In 2002, 51 million people — about one quarter of the over-21 population of the United States — visited casinos. These casinos ranged from the glittering Las Vegas strip to illegal pai gow parlors in New York City’s Chinatown.
But the casinos’ business model has changed since then. Today, they’re often combined with hotels and resorts, restaurants, shopping malls, and even theme parks. They’re built to lure in tourists and keep regular gamblers coming back, with floor shows, free drinks and all-you-can-eat buffets. They’re also getting swankier, with private rooms and celebrity-studded events.
Many of these casinos have become symbols of luxury and excess, as exemplified by the Hotel Lisboa in Macao. This stunning edifice looks like a giant birdcage and is lit up with more than a million LED lights. The casino inside lives up to the hotel’s glamorous exterior, offering a full array of gaming tables and slots, as well as a salon privé for high-rollers.
At the WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma, visitors can play on over 1,000 slot machines and try their hand at blackjack or poker. They can also eat at several of the resort’s restaurants, including Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar & Grill, Union Mesa, and Gran Via Buffet. And they can shop at the resort’s boutiques, where they can find everything from Brighton jewelry to purses and perfume to Bedre chocolates. There are even two stores where they can get their gambling fix without leaving the hotel.