A history of gambling from its origins to the present day, with a highlight on the development of casino gaming. After discussing the origins of casinos in Venice and European spas, the book shifts to the United States, where illegal gambling halls and legal frontier gambling came together in Nevada casinos.
From there, the book charts the rise of the casino business in Las Vegas, its transplanting to Atlantic City, and its spread across the United States. New material chronicles the rise of casinos in Asia and online gaming.
Praise for the new edition:
"This is a serious history that's as fun to read as a fiction thriller, written by a guy who really understands gambling. A winning trifecta."
--Aaron Brown, author of Red-Blooded Risk and The Poker Face of Wall Street
“This updated edition of Roll the Bones is even more indispensable than the original...a comprehensive and compelling look at the history of risk-taking, refocused on casinos”
– James... More > McManus, author of Positively Fifth Street< Less
About David G. Schwartz
David G. Schwartz, the Director of the Center for Gaming Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, is a writer, speaker, and consultant whose areas of specialty include the history of gambling, gaming statistics, casino surveillance, and related issues. An Atlantic City native with a Ph.D. in U.S. History from UCLA and hands-on experience in the gaming industry, Schwartz has been at UNLV since 2001.
Schwartz has written and edited several books, including Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond (Routledge, 2003) and Cutting the Wire: Gambling Prohibition and the Internet (University of Nevada, 2005).
He also writes the "Green Felt Journal" column and regular features for Vegas Seven magazine, where he is gaming and hospitality editor, and often shares his comments on current issues in gambling in the local and national media.
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