Gambling History Archives

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Owning Gold Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins: Gold Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Last to Hear

1940 “Apparently unaware that gold has been forbidden as a medium of exchange, a tall, dark complexioned cowpuncher walked into a [Reno, Nevada] gambling club last night and startled the dealer by casually dropping a…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling DeSoto County--Mississippi Gambling Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: DeSoto County Sheriff Elton S. Baxter--Mississippi Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Shelby County Sheriff Guy Joyner--Tennessee Mississippi Politicians / Politics: MS Governor Paul E. Johnson Shelby County--Tennessee Tennessee United States

Law Officers Battle Over Gambling in the South

1940 They couldn’t just agree to disagree. They were the sheriffs of two bordering counties in different states. Sheriff Guy Joyner of Shelby County, Tennessee insisted illegal gambling was taking place just past the state…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts The Westerner (Las Vegas, NV) United States

Quick Fact - Crossed Wires

1951 Upon entering The Westerner casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, an electrician told the guard he’d been dispatched to repair a boiler connection. After being admitted to the utility room, he produced a pistol and…

Bank Club (Reno, NV) Gambler (Operators/Players): Estate Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Jack Sullivan / John D. Scarlett Nevada Reno--Nevada United States Willows (Reno, NV)

An Inside Look at Late Gambler's Estate

1951 Canada-born Jack Sullivan, né John D. Scarlett, had co-owned and run the Bank Club for two decades and prior to that, the Willows (it burned down in 1932) — both Reno, Nevada casino hotspots.…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins: Brass Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Brass in Pocket

1967 The month following closure of its on-site Bullpen casino, the Nevada State Prison sold the brass coins that inmates had used for decades (since 1932) for wagering and as currency. Sets, containing one coin…

B.C. Wills & Co. Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gambling: Education Games / Races Games / Races: Craps Gaming History Golden Hotel (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Monaco Nevada

Nevada Schools Monte Carlo on Craps

1949 “Eight the hard way!” “It’s the Big Dick!” “Next shooter, please!” “Seven, you lose!” When translated into the French language, these common phrases shouted by stickmen during craps lose their pizazz and bite, their…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling History Gambling: Raids Games / Races Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Threefold Pettiness

1940 After some angry husbands in Los Angeles, California complained their wives were gambling away the grocery money, two vice squad officers raided the Monday night birthday party of Ann Dicker, a 73-year-old great-grandmother, at…

Casino d'Istanbul (Istanbul, Turkey) Casino History Casino: Openings Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Bombings Gambling History Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Baccarat Games / Races: Chemin de Fer Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Hot Springs--Arkansas Istanbul--Turkey It Really Happened

Former Illegal U.S. Gamblers Open Turkey's First Casino

1969-1975 A bomb exploded on the Casino d’Istanbul’s roof, injuring several people, on the night of Saturday, May 1, 1971. It happened during a banquet hosted by the Dayton, Ohio-based National Cash Register Company and…

Did You Know? Events: Strikes / Protests Events: World War II Gambling History Games / Races: Dice Gaming History Michigan Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Gambling Sympathy Strike

1943 A site protection officer disciplined nine workers for shooting dice in a restroom and instructed them to report to the labor relations officer. This happened during the night shift at the Ford Motor Company…

Casino History Casino: Bankruptcies Casino: Corporations: Spinning Wheel Corporation Casino: Shutdowns Clifford "Cliff" A. Jones Club Cal Neva (Reno, NV) Club Cal-Neva Inc. Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Tax Evasion Earl Snyder Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service It Really Happened James "Jim" Contratto Joe Wells Las Vegas--Nevada Marion Hicks Nevada Reno--Nevada Saddle Club (Las Vegas, NV) Sanford Adler Silver Palace (Las Vegas, NV) Tahoe Biltmore (Crystal Bay, NV) The Westerner (Las Vegas, NV) United States

IRS Swoops Down on Casino Cash

1955-1956 At 9:15 a.m. on Friday, November 11, 1955, eight U.S. IRS agents entered the Club Cal-Neva in Reno, Nevada, demanding payment of $65,000 (about $600,000 today) in overdue withholding and excise taxes. When the…

Advertisements Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Nevada Club (Reno, NV) Quick Facts Reno--Nevada

Quick Fact - Select Workers Only

1965 Interesting age and marital status restrictions are specified in this help wanted ad for casino personnel:

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Equipment: Seizures Games / Races Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History It Really Happened Plumas County--California United States

The Illegal, Future-Telling Slot Machine Dilemma

1957 These fortunes and statements were what appeared in the display of a particular slot machine when one read the whole reel from left to right. Short three- to five-word phrases replaced the typical fruit…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Palace Club (Reno, NV) Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Temporary Casino Plague

1935 Avoiding darkness, they only emerged amid brightness, real or artificial. They congregated outside of every Reno, Nevada gambling club at the beginning of June, pestering the guests as they entered and exited. One night…

California Casino History Creators / Manufacturers Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Dunes (Las Vegas, NV) Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Assistance Devices Games / Races Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Games Creators / Manufacturers: Bob Bamford / Joe Alper Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Pasadena--California Sahara (Las Vegas, NV) Silver Slipper (Las Vegas, NV) United States

"Electronic Brain Upsets Vegas Blackjack Dealers"

1960 “Las Vegas seemed to be both fascinated and frightened by the little computing machine,” reported Ray Duncan in the Independent Star-News (Dec. 5, 1960). The referenced device, via a dial on its front, advised…

California Casino History Del Mar Racetrack (Del Mar, CA) Del Mar--California Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - A Regular For Years

Former FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover was such a rabid fan of horse racing that every summer, when in nearby La Jolla for his annual physical exam, he visited Del Mar in California, where he…

Bing Crosby California Casino History Casino: Openings Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Attempted Del Mar Racetrack (Del Mar, CA) Del Mar--California Gambling History Gambling: Parimutuel Games / Races Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History It Really Happened Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements United States

A Man and His Dream: Bing Crosby Opens Horse Racetrack

1937 An armored truck, accompanied by three deputy sheriff cars, was moving $262,000 (about $4.5 million today) the 15 miles from the Del Mar racetrack in California down the coastal highway to a San Diego…