New Delhi, Oct. 21 -- when the cost of groceries, gas, and rent all creep up at once, discretionary spending is the first thing to tighten. And leisure, that most elastic of budget lines, bends fastest of all. People still crave entertainment. They just want it without the sticker shock.

the difference between Gold Coins used purely for play and Sweeps Coins that can be redeemed, which states allow this model, and how free sweeps coins and VIP perks fit together. In a year defined by caution, that kind of clear, no-cost entry point is exactly what budget-watchers are hunting for.

Then and Now: How Belt-Tightening Changed Leisure

Rewind to earlier economic slumps and the script looked different. During past downturns, Americans traded s...