America's new acceptable vice, Casinos vs Stripclubs

johndough20020
Maryland
Years ago casinos were considered unacceptable vices. No one wanted a casino in their back yard. If you wanted to gamble you had to travel to Atlantic City or Las Vegas. They argued that easy access to casinos would be detrimental to society for the following reasons.

Attract organized crime
Create gambling addictions
Prevent people from paying their bills
Create debt and poverty

Now society's attitude towards casinos has shifted. Casinos are all over now. Atlantic City has been put out of business. I am not sure how long Las Vegas can maintain. PG County which has been at war with strip clubs over the last decade has just opened a 1.2 billion dollar casino. Now strip clubs are considered to be detrimental to society for the following reasons.

Lowers property values
Nuisance on law enforcement resources
Dangerous
Lead to prostitution
Which spreads STDs

7 comments

Latest

san_jose_guy
7 years ago
You raise an interesting issue. There are lots more casinos. And even more disturbing are these state lotteries. Not everyone goes along with allowing casinos or these lotteries, and even the casinos on Indian reservations.

Many places have local ordinances, always ones likely to be deemed unconstitutional, to try and eradicate or severely restrict strip clubs.

I oppose casinos, but I support strip clubs. I do not see the two things as similar. But I still think that your starting this thread will prove constructive.

Some of it is just a timing issue. There have long been laws against gambling. But the local ordinances targeting strip clubs are new, and almost certainly unconstitutional.

Another example, the US has stronger alcohol regulations than most countries. But it is unlikely that such laws will ever be declared unconstitutional.

Throughout the 60's and 70's, courts were striking down laws against strip clubs.

These new local ordinances are really no better than the ones which were struck down.

Now about the state criminal statues against prostitution, some say these are unconstitutional. But I think the real issue is just that these laws are never enforceable without trashing the constitution.

SJG

Steely Dan live in Charlotte, NC 2006
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHgXuB0Q…
shailynn
7 years ago
Let me tell you, from a guy that goes to Vegas at least 4 times a year from the east coast, Vegas is doing just fine. Right now they casinos make a big chunk on night clubs and shows. Plus it's still the only place you can legally make a sports wager.

You do raise an interesting point.

10 years ago the closest casino to me was a 6 hour drive. Now I have 2 casinos in under 1 hour drive, 6 casinos within 90 minutes, 9 casinos in 2.5 hours and 14 casinos within 3 hours.

10 years ago there were 16 strip clubs within a 45 minute drive and today there are 7.
Papi_Chulo
7 years ago
Yeah - these days casinos are seen as acceptable entertainment while strip-clubs are often seen as dens of inequity
a21985
7 years ago
Yeah, Vegas doesn't have much to worry about. One thing Vegas does extremely well is evolve to fit the market. They've somehow turned sin city into a place that works for just as well for vice seekers as it does for sober non-gamblers as it does for families. Its a food /entertainment /shopping / gambling / sex / business / relaxation destination, whatever you want to make it. This is unlike AC which refused to adapt, and smaller market / reservation casinos which are terribly depressing and mainly for locals looking for their lucky breaky rather than to take a break. And that is why I go to Vegas, it transforms into a place that caters to what I'm in the mood for, not the other way around.

Anyways, that's beside the point of this post. I frequent and enjoy both strip clubs and casinos, but I'd prefer both to not be in my city.
rane1234
7 years ago
Lol slots section is depressing to observe...some real down on their luck folks as a21985 said especially in mid to small markets. But yeah damn puritans always going after clubs, shameful. Sidenote- the air dance make it rain, female friendly "gentlemans" clubs i despise i can see being helpful to making them more appealing to all. That would be the end for me though...in usa anyway.
SuperDude
7 years ago
Ten years ago the New York Times business section carried an article predicting that in 10 years every household in the U.S. would be within a 250 mile drive of a gambling casino. Looks like we're getting close to that. My uninformed guess is that it's just a matter of time before the casino industry absorbs the strip club industry as part of 24 hour adult entertainment.
joc13
7 years ago
I'd much rather spend $400 in a strip club "gambling" that I'll get the ultimate prize (whatever your vision of that is), than to spend $400 in a casino "gambling" that I'll win more money.

If I don't win in the casino, the effort - the "journey" - wasn't all that entertaining. But if I don't "win" in the strip club, I still spent several hours watching naked women dance, talking to them, sitting with my arms around them, getting dances, and hugs and kisses after dances. If I'm in the right club, I'm getting mileage on the floor. So, still very pleasant even if I don't get the big prize.
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