How Las Vegas destroyed high-stakes gambling

The old Las Vegas evokes nostalgia. The Mob, Begsy Seigal, the High Rollers and the Bat Pack (Frankie, Deno, Sammy Davis, Peter Lasford).

The love affairs, opening nights, the legendry casinos along the strip — The Golden Slipper, the Sands, the MGM Grand and subsequently, the Bellagio.

Alas, no more. Political correctness and legal dictates have done away with the old Las Vegas.

The new Las Vegas is sanitized. Clean like a synthetic fast food outlet. The old casinos had a flavour about them. The opening passage of the famous novel ‘Casino Royale’ reads: “The scent and smell of a Casino are nauseating at 2 in the morning”.

Now the air conditioning and air management takes care of that. When Las Vegas was losing patronage in the 1980s, the Bosses tried to convert it into a family destination. It did not work. Then came the SIN CITY concept.

Further reinforced by the tag line, “What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas”. Worked well for a few years. Then social media played havoc. What was happening in Vegas was being projected around the world leading to black mail, divorces, law suits, etc. A check-list of the current limitations in Las Vegas:

1. Age limit is still 21 years. Proof is required before gambling.

2. Dress code: Except for your private room, a dress code applies in all gaming rooms and restaurants. Smart Casual. One cannot dress like a hippy, or rock star.

3. Once you are engaged at the table, only English (language) is allowed. No Arabic, French, Chinese, etc. This apparently is a safety feature to ensure that no cheating takes place. No hand or body signals are allowed.

4. If a punter wins over USD 10,000, a declaration has to be made. In the good old days no declarations were required. The Casinos were a major source of money laundering. No more.

5. No food or drink is allowed from outside. The punters have to consume from the in-house restaurants, shops, etc.

6. No private parties are allowed in the rooms.

7. Privacy in the rooms is strictly monitored. ‘Do Not Disturb’ signs have been replaced by ‘Privacy please’ signs. The hotel management can inspect rooms at a short notice.

8. Windows: do not open. Gone are the days when one could open the window late at night and breathe in the desert air. Opening windows drives up the air conditioning costs. Many a punter has committed suicide by jumping out the window, after losing his entire savings.

9. Beware of the call girl scams. The call girls operate in groups. They coordinate a variety of scams. You are the target.

10. The Mob has now gone legit. Too many scandals & excitement are bad for business.

President Trump’s first order of business should have been to make Las Vegas swinging again. Macau overtook Las Vegas as a gambling destination in 2015. A grand casino is due to open soon in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. This will set the template for further expansion in the GCC countries. The Red Indian reservations in mainland USA are allowed to operate casinos. Perhaps President Trump is eyeing the Gaza Strip for the very same purpose.

However, the great era of casino gambling is behind us. King Farouk of Egypt was one of the last big players. His gaming antics at Monte Carlo are the stuff of legends. King. Farouk spent his final years in exile in Rome. He loved it! No distractions just wine, women and oysters.

As this article draws to a close, homage must be paid to the larger than life Kerry Packer. The last great gambler-both at the tables and in cricket. “When the one big SCORER comes to Score against your name, He’ll not ask whether you won or lost, but how you played the game.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025