The history of gambling in Las Vegas: How did casinos become popular?

Las Vegas is synonymous with luxury, bright lights, and endless gambling entertainment. To understand how casinos became so popular in Las Vegas, the reliable betting company 1xBet invites you to delve into the history of the city’s development. Beginning: the desert and the railroad In the early 20th century, Las Vegas was a small settlement in the Nevada desert.

In 1905, the city was officially founded after the laying of the railroad between Los Angeles and Salt Lake City. The favorable geographical location was an influential factor in its further development. Even back then, Las Vegas had already begun attracting travelers and workers seeking rest and entertainment.



Gambling during that period existed in a gray zone: it wasn’t fully legal, but it wasn’t strictly prohibited either — it was tolerated in saloons and private establishments. In 1910, the state of Nevada officially banned all forms of gambling, but this prohibition did not stop underground activities. Legalization of gambling: a turning point The real breakthrough came in 1931, when, amid the Great Depression, state authorities legalized gambling.

This decision was intended to attract investment, create jobs, and boost the state budget. At the same time, construction of the monumental Hoover Dam began. Thousands of workers arrived in the region, and the demand for entertainment soared.

These events laid the foundation for the opening of the first official casinos. The rise of the Strip and the influence of the mafia Las Vegas rapidly developed into a tourist and gambling hub. The famous Las Vegas Strip emerged — a boulevard lined with large casino hotels.

In 1941, the first major establishment opened its doors: El Rancho Vegas. Interest in the city grew, and even nuclear explosions contributed to it. Starting in 1951, the US Army regularly conducted atomic weapons tests about 100 kilometers from the city, drawing spectators from all over the country.

A bit earlier, in 1946, the famous New York gangster Bugsy Siegel opened the Flamingo Hotel and Casino, pouring millions of mafia dollars into the project. In the eyes of the law and 1xBet founder of this casino was not a model citizen — just like Meyer Lansky, another investor with a criminal background. The mafia needed a way to launder money, and casinos were perfect for the job.

However, in the end, their investments helped turn Vegas into the capital of gambling and entertainment. In the 1950s and 1960s, increasingly luxurious casinos such as The Sands, The Riviera, Caesars Palace, and others were built in the city. These casinos offered more than gambling: concerts by stars like Frank Sinatra, fine cuisine, swimming pools, and shows.

They became destinations for the whole family, not just for gamblers. The end of the mafia era and a new boom In the 1980s, the US government began actively cracking down on mafia influence in the gambling industry, introducing stricter laws and regulations. Large corporations replaced criminal investors, so the gambling business became more transparent, legal, and regulated.

In the 1990s, Las Vegas experienced a true renaissance. A new generation of massive hotel-casino complexes was built: Bellagio, Luxor, MGM Grand, and The Venetian. These resorts made gambling just one of many features within vast tourist destinations.

Modern Las Vegas: a city of lights, shows, and technology Today, Las Vegas is much more than just the casino capital — it’s one of the top tourist destinations in the United States. The city hosts world-class international exhibitions, concerts, major boxing title fights, and even spontaneous quickie weddings. Unique landmarks, such as the instantly iconic Sphere, attract millions of tourists yearly — in 2024 alone, 41.

7 million people visited Las Vegas. Casinos remain the centerpiece of the city, but their role has expanded significantly. They have become just one element in the vast array of experiences offered by one of the world’s most iconic cities.

New technologies, from online gaming and mobile betting to virtual games, play a key role in the evolution of the gambling industry. Yet traditional casinos, with their unique atmosphere, continue to be an essential part of the Las Vegas myth. As the 1xBet review shows, the city’s history is a clear example of how a small settlement in the desert can become a world capital of gambling.

Today, a casino in Las Vegas is not just a place to play, but a true symbol of the dream of success achieved through risk..