Americans love a hustle
Americans love to gamble. They always have, be it dice, cards, or casino table games. They also love to have a flutter on sporting events. At different times in the country’s history, governments have tried to prohibit and outlaw gambling on all sorts of moral grounds. However, the situation now is that it is up to each state to decide for itself what is and is not permitted in terms of gambling. After The Supreme Court struck down the PASPA federal ban on sports betting, many states have opened up further to gambling opportunities online and offline.
Gaming revenue is up
The gross gaming revenue across the country was fifty-three billion US dollars in 2021. This was in 2020 when bricks-and-mortar venues were closed during the Covid-19 pandemic. There are four hundred and sixty-six commercial casinos across the country and five hundred and fifteen tribal ones. Californians recently rejected allowing online sports betting; however, New York opened its virtual doors earlier in the year.
Ball of confusion
The picture across the US can be very confusing, and laws and regulations vary from state to state. For example, Louisiana and Nevada are the only states with legalized state-wide gambling. Other states restrict it to specific geographic locations. For example, New Jersey has Atlantic City and Mississippi, Tunica. Other states restrict casinos to tribal reservations. But, except in Utah and Hawaii, gambling in some form or other is now permitted across the country.
Some like it hot
Some states allow every type of gambling; in others, only charitable or social gambling is permitted. In addition, restrictions do apply between states due to the 1961 Wire Act, so people have to abide by the laws of the state that they are physically in. As a result, Americans now have plenty of choices regarding where to spend their gambling dollars. But which destinations are the best, and why should you go there? As readers of Scared Stiff, we think you will like your places a bit scary, so we have hunted out some grizzly stories at hot casino destinations.
Welcome to fabulous Las Vegas
Las Vegas is the undisputed, self-proclaimed gambling capital of the USA. No other place has built its reputation and fortune on the back of this one industry. Rising out of the desert are the towering hotels with casinos to tempt every style of gambler. However, Vegas offers more than simply gambling; it provides an escape where the adventurous can reinvent themselves, even if only for one night. All the accompanying entertainment can be found here, from famous rock bands to classical music, and all of the best bars and eateries close by.
So while Las Vegas might be the top billing destination in the states, readers of Scared Stiff might like to find some allegedly haunted casinos. Those worthy of mention include the following:
- The Flamingo is said to be haunted by the ghost of the mobster it is most associated with – Bugsy Siegel. Seigel was gunned down in 1947 but seems to have decided to spend the afterlife in the casino he developed. His ghost has reportedly been seen in the Presidential Suite and basking by the pool. One cleaning lady quit her job after encountering his spectral form.
- The Tropicana might be a top Vegas casino, but it is also reportedly known for paranormal activity. A large wooden tiki mask stood at the resort’s entrance. People who touched it came up with a nasty-looking purple rash. It was said to contain a trapped spirit. Photographs taken in front of the mask showed a strange purple haze that blurred the image. Eventually, the management removed the mask, which only heated up the rumor mill that something weird had happened.
- Bally’s Resort and Casino was built on the site of the former MGM Grand, which burned down in 1980. Tragically eighty people lost their lives in the fire. However, their spirits reportedly haunt the highest floors of Bally’s from floors 19 through 24. Guests and employees have seen ghost-like figures wandering through the North Tower.
Spooky slots
You do not have to travel too far to give yourself a fright. If you live in a state where online casinos are legal, you can do so from the comfort of your home.
Many top online casinos in Michigan, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Delaware, and Connecticut have a fantastic range of terrifying video slots. There are two Walking Dead slots to choose from to warm you up before playing the official Paranormal Activity game. If you like things a bit hotter, there are plenty of devilish titles to choose from.
Intense cold winds are blowing
We might not think of cold winds when talking about hot destinations. But for lovers of scary stories, we all know that indicates the presence of a ghost or ghosts.
- Atlantic City Resorts International was the first to open to the public in the city. The casino is in a building built in 1868, and the building has been seen to shift in the wind. During WWII, the hotel was used as a hospital, and many air-corps men died there. Their zombie-like bodies are said to be still roaming the hallways to this day.
