By Walter Allen
Although Las Vegas has long enjoyed a reputation as being the world’s premier casino destination, in the 21st century it has faced unprecedented 
competition. Not only are alternative gambling hotspots such as Macau in their ascendancy, but increasingly the rise of online casino sites has threatened to lure many away from the self-proclaimed party capital of the world.
There are currently 75 casinos in the main Las Vegas area with 43 of these concentrated on the Strip that provides the main attraction to the 40 million tourists who visit Las Vegas each year. However, beyond these main casinos there are many other gambling locations dotted around the city that can range from hi-tech poker machines in bars to even slot machines in gas stations.
The sheer diversity of gaming options for visitors to Las Vegas has helped the city earn billions of dollars each year through gambling revenues. But as gamers are starting to find exotic gaming alternatives in the Far East and through the new online technologies, it seems Vegas is having to seek some different ways to make up the gambling shortfall.
Online casinos in particular that have hit Las Vegas hardest. Sites such as LadyLucks are able to offer the casual gambler a much more convenient way to play a huge variety of roulette, blackjack and slots games.
And although these online casino websites may not offer the full holiday package experience that Las Vegas provides, they will undeniably affect gambling much in the same way that digital technologies have hit the entertainment forms of music, movies and publishing.
In order to combat the growing revenues earned by the online casinos, many casino hotels in Las Vegas are having to turn to nightclubs and entertainment in order to attract younger audiences who aren’t so familiar with the table 
games. This has mirrored the rise of Las Vegas as more of a holiday destination for families who come to enjoy the bright lights and glamour long associated with the iconic city.
It’s the core traditional values of America that appear to be foregrounded in many recent efforts to rebrand Las Vegas as a family-friendly entertainment option. And many iconic Vegas casino companies have also tried to diversify their brands through ventures in the booming gambling hot spots such as Macau which is now the fastest growing city in the world.
Although there have been a few shaky moments for American casino investors in Macau recently, the sheer momentum behind this dynamic industry will ultimately prove that it’s too hard to judge which turn Las Vegas’ casinos will take next.
