Vegas Was Better When the Mob Ran It

How we went from suits with silencers to suits with spreadsheets, and maybe lost the soul of Sin City in the process.

Let’s be honest with ourselves for a second.

Las Vegas wasn’t built on family values, corporate synergy, or “brand safety.” It was built by criminals in silk suits who knew how to make you feel like a king right before they stole your wallet and possibly your kneecaps. And weirdly? That version of Vegas worked better than whatever sterile algorithmic hell we’ve landed in today.

Because for all their crimes, and there were plenty, the mob actually gave a damn about your experience. They comped your drinks, remembered your name, and didn’t need a QR code or a mobile app to make you feel like a high roller.

So what the hell happened?

Let’s go back. Way back. To when Vegas was shady, glamorous, dangerous, and alive.

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Let Me Paint You a Picture…

It’s 1962.

You just stepped into the Sands Hotel. There’s a fresh pour of Jack Daniel’s in your hand, Frank Sinatra’s holding court under a haze of cigarette smoke, and the pit boss, who looks like Scorsese cast him personally, just slid you a rack of chips on the house. Not because you’re important. Not because you’re rich. Just because you walked in like someone who loses money with style.