Gambling is one of America’s favorite past times and traditions. Pre-Colonial Native American Indians were avid gamblers. Their gambling consisted of betting weapons, supplies and clothing on games and sporting events. A popular game amongst Native Americans is called “Hubbub”, a game similar to craps. To play, you place a wager, roll 5 marked peach pits (or even bones), and the winner was decided by the combination of the outcome.
Beginning in the 1600s, the first wave of American gambling began. Colonists sailed from England to “The New World”. Gambling was then deemed illegal in the New England Colonies. Then, in the 1700s, the Southern Colonies had Gentleman’s Gambling.
All 13 original colonies established lotteries to raise revenue and playing became a civic responsibility in the 1770s. However, in the 1800s, gambling was viewed as immoral and in the south bred degenerate thieves known as “Sharps”. Then, the second wave of American Gambling took place in and the Wild West, with the California gold rush setting off a gambling spree in 1849. Then. in 1856. lynching of professional gamblers began occurring in San Francisco in a fight to gain respectability and decrease lawlessness.
With the ups and downs of gambling in America, there are 26 states where casino gambling is legal. Nevada being one of the main states promoting gambling with the famous city of Las Vegas. Hence the slogan, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.”
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