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

7.3 Nevada Legalization 1931

Historical — Legal

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

The 1931 legalization was remarkably permissive by modern standards — there were no gaming commissions, no licensing requirements, and no regulation of casino operations. The modern regulatory framework developed gradually over the following decades.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 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.