Part V: Regional & Cultural · Casino Slang & Historical Terms

Nevada Legalization 1931

Historical — LegalREPORTED

On March 19, 1931, Nevada Governor Fred Balzar signed Assembly Bill 98, legalizing casino gambling statewide in Nevada. This made Nevada the only state with legal casino gaming and established the foundation for the modern casino industry. The legislation was driven by the economic devastation of the Great Depression, with Nevada seeking new revenue sources. Legalization initially attracted small-scale operations in Reno (the “Biggest Little City in the World”) before the development of Las Vegas decades later.

In practice

Licensing under the 1931 law was left to counties and cities: Clark County licensed its first casinos within two weeks. The state created the Gaming Control Board in 1955 and the Nevada Gaming Commission in 1959.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary, 1,090 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.