Tim Stafford

While legalized gambling takes several forms in the United States including lotteries, video poker, and horse racing, casino gambling has arguably made the greatest impression on the popular culture and is typically what comes to mind when many people think about gambling. The image of a player rolling the dice at a craps table, spinning the roulette wheel, pulling the lever on a slot machine, or "doubling down" at blackjack has been repeated in countless Hollywood movies and television programs. Since 1988, casino gambling has spread from Nevada and New Jersey to a total of twenty—nine states, due in large measure to revenue—hungry state governments and the proliferation of Indian casinos. With more than eight hundred casinos now operating in the United States, the majority of Americans have tried their luck at casino games.

In the following...