on the island. Chinese authorities also began cracking down on junket operators that provide services for the country’s wealthy high rollers to gamble.

Gamblers on junkets regularly use borrowed funds to gamble and then repay these loans on mainland China. The industry has faced more scrutiny in recent years. Chinese officials alleged that some operators became involved in operating or owning part of overseas casinos outside of the country.

Revenue Revival After COVID

Travel and junket restrictions led to major revenue declines and the industry struggled. Things began to finally change in 2023. By December of that year, the island saw casino gross income numbers totaling $2.3 billion, an increase of 433% from December 2022, according to the island’s Gaming Inspection and Coordination Bureau.

This marked the industry’s second-largest total since before the COVID pandemic and began what would slowly become a return to normal.

In December 2024, the Macau casino industry accounted for $28.4 billion in gaming revenue, up almost 24% from 2023 levels. This was another good sign as that topped government estimates of almost $27 billion.

That still was short of the pre-pandemic level of $36.5 billion from 2019. The pandemic showed just how reliant the island of just over 700,000 people had become and the Chinese government has set out to make changes.

Transitioning Economy

The first part of that was seeing new leadership on the island. Former judge Sam Hou Fai was elected in an uncontested vote as Macau’s chief executive-designate in 2024 and became the island’s first leader born on mainland China. Fai is determined to diversify the island’s economy.

The new leader hopes to do this by improving the island’s overall business conditions and supporting small business, including using public funds to stimulate business sectors outside of gaming.

“Sam has promised to accelerate the current government’s plan to boost tourism and other sectors such as traditional Chinese medicine, finance, exhibitions and commerce,” the Associated Press reports. “However, the city will still need to rely on the gambling industry for government revenues to support the city’s welfare and accomplish other goals laid out by Beijing.”

Xi has said that Macau must move away from being so heavily reliant on the casino industry, which accounts for about 80% of regional tax revenue.

“At present the overall situation in Macau is stable, but the internal and external environment is undergoing profound changes,” Xi said. “Efforts should be made to promote moderate economic diversification… focus on cultivating new industries with international competitiveness.”

However, the gaming industry will remain a major part of the island’s future. More and more Chinese gamblers continue flocking to the island, but recent reports note that the island has seen some changes in who heads to the casinos. Post-COVID, the properties are relying more on middle-income gamblers than well-heeled high rollers. But some headwinds still remain for the island’s gaming industry.

“In a note, analysts Praveen Choudhary, Gareth Leung and Stephen Grambling (with Morgan Staey) said they maintain their mass GGR (gross gaming revenue) forecast assumption at 118% of 2019 levels, representing a 5% increase over 2024,” Inside Asian Gambling reports, “but expect lower EBITDA (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) than originally expected due to increased reinvestment costs, including in non-gaming capex requirements under operators’ current 10-year concession deals.”

Things are definitely looking up for Macau since the pandemic. The analysts project “slight but steady growth” for the rest of the year.

The argument can be made that no matter where you play blackjack, so long as you find the best rules (blackjacks paying 3 to 2, re-splitting aces, dealers standing on soft 17), it is essentially the same game. And, yes that also holds true for craps, roulette strategy, Three Card Poker, and just about everything else that a casino might spread.

But if you’re going to gamble, why not do it in the nicest surroundings possible? Hopefully, the upgrade comes with tastier cocktails, more comfortable seats at the gaming table, friendlier dealers, and a nicely designed hotel room in which to crash when the card-playing is completed. That all puts you ahead of the game before your first bet gets made.

Considering that anything worth doing is worth doing in style, we present an opinionated collection of the planet’s poshest casinos, places where gambling can be a cushy experience you won’t forget.

Gambling with the Panache Of Bond, James Bond – Casino De Monte Carlo

Exuding a tuxedo-worthy, big-money vibe, Casino de Monte Carlo is something to marvel at. If you doubt the coolness of Casino de Monte Carlo, remember that it was featured in two James Bond movies – Never Say Never Again and Golden Eye. Red flock wallpaper, wood paneling, and the satisfying sound of chips colliding remain in full effect.

High rollers play baccarat or blackjack or roulette and sip from bottles of fine wine brought up from the hotel’s wine cellar, with roots that date back to the 19th century. Sport jackets were once de rigueur here – shorts and flip-flops remain verboten – and upon entering you will encounter a statue with a horn full of coins. Most everyone entering the casino rubs the horn for good luck that they hope will turn gambling sessions under chandeliered illumination into profitable endeavors.

Sometimes it works!

High-Roller Haven on the Las Vegas Strip – Wynn Las Vegas

Ever since its 2005 opening, Wynn has ruled as the best place to bet (and do everything else) in Sin City. The restaurants are top notch – whether it’s sushi at Mizumi, Italian fair at Sinatra (where the menu allows guests to eat like Frank), or SW Steakhouse for prime beef that can take you from the US to Australia to Japan with the sweep of a knife.

Best of all, the gambling is just as good as the food.

With around 160 well-appointed gaming tables, Wynn’s casino is a magnet for well-heeled and famous visitors to Vegas. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, who qualifies as both, was recently spotted gambling it up at the poker tables there. Master magician David Blaine plays a different kind of cards. He performs his mind-blowing sleight of hand at Wynn’s Encore Theater.

To get beyond the casino, book a round of golf on the resort’s course. The property offers the only links on the Vegas Strip. If you want to splurge – or if you gamble high enough at the tables and your host throws you a coveted comp – you can secure one of the casino’s six villas for yourself and a posse of pals.

Gamblers traveling the global circuit will eventually make their way to Macau. And when you are in the Chinese gambling hub, you’ll do well to check into a room in the Venetian on the famed Cotai Strip. For starters, the surroundings are gorgeous: like its sister property in Las Vegas, Venetian Macao offers an inspiring vibe that transports visitors to Venice.

If gambling is your thing (of course it is), you will have no shortage of opportunities. The casino boasts 500 gaming tables and 2,000 slot machines. When in Macau, the game to play is baccarat and the thing to drink is milk tea served in a glass with a napkin around the bottom to keep it from burning your fingers. You can also work on your craps strategy in a truly opulent setting.

After you strike it rich on the gaming floor, you will be in the perfect place for blowing gambling proceeds. Shopping at Venetian Macao is second to none. Cartier, Chanel, and Dolce & Gabbana will get you going. And if you need a new suitcase in which to bring home your booty, don’t forget to hit Louis Vuitton.

Time-Trip to 19th Century Gaming – The Kurhaus of Baden-Baden Casino

If anyone needs a reminder that casino gambling is a venerable pastime, a jaunt to the Kurhaus will do the trick. The place launched in 1820 and inspired Russian author Fyodor Dostoyevsky to write The Gambler.

But you don’t have to be into the literature of chance to appreciate the Kurhaus. There’s great food at The Grill (order steak and sushi), thermal baths and old-school spas reside in close proximity, and the gambling at the roulette wheel or blackjack, punto banco, and poker tables are well entrenched.

The casino is intimate and luxe with antique chandeliers, golden walls, red carpeting, and players who dress up for nights of taking their chances at the tables.

Providing it All – Marina Bay Sands, Singapore

The three waterfront towers of Marina Bay Sands serve as a prime spot for opulent gambling, top-notch dining, luxe shopping, and supreme relaxation at a state-of-the-art spa. But the distinctive towers have also served as a striking landmark ever since Marina Bay opened in 2010.

Besides all the classic games, spread in luxurious surroundings, Marina Bay offers a skyscraping observation deck, a rooftop infinity pool, and 80 restaurants.

Like everything else here, the casino, which takes up four floors, is second to none. Ordinary punters take their chances on 3,000 slot machines and 600 table games (offering baccarat, roulette, sic bo, blackjack, and poker). Those playing for the highest stakes repair to discreet salons and gamble beyond prying eyes.

Finally, after all is said and done, you’ll be all but guaranteed a good night’s sleep. Rooms at Marina Bay boast mattresses made by the high-end producer Savoir. Each one is expertly constructed from horse tail, Mongolian yak wool, and cashmere. They sell for $30,000 and rank among the world’s most comfortable sleeping surfaces.

Despite how things go in the casino, you will not be gambling on a sound snooze.

Craps is a game with numerous bets available and can be intimidating for those hitting the table for the first time. Dealing the game also comes with quite a learning curve as potential casino workers learn the ins and outs of a game that is fast-paced, has some mathematical considerations, and involves thinking quickly on your feet to keep the action moving.

As one of the most difficult casino games to deal, those who can master the skill of dealing craps can be desirable employees in competitive markets.

So what does it take to deal craps and what are some of the skills necessary to pursue this as a job? Keep reading to answer some of these questions.

Going to School

One of the best ways to learn the game is to attend a dealing school. These training programs and trade schools are more prevalent in locations like Las Vegas and Atlantic City where there are numerous casinos. But the growth of the industry around the world means that these skills can often be carried over to work in other regions.

Schools vary by price, but taking a course on craps can be more costly than learning other popular games like blackjack and roulette. For example, the Casino Career Institute in Atlantic City charges $1,089 for a 96-hour course to train in craps dealing, almost twice the cost of other popular games and also twice the number of hours required.

That’s because there is just so much to learn in comparison to other games. There are the more traditional bets to keep track of, such as the Pass Line and Come Bar, but dealers must also have a grasp on how to pay out the proposition bets and understand the jargon of the game as well.

New dealers must have a deep grasp of the game’s rules. Training academies offer plenty of practice dealing and making payouts to build speed and accuracy. Beyond simply learning the mechanics and payouts, trainees learn four differing dealing positions, including:

• On base dealers – Two of these are located at either end of the table facing the players and usually have chips in front of them for payouts. They manage the more popular bets like the Pass Line, Don’t Pass, Place Bets, Come/Don’t Come, Field Bets, Craps Lay Bets, and others located on either end of the table.
• Stickman – This dealer is located in the middle of the table on the same side as the players and manages the proposition bets in the center of the table. The stickman uses a stick to position these wagers for players, hence the name.
• Boxman (or boxperson) – This dealer is on the opposite side of the stickman in the center of the table and is usually seated in front of stacks of chips. This casino employee manages the entire game – settling disputes and ensuring all players are paid out correctly.

Many dealer schools also feature job placement to help graduates find employment. In some locations where there aren’t as many casinos, there may not be dealing schools to serve potential casino employees. In these cases, a casino may offer their own training courses. Beyond being trained, new dealers usually need to be certified by a gaming commission in most jurisdictions.

Skill Sharpening

Looking to take a spot in the dice pit? There are some skills that definitely help in being a successful craps dealer. Some of those qualities include:

• Solid math skills – Calculating odds and payouts quickly is critical in this game.
• Great communication – Letting players know how to play and the payouts available is a big part of the job, while also keeping the action moving and communicating with other dealers and casinos personnel
• Patience and customer service – Staying calm and friendly in a pressure-filled environment can make you a better dealer – and bring in more tips.
• Adaptability – A dealer wears many hats and must be able to be friendly and helpful while also controlling game and paying out players.
• Physical stamina – Dealers may be standing for long periods of time and the job can be physically demanding. Having some stamina will make the job much easier.

Beyond all this, those manning the dice table must also work to keep the action entertaining. In a sense, dice dealing is part gambling and part public relations.

Those famous sayings like “Winner, winner, chicken dinner” add to the fun and spirit of the game. Successful dealers must also be friendly and knowledgeable – always ready to answer questions, help players with bets, and keep a smile on their faces, despite what can appear to be some seriously stressful situations at times.

“No other game tops the complexity of craps, that comes from the number of rules and the rich lingo players use,” Business Case Studies notes. “Add to that the fast playing pace, and you’ll get a game that’s nearly impossible to understand during the first few tries. Rolling 7s or 11s sounds easy, but things get more complicated once the dice hit the table’s edge.”

Dealers must not only understand how the game is played and craps strategy, but can oversee all aspects of play. No matter the frustrations, demands, or bad attitudes players must have, great dealers stay professional and work to make the game entertaining and inviting.

Cashing In – Craps Dealer Salaries

As with most dealing jobs, tips can be an important part of a dealer’s salary. Dealers with a good attitude tend to do better in this regard. Some bettors will even make wagers for the dealers, giving them a chance to win even more.

Among the top nine dealing jobs listed by ZipRecruiter, craps dealers ranked the highest in salary at an average of $40,500 to $47,000. The site reported that the average hourly pay for a craps dealer equated anywhere from $16 to almost $24. That rate may vary in other countries, but still may be among the higher rates in a casino.

However, tips can make this much higher and some dealers have reported earning an average of $200 per day in “tokes” (tips in casino jargon).

The property a player works at can see this salary increase as well. Most dealers usually start at lower-level properties, before moving on to higher-end casinos that may have higher limits and better locations. This gives dealers a chance to rack up even better pay and craps dealers tend to accrue more tips than other games in a casino, with the possible exception of blackjack.

Beyond simply the dice pit, successful dealers have a chance to move on to other in-demand positions with higher-paying salaries. Some of those include supervisors, table games managers, and more. Like any profession, those who excel and have a knack for leadership can rise up the ranks.

Casino dealers are certainly in demand as countries and jurisdictions continue legalizing gambling – from the U.S. to Europe to Asia and beyond. Job postings can easily be found online and on the websites of individual gaming companies. Some casinos even offer signing bonuses for new employees. Free training for prospective employees may also be available at some properties.

“Your salary is based on the number of games you know,” Bally’s Chicago Vice President of Community Engagement Monica Scott said recently at a job fair to fill dealer positions. “So here at Bally’s, we have the highest base rate in the area for dealers, so it’s a good profession, it’s a good opportunity.”

If this article interests you, keep reading. Alternatively, explore other topics like blackjack strategy.

Bright lights, big money, major entertainment, and plenty of casino gambling. While many may think of Las Vegas when it comes to testing out some blackjack strategyorcraps strategy, and dropping a few bucks in a slot machine, there is another huge American destination that helped move casino gaming beyond Sin City.

New Jersey legalized gambling in Atlantic City in 1976 and cemented a long history of underground gaming into a new regulated industry. For a time, “America’s Playground” even gave Las Vegas a run for its money.

The southern New Jersey city is still home to several casinos and has been in the gambling business since the first property opened in 1978. Here’s a quick look at the history of Atlantic City casinos.

Underground Gaming

Legalized casinos in the Garden State didn’t come without some setbacks. A voter referendum in 1974 to legalize casinos in Atlantic City was initially defeated, but a second effort passed two years later.

The approval came after the state had a long history of underground casino gaming. That included a local sheriff offering some gambling and entertainment, despite it being illegal, right on the Jersey Shore.

“America’s Playground, Atlantic City, was for decades a ‘shore bet’ for illicit gambling,” David Schwartz notes ub the book Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling. “Though it was promoted as a family resort, as early as the 1860s those who knew where to look could have some very adult fun gambling.

“Under the de facto rule of Enoch “Nucky” Johnson, who rose to power as the sheriff of Atlantic County in 1908, wide-open gambling was viewed as a boon to the tourist trade.”

Later, a federal investigation revealed that Johnson allowed gambling and bootlegging run by the mob in return for a 10% cut of the proceeds. The investigation found that as many as 25 underground casinos were in operation offering casino games before he was finally sent to prison in 1941. However, many casinos stayed open, but became more concealed.

The legalization of casinos in 1976 changed that and Atlantic City’s first casino, Resorts International, opened on May 26, 1978.

Legalized Casinos Flourish

Atlantic City has a lot of things going for it when it comes to legalized casinos. The location on the ocean and beautiful beaches made the city a great getaway for families looking for some summer fun. The boardwalk allowed for some beautiful views and offered plenty for vacationers including shopping, dining, amusement park rides, and more.

Adding casinos allowed for parents to bring the kids – hitting the beach and boardwalk with the family by day and then allowing some time for the adults to head to the casino by night to play roulette, hit the dice tables, or take in a show.

Seeing that the voter referendum might pass, Resorts International purchased tracts of land in the city including the Chalfonte-Haddon Hall resort complex.

The company also owned a casino in the Bahamas and when the referendum passed, Resorts hit the ground running and opened a casino quickly. Caesars Boardwalk Regency (later known as Caesars Atlantic City) followed a year later with The Brighton, later renamed the Sands, opening in 1980.

Harrah’s and the Golden Nugget also opened in 1980s, followed by several more throughout the ‘80s including the Tropicana, the Claridge, the Hi-Ho, Trump Castle, and the Showboat,

The current U.S. president and former New York City real estate developer had a major impact in Atlantic City, opening Trump Taj Mahal in 1990 and billing the property as the “eighth wonder of the world.”

“The scale … is what brings the people,” Trump told ABC News in 1990. “The opulence, the size, the everything is really what’s going to make the Taj Mahal the most successful hotel anywhere in the world.”

Trump took over the project after Resorts couldn’t complete construction and Michael Jackson was a guest of honor at the property’s grand opening. The Taj Mahal became known as the best place to play poker for a time, The Taj was a regular home for poker legend Phi Ivey and hosted the U.S Poker Championship from 1996 to 2010. Trump’s footprint extended even further in Atlantic City and he also owned Trump Plaza for a total of three casinos at one time.

Rapid Growth & Decline

Until Atlantic City legalized casinos, the only place to legally gamble in the U.S was in the state of Nevada. Attracting gamblers from across the eastern seaboard became an economic boon for the city beginning in the 1980s.

Gaming revenue increased from $325 million in 1979 with just two casinos to almost $1.2 billion by 1981. By 1987, AC had become the most-visited city in the U.S. with over 20 million visitors annually. The town by the Jersey Shore was now on the map, and gamblers kept flock to the gaming tables and slots.

Atlantic City was a major competitor with Las Vegas, almost equaling the city’s revenue of $2.4 billion by 1987 with far fewer casinos. According to the University of Nevada Las Vegas, Atlantic City gaming saw average growth rates of an astounding 55% from 1978 to 1985.

By the 2000s, however, that rate had slowed significantly. While the industry peaked with 12 casinos, the 1990s and 2000s saw some changes as other regions began legalizing casinos. States like Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri brought in riverboat casinos in the 1990s and gamblers no longer had to book trips to Las Vegas or Atlantic City.

Other states, such as New York, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Oklahoma, and others around the country now offer full-scale casino resorts. The Atlantic Club, Showboat, Trump Plaza, and even the Taj Mahal all eventually closed and the city now boasts just nine casinos.

In 2013, New Jersey officially legalized online gaming and online poker, becoming a leader in the industry in the U.S. However, in recent months online gaming has eclipsed live casino gambling.

In March, the state’s casinos produced $230.9 million in revenue, falling 3.7% from $239.8 million the same month in 2024. By contrast, online operators brought in $243.9 million, up 23.7% compared to $197.2 million for March 2024. That trend has led to some concerns among legislators and casino employee unions about what can be done to keep gamblers coming into their properties.

“As lawmakers continue to proceed with the annual state budget process, representatives in the New Jersey Legislature must understand the perilous economic situation at hand for my members, and indeed all workers in Atlantic City,” Unite Here Local 54 President Donna DeCaprio said in 2024.

“Not only is the overall in-person revenue troubling — but the size of the declines at some of the individual properties portends some serious instability for thousands of workers. The legislators need to take this into consideration as they consider policies that could compound the downward trends.”

Where does the industry go from here? Atlantic City has an uphill climb now faced with so much competition for some of American gamblers’ bankrolls. It seems almost every state has a casino industry, with just a few exceptions. Even more are considering expanded gaming and gamblers can also now easily place sports bets on their phones from almost anywhere.

While the gambling mecca may not be what it once was, Atlantic City can be remembered as the outpost that kick-started the American casino boom. And the Atlantic City boardwalk and beautiful beaches can still be a great spot for a casino vacation getaway.