Harrahs
In 1931, the state of Nevada passed a law legalizing casino gambling. In 1935, Harold's Club opened in Reno, Nevada. In 1937, Bill Harrah opened his first club in Reno. This club was the first to attract large numbers of out-of-state patrons. Harold and Harrah’s casinos were viewed as the first successes in the history of the American gaming industry. They encouraged the development of similar private and public casinos in Nevada, making Reno, Nevada the center of the casino industry at that time. As of 2003, the industry had come a long way since its inception. A significant new expansion phase was started in the late 1980s, when Iowa and South Dakota legalized casino gambling. Nevada and New Jersey were the only two states that allowed such operations until that time. Many other states soon followed suit. In 2000, there were 11 states with commercial casinos, 23 with tribal casinos and five with racetrack casinos. The casino industry employed over 370,000 people and paid over $4...