Gangsters to Governors: The New Bosses of Gambling in America

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About Gangsters To Governors: The New Bosses Of Gambling

Product Description Winner of the 2018 Current Events/Social Change Book Award from the Next Generation Indie Book Awards Winner of the 2018 Bronze Current Events Book Award from the Independent Publisher Book Awards Generations ago, gambling in America was an illicit activity, dominated by gangsters like Benny Binion and Bugsy Siegel. Today, forty-eight out of fifty states permit some form of legal gambling, and America’s governors sit at the head of the gaming table. But have states become addicted to the revenue gambling can bring? And does the potential of increased revenue lead them to place risky bets on new casinos, lotteries, and online games? In Gangsters to Governors, journalist David Clary investigates the pros and cons of the shift toward state-run gambling. Unearthing the sordid history of America’s gaming underground, he demonstrates the problems with prohibiting gambling while revealing how today’s governors, all competing for a piece of the action, promise their citizens payouts that are rarely delivered.  Clary introduces us to a rogue’s gallery of colorful characters, from John “Old Smoke” Morrissey, the Irish-born gangster who built Saratoga into a gambling haven in the nineteenth century, to Sheldon Adelson, the billionaire casino magnate who has furiously lobbied against online betting. By exploring the controversial histories of legal and illegal gambling in America, he offers a fresh perspective on current controversies, including bans on sports and online betting. Entertaining and thought-provoking, Gangsters to Governors considers the past, present, and future of our gambling nation.   Review “David Clary delivers an encompassing look at the fascinating, ongoing evolution of American gambling. He touches on all the right topics – the mob, Las Vegas, Atlantic City, fantasy sports – to tell the story of where we’ve been, how we got here, and where we’re headed.” -- David Purdum ― ESPN Chalk "This timely inquiry raises important questions about the relationship of Americans to gambling and is essential reading for those interested in the politics and policy behind gambling." -- David G. Schwartz ― director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas "An inherently fascinating and impressively informative study, Gangsters to Governors... is unreservedly recommended for both community and academic library American History collections" -- Carl Logan ― Midwest Book Review " Gangsters to Governors: The New Bosses of Gambling in America... goes back to the earliest days of gambling in America, betting on horse racing in the early 19th century. It covers state-run lotteries, legal gambling in Nevada, and mob control over Las Vegas in the 20th century... Among the most compelling issues Clary raises is how states and their governors have become leading advocates of gambling because they’re ever more dependent on the revenue it provides." -- Michael Shapiro, author of “A Sense of Place" ― San Francisco Chronicle "It's a fascinating topic" - -- Maureen Cavanaugh ― KPBS "A well-written, tidbit-laden reference book about gambling in the U.S. from its beginnings to 2017." ― Las Vegas Review-Journal "Journalist David Clary’s book,  Gangsters to Governors, is a fascinating read, chronicling gaming from the time of the mobsters forward to the relationships of politicians and state legalized gambling." -- Howard Hian ― travel/gaming writer for PokerResorts.net and managing editor of Travel Savvy News "Deeply researched, easily readable and highly engaging,  Gangsters to Governors is an excellent read for fans of gambling and of American business and political history." ― Casino City Times ― San Diego Union-Tribune ― San Francisco Chronicle About the Author DAVID CLARY is a news editor at the San Diego Union-Tribune and has been a journalist for more than twenty years. He previously worked at the Plain Dealer in Cleveland and is a graduat