After years of overcrowding and disorder, including two deadly shootings, Miami has ‘divorced’ itself from traditional college vacations with new restrictions

When Jason Killinger was arrested based on a Reno casino’s facial recognition software in 2023, it was far from unusual. His arrest — now subject of a lawsuit against a Reno police officer — was one of hundreds based on facial recognition in recent years at Northern Nevada casinos, and it highlights a growing tension in the casino industry.

Some players say those perks are getting harder to come by, even as casinos appear to be leaning more on amenities beyond the casino floor. Las Vegas casinos saw an 11% drop in gaming wins from January 2025 to January 2026.

One of this work’s main contributions is the analysis of the relationship between a difficult past and a tourism-oriented future, heard in the voices of those who are often ignored but directly affected by planning strategies and policies.