How Vegas Became Gambling Capital of the World
Posted: February 14, 2020
Updated: February 14, 2020
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History of Las Vegas
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The gambling capital of the world
Image source: Pxhere
There are many cities in the world which are home for casinos but there is one which shines the brightest. Las Vegas is the name that stands as a synonym for the fun coming from gambling. The night view of the big city with its bright lights and the huge economy made it a must-visit place. In fact, the history and the people of the city made Las Vegas the gambling capital of the world.
The fascinating history of Las Vegas
In the early 20th century, the Las Vegas area was a place for travelers and railroad workers to get some water and some rest. After completing the railroad project workers stayed in the place and became the basis for a small town. For the following decades up to the Great Depression, Las Vegas was attracting people for work. The construction of the Hoover Dam doubled the population of the city.
The workers needed entertainment after the hard day of work. Since at that time there were no online casinos in the USA this caused the boom of illegal gambling which later, to be exact in 1931 made gambling legal. The exact same dam provided electricity to the city which attracted many tourists from across the country.
Later, there was a need for luxury hotels and casinos. Up to the ’40s, the hotels and casinos were the property of the Vegas-based families. Slowly the mafia came into the picture. In 1946 two mafia leaders Bugsy Siegel and Meyer Lansky opened the famous hotel and casino The Flamingo. Consequently, tens of alike places opened their doors bringing millions of tourists and dollars into the city.
The next key point or we could say person in the history of Vegas is Howard Hughes. In 1966 he came to the town and started purchasing hotels and casinos for around $300m dollars. This made him one of the most powerful figures in the city. By owning a big part of Las Vegas, he developed the place into a cosmopolitan city to fit the new world. Further, this brought us the next stage of the evolution of the city.
The gambling capital of the world: the development
The overall development and the trend to become a more family-friendly place gave Las Vegas a big push forward. This new boom started in the 80s and 90s and continues till now (except the times of the economic crisis). Being free from the state income tax and given very low property taxes provided a good reason for entrepreneurs to build huge resorts which include more than just gambling activities. Besides gambling, the city added many forms of entertainment to the city’s life. Many of the greatest shows, concerts are now taking place in Vegas. This attracts people from different countries and tastes to the heart of the gambling city. Today Las Vegas is home to the most famous hotels and casinos. Many gambling and non-gambling contests and tournaments regularly take place in the city.
The whole history and the integration in the countries and the world’s culture through movies, books and shows made a great reputation for Vegas. The steady growth and a legendary reputation for being the perfect place to take off gave the city a well-deserved name of the gambling capital of the world.
If you are planning to visit Vegas, you could try to gain some experience with the online gambling sites in the USA so you can be more confident when the lights flash at you. Intertops casino is a great choice to do that.