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List of Sin Cities

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Short description: Nickname that applies to many cities with vice scenes
For other uses, see Sin City (disambiguation).
Las Vegas Strip

Sin City is a nickname that may be applied to an urban area (a city or part of) that caters to various vices. These vices may be legal (depending on area) or illegal activities which are tolerated.

Examples of such vices include sex-related services (prostitution, strip clubs, sex shops, etc.), gambling (casinos, betting shops, etc.), or drug use (alcohol, marijuana, etc. consumption), and even excessive organized crime and gang activity. If the city is known for prostitution, it is often called a red-light district, as in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Sin Cities in the world

Cities or areas that have this reputation include:

Africa

  • Morocco

Asia

  • Bahrain
  • China
    • Dongguan (prostitution)[3][4]
    • Macau (gambling, organized crime, clubbing, prostitution, drinking)[5][6][7]
  • India
    • Mumbai (drinking, drugs, gambling, prostitution, organized crime)[8][9]
  • Israel
  • Lebanon
    • Beirut (prostitution, strip clubs, cabarets, drugs, drinking, clubbing).[11][5]
  • Malaysia
    • George Town (nightclubs, strip clubs, drinking, clubbing, parties, massage parlors)[5]
  • Philippines
    • Angeles City (prostitution, gambling, drinking, clubbing)[5][12]
  • Thailand
    • Bangkok (prostitution,[13] strip clubs, sex shows, scams, BDSM, brothels, massage parlors, cabarets, go-go bars, drugs, drinking, clubbing)[5]
    • Pattaya (prostitution, strip clubs, sex shows, BDSM, brothels, massage parlors, cabarets, go-go bars, drugs, drinking, clubbing)[14][5]
  • Turkey

Europe

  • Cyprus
    • Ayia Napa (drugs, drinking, clubbing)[15][16]
  • Czech Republic
    • Prague (prostitution, organized crime, police corruption, clubbing, strip clubs, brothels, marijuana consumption)[17][5]
  • Greece
  • Malta
  • Netherlands
    • Amsterdam (prostitution, brothels, strip clubs, sex shops, sex shows, marijuana consumption)[2][5]
  • Russia
    • Moscow (organized crime, gangs, clubbing, drinking, drugs, police corruption, political corruption, prostitution, strip clubs)[2][5]
  • Spain
  • United Kingdom

North America

  • Canada
    • Montreal became well known as one of North America's "sin cities" with unparalleled nightlife, a reputation it still holds today. In part, its bustling nightlife is attributed to its relatively late "last call" (3 a.m.), a large university population, the drinking age of 18, and the excellent public transportation system combines with other aspects of the Montreal culture to make the city's nightlife unique. The diversity of the clubs in Montreal attests to the popularity of its nightlife, with night clubs, pubs, bars and singing bars ("boîte à chanson"), Latin clubs, African clubs, jazz clubs, lounges, after-hours houses, and strip clubs all attracting different types of customers.
  • Mexico
    • Tijuana (drugs, prostitution, drinking, police corruption, strip clubs)[2]
  • United States
    • Alabama
    • California
      • Los Angeles[22] and its Hollywood district (bank robberies, porn industry, sex-publishing industries, tabloids, prostitution (Sunset & Vine); also includes police corruption, nightclubs, drugs, drinking, strip clubs, gangs.)[5]
      • San Francisco (organized crime, gangs, drugs, and prostitution)[23]
    • Florida
      • Miami (gangs, organized crime, drug trafficking, prostitution, drinking, political and police corruption, scams, strip clubs)[5]
    • Illinois
      • Calumet City (organized crime, illegal alcohol consumption, gambling, prostitution)[24]
      • Chicago (organized crime, political and police corruption)[25]
    • Kentucky
      • Newport is the first city within North America to be coined the title due to its role in prostitution, gambling, gangs, gunplay, racketeering, and many others.[26]
    • Nevada
      • Las Vegas (gambling, bookmaking, easy marriage, easy divorce, organized crime, prostitution [however, prostitution is illegal in Las Vegas and Clark County], strip clubs, cabarets, clubbing, 24-hour liquor sales [as in all of Nevada];[27][5] quote: "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas."). In former days it was known also for organized crime and police and political corruption.
      • Reno[28] (gambling, drinking, strip clubs, clubbing, easy marriage, easy divorce, prostitution [however, prostitution is illegal in Reno and Washoe County] 24-hour liquor sales [as in all of Nevada]).
    • New Jersey
      • Atlantic City (gambling, bookmaking, organized crime, drinking, prostitution, clubbing, and strip clubs)[5] (Known as the World Famous Playground) (In the old days it was known also for organized crime, police corruption, and political corruption).[29]
    • New York
      • New York City formerly known for out of control crime, Times Square's sex shops and prostitution and barely hidden drug trade and citywide gangs, including many Mob families and police and political corruption.
      • Utica was formerly considered a sin city, and was known as the "Sin City of the East" in the 1930s through 1950s due to widespread corruption, organized crime, and political machines.[30]

South America

  • Brazil
    • Rio de Janeiro (male & female prostitution, scams, notorious prison system, police corruption, political corruption, drinking, drugs, favelas, gangs, clubbing)[2][5]
  • Colombia
    • Medellín (police corruption, prostitution, drinking, drugs, gangs, clubbing)[31]
  • Venezuela
    • Caracas (scams, prison system corruption, police corruption, political corruption, prostitution, organized crime, drinking, drugs, slums, gangs, robbery, clubbing, drug trafficking, violence)[5]

Oceania

  • Australia
    • Australian Capital Territory
      • Canberra – Canberra is regarded as the most socially progressive city in Australia; the city has long had a large and legal sex industry and a large nightlife scene; the ACT is also the only part of Australia where recreational cannabis usage is legal[32]
    • New South Wales
      • Sydney[33]
        • Kings Cross – A historically notorious inner-city of Sydney, although this reputation is outdated with the imposition of new lockout laws in February 2014 changing the character of the area dramatically, and arguably eliminating the only "sin city" in Australia.[34] (Prostitution, brothels, gambling (illegal and legal), organized crime, bikie gangs (to an extent), police corruption, drugs, strip clubs, drinking, excessive, drunken and random violence.)[5]
    • Queensland
      • Gold Coast[35]
      • Mount Isa – known for its alcohol[36]
    • Northern Territory
    • Victoria

Former Sin Cities

Asia

  • China
    • Shanghai – 1920s and 1930s[42] (organized crime, opium dens, gambling, police corruption, political corruption, prostitution)

Europe

  • Weimar Republic
    • Berlin – 1920s and early 1930s (prostitution, numerous cabarets, decadence in general)[2]
  • Monto, Dublin – (prostitution, crime)

North America

  • Canada
    • Montreal, Quebec, which earned a reputation for vice through American tourists fleeing the prohibition laws.[43][44]
  • United States
    • Alabama
      • Phenix City, was notorious during the 1940s and 1950s for being a haven for organized crime, prostitution, and gambling. Many of its customers came from the United States Army training center at Fort Benning, Georgia.[45]
    • Florida
      • Miami,[46] during the 1970s and 1980s (organized crime, drug trafficking, gangs, strip clubs, clubbing, drinking, police corruption, prostitution, brothels and political corruption)
    • Illinois
      • Chicago in the 1920s to 1930s (prostitution, bootlegging, cabarets, speakeasies, illegal gambling, bank robberies, police corruption, political corruption, organized crime, and gang activity)
    • Indiana
      • Michigan City was considered Sin City in the 1980-1990s, with the proliferation of massage parlors.[47]
      • Terre Haute was labeled Sin City by the monthly magazine Stag in 1955. (reputation for being "wide open", with gambling and a well-developed "red light district").[48] Now the federal death row is in Terre Haute at the Terre Haute Federal Correctional Complex.
    • Kentucky
      • Covington, Kentucky (brothels, gambling, organized crime)[49]
      • Newport, Kentucky (brothels, gambling, organized crime)[49]
    • Massachusetts
      • Boston, Massachusetts, from the early-1960s to the early-1990s recession years, known for the Scollay Square burlesque district and the Combat Zone adult entertainment district, Suffolk Downs on the Revere city line, notorious housing projects, the largest policy racket in the United States, loan shark offices at Bennington and Brooks streets in the East Boston district, and rowdy Irish pubs aligned along West Broadway and Dorchester streets in the South Boston district.
      • Lynn, Massachusetts, during the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, known for its famous rhyme, "Lynn, Lynn, the city of sin, you never come out the way you go in.
    • Louisiana
      • New Orleans[50] from 1897 through 1917, Storyville district (prostitution, brothels, gambling, and speakeasies)
    • New York
      • New York City in the mid to late 19th century and 20th century (prostitution, brothels, illegal gambling, notorious slums, pickpocketing, police corruption, political corruption, drugs, gangs, organized crime), Times Square from the mid-1960s until circa 1990 (prostitution, pornography, go-go bars, sex shops, sex shows, squeegee men, strip clubs, clubbing, drugs, organized crime)
      • Utica, in the 1930s through the 1950s for the extent of its corruption and control from political machines, presence of organized crime.[51]
    • Texas
      • Galveston in the 1920s to 1957 (prostitution, organized crime, gambling, speakeasies, drinking, police corruption, political corruption)[52]

Oceania

  • Australia
    • Western Australia
      • Kalgoorlie – once home to many brothels and pubs that opened in the morning[53]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Prostitution à Marrakech : " Ici, c'est Vice City "" (in fr). Le Monde: Afrique. 23 May 2016. https://www.lemonde.fr/afrique/article/2016/05/23/prostitution-a-marrakech-ici-c-est-vice-city_4924929_3212.html. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Voyer, Marc. "Top 10: Sin Cities". https://uk.askmen.com/top_10/travel/top-10-sin-cities.html. 
  3. ↑ Ghosh, Palash (May 7, 2013). "Prostitution Thriving In China: The Dark Underbelly of Economic Prosperity". International Business Times (New York City). http://www.ibtimes.com/prostitution-thriving-china-dark-underbelly-economic-prosperity-1239731. 
  4. ↑ Phillips, Tom (May 1, 2013). "Inside Dongguan, China's Sin City". The Daily Telegraph (London). https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10030014/Inside-Dongguan-Chinas-Sin-City.html. 
  5. ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 5.11 5.12 5.13 5.14 5.15 5.16 5.17 5.18 "Sin City – Adult Playgrounds Around the World". http://casinonewscast.com/sin-city/. 
  6. ↑ Coonan, Clifford (July 25, 2009). "China's sin city: Inside the world's biggest gambling den". The Independent (London). https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/chinas-sin-city-inside-the-worlds-biggest-gambling-den-1757211.html. 
  7. ↑ Perera, Cheryl (2007-09-26). "Sin City". Gazette Magazine 62 (2). http://www.rcmp-grc.gc.ca/gazette/vol69no2/sin_e.htm. Retrieved 2007-11-02. "its infamous 'Sin City'". 
  8. ↑ Antara Dev Sen (November 8, 1992). "The Terminator". The Indian Express: p. 17. https://books.google.com/books?id=9H5lAAAAIBAJ. "Bombay, the sin city, accounts for a large chunk of the spread of the virus through sex." 
  9. ↑ Ashish Rajadhyaksha; Paul Willemen (1994). Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema. British Film Institute. p. 378. ISBN 9780851704555. https://books.google.com/books?id=jOtkAAAAMAAJ. "The film [Priya] was critically acclaimed in Kerala for its realism and for confirming the conventional image of Bombay as sin city, where most of the film is shot on location, with numerous dingy night scenes." 
  10. ↑ Lipman, Jennifer (1 November 2010). "'Sin City' Tel Aviv top Lonely Planet pick". https://www.thejc.com/news/israel/sin-city-tel-aviv-top-lonely-planet-pick-1.19115. 
  11. ↑ "Beirut: Arab world's sin city". 23 June 2006. https://www.news24.com/World/News/Beirut-Arab-worlds-sin-city-20060623. 
  12. ↑ "Far East sex tourists exposed". BBC News (BBC). 2003-11-04. https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/3238033.stm. "Nicknamed 'Sin City,' it is the centre of the Philippines sex industry and a magnet for travellers known as 'whorists', who want to have sex with young girls." 
  13. ↑ "Bangkok Thailand - Sin city - at its best". Globosapiens.net. 2002-08-22. http://www.globosapiens.net/travel-information/Bangkok-253.html. 
  14. ↑ Mr Lore. "Sin City Pattaya, the naughty city of siam". On The Road Thailand. http://ontheroadthailand.com/PattayaCity.htm. 
  15. ↑ Helena Smith in Ayia Napa, Cyprus (2002-06-17). "The Guardian". London. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2002/jun/17/uk.cyprus. 
  16. ↑ Hendawi, Hamza (September 17, 2000). "Cyprus' 'Sin City' Ayia Napa has a party image". Chicago Sun-Times. http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-4560016.html. 
  17. ↑ "Prague Dog Eat Blog | Is Prague a sin city?". Prague-spot.com. http://www.prague-spot.com/blog/article/416/is-prague-a-sin-city. 
  18. ↑ "Malta-Tours.de - Paceville - Malta's "Sin City"" (in de-de). https://www.malta-tours.de/index.php/freizeit/nightlife/item/92-paceville. 
  19. ↑ Alexandra Topping (2011-05-30). "Sin city to spin city: Las Vegas set to rival Ibiza as dance mecca | Music". The Guardian (London). https://www.theguardian.com/music/2011/may/30/dance-music-usa. 
  20. ↑ Thorp, Liam (31 May 2018). "Sheil Road sex work crackdown 'has failed' - so what now for troubled area?". https://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/sheil-road-sex-work-crackdown-14725687. 
  21. ↑ Horsley, Sebastian (2004-09-19). "The brothel creeper". The Guardian (London). https://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2004/sep/19/features.magazine37. 
  22. ↑ Reed, C. Moon (4 October 2017). "We don't need your prayers in Sin City. We need gun control". http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-oe-reed-las-vegas-shooting-20171004-story.html. 
  23. ↑ Gillespie, Richard Sterling; revised by Elgy (2010). The unofficial guide to San Francisco (7th. ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. ISBN 978-0470533260. 
  24. ↑ Keating, Ann Durkin (2008). Chicago Neighborhoods and Suburbs: A Historical Guide. Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press. pp. 120–121. ISBN 978-0226428833. 
  25. ↑ "Chicago, the sin city". 5 September 2014. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-chicago-vice-flashback-per-0907-20140907-story.html. 
  26. ↑ Potter, Amber (2014-05-20). "Sin City in the Midwest". http://cincinnatiusa.com/article/sin-city-midwest. 
  27. ↑ "Why is Las Vegas Called Sin City? - Yahoo! Voices". voices.yahoo.com. 2009-06-24. http://voices.yahoo.com/why-las-vegas-called-sin-city-3566559.html. 
  28. ↑ "Reno: Sin City Revisited". Robertwernick.com. http://www.robertwernick.com/articles/reno.shtml. 
  29. ↑ Parry, Wayne (13 June 2011). "Atlantic City turning into Sin City East". http://www.montereyherald.com/article/ZZ/20110613/NEWS/110618390. 
  30. ↑ "Lakeland Ledger - Google News Archive Search". https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1346&dat=19831027&id=XbROAAAAIBAJ&sjid=nvsDAAAAIBAJ&pg=4408,4226095. 
  31. ↑ "Sexo y drogas: un paquete turístico en Medellín". http://especiales.semana.com/especiales/medellin-narcoturismo/. 
  32. ↑ "Sin City - Australian Capital Territory - TNT Magazine". 29 October 2007. https://www.tntmagazine.com/leisure-entertainment/relationships-sex/sin-city-australian-capital-territory/. 
  33. ↑ "Sin City". https://mhnsw.au/whats-on/exhibitions/sin-city/#. 
  34. ↑ Bagshaw, Eryk (21 September 2014). "The death of Kings Cross as we know it". https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/the-death-of-kings-cross-as-we-know-it-20140916-10hkkf.html. 
  35. ↑ "The Gold Coast: The sun-drenched sin city that wants to shine | Cities | the Guardian". The Guardian. 11 April 2018. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2018/apr/11/the-gold-coast-sun-drenched-sin-city-that-wants-to-shine. 
  36. ↑ "Prohibition era: NT grog bans prime Mount Isa's 'sin city' reputation - InQueensland". 9 February 2023. https://www.inqld.com.au/news/2023/02/09/prohibition-era-nt-grog-bans-prime-mount-isas-sin-city-reputation. 
  37. ↑ "Department of Housing has no plans to demolish Sin City complex in Gray | NT News". https://www.ntnews.com.au/news/northern-territory/department-of-housing-has-no-plans-to-demolish-sin-city-complex-in-gray/news-story/d52544ebac512b57eb46aa9f42706cc8?nk=be927e2ea4b3403968329d7be36d5b0f-1713916608. 
  38. ↑ "Sin city crackdown | Herald Sun". https://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/sin-city-crackdown/news-story/f18e5314ee57b29578911fa9149eb1bb?nk=be927e2ea4b3403968329d7be36d5b0f-1713914494. 
  39. ↑ Small, Vernon (25 May 2013). "Peters: Immigrants, brothels and sin city" (in en). http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/politics/8714017/Peters-Immigrants-brothels-and-sin-city. 
  40. ↑ "Peters: "Auckland's Future – SuperCity or Sin City?" - Scoop News". http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA1305/S00497/peters-aucklands-future-supercity-or-sin-city.htm. 
  41. ↑ "Stuff". https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/86744238/sex-god-and-earthquakes-brian-tamaki-v-sin-city. 
  42. ↑ "CBC-TV - Legendary Sin Cities - Shanghai". http://www.cbc.ca/documentaries/sincities/shanghai.html. 
  43. ↑ Fournier, Chris (2009-10-31). "Montreal's scandals in mayoral race revive Sin City moniker". Bloomberg.com. https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=aXbh61B3hoEs. 
  44. ↑ "Lonely Planet Montreal Guide - Modern History". Lonely Planet. http://www.lonelyplanet.com/worldguide/destinations/north-america/canada/montreal?v=print. 
  45. ↑ Rawls, Phillip (23 June 2004). "Alabama's 'Sin City' just a memory 50 years after notorious assassination". http://www.goupstate.com/article/NC/20040623/News/605166311/SJ/. 
  46. ↑ Clarkson, Brett (28 November 2017). "Miami dubbed one of the most sinful cities in US". http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/florida/fl-reg-wallethub-sinful-cities-florida-20171128-story.html. 
  47. ↑ Carey, Charles W. Jr. (2004). African-American political leaders. New York: Facts On File. p. 126. ISBN 978-0816051380. https://archive.org/details/africanamericanp0000care_u1r1/page/126. 
  48. ↑ McCormick, Mike (14 June 2003). "How did Terre Haute earn 'Sin City' name?". Terre Haute Tribune Star. http://visions.indstate.edu:8888/cdm/ref/collection/vcpl/id/10406. 
  49. ↑ 49.0 49.1 "Sin City, Newport, Kentucky". http://www.nkyviews.com/campbell/text/s_city_esq.htm. 
  50. ↑ Jon Donley. "New Orleans ranked No. 7 Sin City in world | NOLA.com". Blog.nola.com. http://blog.nola.com/checkitout/2008/04/new_orleans_ranked_no_7_sin_ci.html. 
  51. ↑ Herbers, John (March 26, 1989). "THE REGION; Tales From Elsewhere: Entering the New Era Of Municipal Rule". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/1989/03/26/weekinreview/the-region-tales-from-elsewhere-entering-the-new-era-of-municipal-rule.html. 
  52. ↑ Rice, Harvey (21 July 2013). "Trace of Galveston's notorious past lingers". http://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/houston/article/Trace-of-Galveston-s-notorious-past-lingers-4678392.php. 
  53. ↑ "Marketing religion to the masses: Evangelist Will Graham visits WA's 'Sin City' - ABC News". ABC News. 18 May 2018. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-05-19/evangelist-will-graham-visits-kalgoorlie/9777188. 



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