History of Gambling in the United States
Examining the history of gambling in
North America suggests important conclusions that are
useful today in considering policies related to
gambling.
- The United States has had a long
history of allowing some forms of legal gambling and
a degree of tolerance of illegal gambling.
- Societal tolerance and acceptance
of legal gambling can change rapidly. Scandals and
political control by gaming interests have led to
backlashes which result in regulation and/or
prohibition.
Societal standards and laws related to
gambling have tended to change back and forth from
prohibition to regulation. These changes in law have led
one noted observer, Professor I. Nelson Rose, to
describe three waves of gambling regulation during the
history of the colonies and the United States. The first
wave began during the colonial period and lasted until
the mid-1800s. The second wave commenced at the close of
the Civil War and lasted until the early 20th century.
The last wave started during the Great Depression and is
still going strong. Because of the length and size of
this last wave, another observer has characterized it as
an explosion, not a wave.
