Armenia Casinos

In common with most of the states that came out of the ex-Soviet Union and that are now in the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), Armenia and Armenians took readily to casinos and gambling in general.

Again, in common with their fellow states in the CIS, there had been a thriving underground, or illegal, gambling scene before the breakup. This was all a part of the almost insanely large black market or illegal economy that existed. As this economy exclusively (and necessarily) worked in cash, you can imagine that there were a lot of people around with large sums burning a hole in their pockets.

With the fall of the Soviet Union, many of these businesses became legal, as did many of the casinos, bars, and nightclubs where the money had previously been spent. Armenia’s casinos may not be in the same locations that they were, but they are run by very much the same people as before and fulfill the same social function. They are places for the rich to show how rich they are, by eating and drinking extravagantly and gambling prodigiously. It can almost seem that the more expensive a drink, (and the more expensive it is known to be) and the more money is...