phrase
Vegas
Shorthand for indulgence, gambling, and the suspension of normal rules.
Origin
Las Vegas, Nevada, was built on legalized gambling beginning in 1931. The mob-financed Strip emerged in the 1940s and 1950s, and the city became American shorthand for excess. 'What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas' was a tourism slogan launched in 2003 that became one of the most successful advertising taglines of all time.
Modern usage
Used for bachelorette weekends, conferences, and any context coded as 'permission to misbehave'. Often invoked self-consciously.
Tags
gambling
indulgence