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

7.5 Rat Pack / Rat Pack Era

Historical — Entertainment/Culture

The Rat Pack was an informal group of entertainers centered around Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Jr., Peter Lawford, and Joey Bishop who performed together in Las Vegas during the 1950s and 1960s, primarily at the Sands Hotel and Casino. The Rat Pack era refers to the period when these performers defined Las Vegas entertainment, attracting massive audiences and establishing the city’s reputation as an adult playground. The group’s performances at the Sands Copa Room became legendary, with their loose, improvisational style and celebrity-studded audiences creating an aura of glamour and exclusivity.

In practice

The Rat Pack era established the template for Las Vegas headliner entertainment that persists today. Their performances at the Sands were immortalized in the 1960 film “Ocean’s 11,” which they filmed on location in Las Vegas.

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.