Some of these policies were modified several times, reflecting fluctuations in the number and composition of employees, the number of games available, and the shift from private clubs to gambling agencies in the city. Some of these modifications reflect the evolution of the policy. In a few cases, we have indicated the version of the policy that prevailed prior to changes.
Each of the policies included a complete description of the games and their rules, and instructions for how the games should be played. The rules were based on the statutory rules of baccarat, roulette, and dice, with additional rules for craps. For example, the policy for craps includes such rules as, “For bettor to win is to throw on the outside of the cylinder.”
Instructions to the slot online gambling agents were for the most part practical and non-technical, and they included such phrases as “Players are liable if they lose” and “No person can use foul or abusive language toward a dealer or employee of the house.” The record of each policy includes instructions for the holding of the games, the rates of pay, the terms of employment, the rules governing the game, the types of players and games available, and other regulations.
The largest number of policies 33 issued in the first ten years of the gambling enterprise. Some of the policies were issued by the city for the operation of gambling houses at private clubs, and others were issued by private clubs and other businesses (including banks and insurance companies) to authorize gambling on their premises. The city, however, handled the largest share of the activities, and had the most comprehensive record of the operations.
In order to assess the operation of the various gambling houses, we collected statistics on the number of people employed, the kinds of games played, the volume of wagers, the types of players, the types of games, and other statistics.
In addition, we interviewed the owners and operators of the gambling establishments, as well as casino employees. We found that the gambling establishments in the state of Nevada employed over 25,000 people and that the volume of wagers was over $3 billion. We also found that the majority of the players were from California and that the majority of the games played were slot machines.
Most of these data have never been collected or compiled in the United States. New York City did not have an annual police report of gamblers and games until 1936. The national census of 1931 did not collect data on the numbers of people who were employed in games of chance. Other reports were not published until 1935, and then only covered short periods of time, so the totals in the statistics reflect only a part of the total number of people who were employed in gambling.
