Total ban after the revolution (Cuba)

The 1959 revolution was a point of irreversible rupture with the pre-war model "Havana - Las Vegas Caribbean." The new government liquidated the casino, stopped licensing gambling activities and built a criminal law barrier against any commercial forms of gambling - offline and online. The ban shaped a new cultural and economic order, where the "night economy" gave way to ideologically verified leisure formats.

1) Why a complete ban was introduced

Anti-corruption agenda: casinos were associated with kickbacks, criminal networks and "gray" cash desks.

Anti-imperialist reversal: the gambling boom was considered dependent on external (primarily American) demand and a symbol of political dependence.

Social justice: the conspicuous luxury of gambling halls contrasted with provincial poverty; it was decided to direct resources to education, health care and infrastructure.

Moral rhetoric: "pockets of vice" against the "new discipline of work and family."

2) Dismantling mechanics (1959-early 1960s)

Mass closure of gambling halls at hotels and clubs; revocation of permits.

Nationalization of key hotels and entertainment centers; withdrawal of equipment (tables, automatic machines, cash infrastructure).

Repurposing scenes: cabarets and concert venues have been preserved selectively - but without playing or betting.

Administrative and criminal control: suppression of attempts to resume "home casinos" and underground lotteries.

3) The legal circuit in the "prohibition era"

Lack of licensing: there is no regulator and procedures for legalizing casinos, bookmaking, lotteries.

Criminal legal framework: Organizing and participating in illegal games is punishable; confiscation of funds and equipment.

Online segment: no special law passed; the lack of a legal framework is interpreted as a ban on commercial online gambling for the domestic market.

4) Fighting the underground

Raids and investigations: point sweeps of "home" sites, suppression of networks of bet collectors.

Prevention: ideological campaigns against gambling, increased control of nightlife.

Social effects: the shadow remained foci (for example, "pain"), but did not become a mass industry due to tough sanctions and low profitability.

5) Economic implications

The fall of foreign exchange tourism: the "night package" disappeared (dinner - show - casino); reduced inflow revenue in dollars.

Employment: Thousands of entertainment workers reoriented, emigrated or went to related sectors.

Redistribution of resources: the state consolidated spending in priority social spheres; gambling income as a fiscal category disappeared.

6) Cultural shift

A new canon of leisure: concerts, national music and choreography, sports events - without a cash bet.

Reinterpretation of the past: pre-war Havana entrenched as a "spoiled showcase"; at the same time, nostalgic mythology arose in the diaspora and foreign culture.

Architectural heritage: modernist hotels and scenes remained as monuments of the era, but devoid of gambling function.

7) Before and after comparison

8) The long-term legacy of the ban

Institutional resilience: The multi-decade consistency of no-go policies.

Market without a "game window": the impossibility of white legalization for operators and the lack of player protection in the event of an offshore appeal.

Historical aura: The "golden era" remained in memory and tourist narratives as part of cultural capital, but not as a business model.

9) Ethics and public policy issues

Risk balance: reduced visibility of ludomania in the legal vs. potential shadow growth without protection mechanisms.

Social priorities: choosing education, health care and the "right" culture, even at the cost of losing a highly profitable segment.

Communication with society: the ban was supported by moral reasoning and images of "cleansing" from corruption.

10) The bottom line

A complete ban after the revolution was not a temporary measure - it became the core of a new model of state and society. Cuba abandoned the "night economy," closed the casino and excluded online gambling from the legal field. Price - loss of premium tourism segment and part of urban identity; benefit - ideological integrity and priority to social tasks. This choice shaped the country's trajectory for decades and remains a key factor in understanding Cuban leisure and tourism policies.