Gangsters to governors
Subtitle: the new bosses of gambling in America
By: David Clary
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 331
ISBN-13: 9780813584546
Subjects: Politics and government; Gambling; State governments; Government policy; History
Description: "Generations ago, gambling in America was an illicit activity, dominated by gangsters like Benny Binion and Bugsy Siegel. Today, forty-eight out of fifty states permit some form of legal gambling, and America's governors sit at the head of the gaming table. But have states become addicted to the revenue gambling can bring? And does the potential of increased revenue lead them to place risky bets on new casinos, lotteries, and online games? In Gangsters to Governors, journalist David Clary investigates the pros and cons of the shift toward state-run gambling. Unearthing the sordid history of America's gaming underground, he demonstrates the problems with prohibiting gambling while revealing how today's governors, all competing for a piece of the action, promise their citizens payouts that are rarely delivered. Clary introduces us to a rogue's gallery of colorful characters, from John "Old Smoke" Morrissey, the Irish-born gangster who built Saratoga into a gambling haven in the nineteenth century, to Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate who has furiously lobbied against online betting. By exploring the controversial histories of legal and illegal gambling in America, he offers a fresh perspective on current controversies, including bans on sports and online betting. Entertaining and thought-provoking, Gangsters to Governors considers the past, present, and future of our gambling nation"--
Notes: Includes bibliographical references and index.
Table of contents: title: pt. I; title: Dens of Thieves: Government Muscles Out the Mob -- -- 1.; title: The Sport of Kings: Horse Racing and the Dark Power of the Wire -- -- 2.; title: Golden Ticket: State-Run Lotteries Topple Illegal Numbers Rackets -- -- 3.; title: State of Play: Nevada Breaks New Ground with Legalized Gambling -- -- 4.; title: Mob Scene: Crime Syndicates Overwhelm Authorities in Nevada -- -- 5.; title: Enemy Within: Government Fights Back Against Mob Influence -- -- 6.; title: Vegas, Inc.: Corporate America Takes Command in Sin City -- -- pt. II; title: All In: The New Masters of Gambling -- -- 7.; title: Siren Song: The Spectacular Rise and Fall of Atlantic City -- -- 8.; title: Betting on a Boom: States Promote Casinos as Engines of Revival -- -- 9.; title: Rise of the Tribes: Tribes and States Forge Uneasy Gambling Partnerships -- -- 10.; title: A Tangled Web: America's Deeply Conflicted Approach to Online Gambling -- -- 11.; title: Games without Frontiers: Scandals, Bookies, Fantasy Sports, and an Uncertain Future -- Epilogue: Double or Nothing--States Neglect the Human cost of Problem Gambling.