Phule’s Paradise by Robert Asprin

The owner, not government, made the rules at the Oasis, and little was forbidden or outlawed that might generate revenue for the station’s coffers. Not surprising, one of the main pastimes that was not only allowed but encouraged was gambling.

Eventually a combine of investors recognized the station’s potential and bought it away from the original owner’s estate. Hundreds of millions were put into renovating and remodeling the station, not to mention an extensive advertising campaign to change the station’s image to that of the ultimate resort and family vacation spot, and the station was renamed “Lorelei.”

The new name was due, in part, to the station’s beacon, which was said to be strong enough to cause interference in neighboring solar systems. If the ever-present advertising was not enough, the beacon made sure no one passed through that sector of space without hearing of Lorelei’s lures and charms. “Once you visit Lorelei,” the catchy slogan ran, “you’ll never want to leave!”

The reality was a little grimmer: Once you visit Lorelei, you might not be able to leave. Not that there was physical danger, mind you … it would be bad publicity to hurt a tourist. The real danger on Lorelei was its famous, vampiric casinos.

The inside of the space station’s wheel design had been filled in and painted to look like a massive roulette wheel, which, while it was eye-catching to those in ships with view points, had a practical function as well. The surface of the wheel was actually a massive solar energy cell, endlessly gathering power from the stars and feeding it to the casinos … and they needed it!