Crossing Cultures: Exploring the Intersection of Music and Gambling

New Wave
Jul 14, 2025
3 min read

Updated: Nov 8, 2025

There is a clear and precise link between music and gambling that can be traced back throughout the centuries. In 1638 The Ridotto in Venice, the first known casino, employed musicians to play to further entertain their guests.

In the halcyon days of Las Vegas incredible performers such as Elvis Presley and Frank Sinatra played to packed out audiences in Sin City casinos. The link between music and gambling is not however, a thing of the past. It is still very much alive today, both in the land-based and digital spheres.

Whether you’re visiting Vegas or simply looking for ways to bring that same energy home, you can take inspiration from these cultural crossovers for your next staycation ideas — think mini Vegas-style nights in, music-themed parties, or casino-inspired home gatherings.

In this article we take a closer look at some of the contemporary links between music and gambling. Read on to find out everything you need to know about the modern partnership between these two entertainment sectors.

Online Slot Partnerships

What better place to start than with the most modern of examples? Online slots. Industry figures show that more people are playing online slots for real money than ever before. The themes on offer are wide and varied, with sports, movies and music all popular motifs.

There are of course classic musical act integrations in online slots for older fans and younger ones who appreciate classic rock and pop. Michael Jackson, Guns N’ Roses and Jimi Hendrix inspired slots remain incredibly popular amongst that demographic.

There are plenty of more modern musical representations though, with the most popular of recent years perhaps being the Deadmau5 slot by Microgaming released toward the end of 2020.

Old School Concerts and Festivals

Thanks to the digital revolution and the impact it has had on casino gambling, we can confidently refer to classic land-based casinos like The Bellagio and Caesars Palace as ‘Old School Venues’. These Old School Venues, or OSCs, if you will, were once the home to the musical stars of the Rat Pack.

Whilst there are still appearances from classic performers such as Mariah Carey, Kylie Minogue and Rod Stewart, Vegas has played host to much more contemporary acts such as Lady Gaga, Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift in recent years.

Electric Daisy Carnival (EDC) is also held annually in Sin City and features a collection of the world’s most popular electronic dance DJs performing in a star-studded event over two days. Whilst not being held within a casino, there are many splinter events at the city’s most famous gambling establishments.

There is also Tiger Jam, an annual event held by Tiger Woods that incorporates golf, a charity poker game and live music; all of which (barring the golf) are held in a rotating cast of Las Vegas casinos.

Gambling Inspired Songs

There is a long and storied history of gambling-inspired songs. The Gambler by Kenny Rogers and Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley are perhaps the two most obvious, but House of the Rising Sun by The Animals and Ace of Spades by Motorhead deserve notable mentions.

Whilst there haven’t been as many blockbuster songs about gambling in recent years, there are still some that you can watch on YouTube that don’t appear to have been filmed on a toaster. Gambling Man by The Overtones which came out in 2010 was a great song, as was Poker Face by Lady Gaga which reached #1 in Canada and on the Us Billboard Hot 100.

Luke Combs 2017 hit When it Rains it Pours is another gambling song worthy of a mention.

In Summary

This article could just have well been written about the world of television, films or literature. Why? Because gambling is culturally important and whilst it may not be everyone’s favourite pastime, it is something that the majority of us are familiar with.

Art, which music is, is supposed to take the familiar and the universal and express it in a way that resonates with people. Gambling is familiar and universal, and as such, it is the perfect topic for musicians to cover in their song writing.

It is also a vice that many famous rockstars and singers have fallen for as well, so their tales of gambling come with the added resonance of personal experience.

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