CHAPTER SUMMARY. For most of the twentieth century, casino gambling was criminalized in all states except Nevada. This situation was dramatically reversed, primarily in the last decade of the century. What lessons does this teach? Have we forgotten what our forebears once knew or is the nature of modern gambling different? Here, we identify a puzzle: Why does one generation judge gambling harshly and another embrace it? Those making decisions about gambling must understand its special features and decide whether or not it is appropriate for government to intervene. In any event, the present generation is embarked on a nearly perfect social experiment in most locations of the nation: comparing the complete absence of casinos on one extreme to their prominent presence on the other.

U.S. legal tradition is rooted in the value of personal freedom. A citizen has the right to do as he or she wishes, even to engage in activities that others might think dangerous or harmful to himself or herself, such as suntanning, smoking, or skydiving. Citizens' liberty to do as they wish is restricted only when their choices infringe on the freedom and rights of others.