Gambling History Archives

Boulder City--Nevada Casino History Casino: Openings F.J. Warren Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Bingo Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Poker Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Henderson--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada O.T. Buck Railroad Pass Club (Henderson, NV) United States

Casino Entertains Hoover Dam Workers

1931 Twenty-six miles southeast of Las Vegas, the United States government, in 1931, developed Boulder City as the place to house men working on the Hoover Dam (originally Boulder Dam). The Bureau of Reclamation required…

Bad Homburg--Germany Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Did You Know? Europe Francois Blanc Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Monaco Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - European v. American Roulette

1840s-Today Gambler Francois Blanc, at his casino in Bad Homburg, Germany, introduced roulette in the early 1840s with only 0 and no 00 on the wheel and table layout, a choice he stuck with when…

Casino History Europe Gambling Gambling Currency: Dominoes Gambling Currency: Pebbles Gambling Currency: Wooden Cocks (Roosters) Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Poland

Poland Seizes on Gambling

1913 During this year, the tail end of the second wave of massive Polish emigration, about 3.5 million people, primarily peasants from poor rural provinces, was taking place. Looming on the horizon was the outbreak…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Riviera (Las Vegas, NV) Tony Martin United States

Quick Fact - Application Red Flags

1960-1961 Singer Tony Martin applied for a gambling license to acquire a 2 percent interest for $50,000 ($410,000 today) in the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Investigation into his background revealed he’d served two days…

Beldon Katleman Casino History Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) El Rancho Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Gus Greenbaum It Really Happened Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Last Frontier (Las Vegas, NV) Marion Hicks Nevada Paradise--Nevada Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV) United States Wilbur Clark William J. Moore Winchester--Nevada

Just Like Living in Paradise

1950-Today When people are on the Las Vegas Strip, they’re really in Paradise — the town, that is. In 1950, a rumor surfaced that the City of Las Vegas’ boundaries would be expanded to include…

Bank Club (Elko, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Elko Casino Targeted

1934 After hiding somewhere in the building, a person robbed the Bank Club casino’s safe of $500 in silver change (about $9,000 today) between 4 and 6 p.m. on a Wednesday in early December. This…

California Casino History Casino: Floating Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: CA Anti-Gambling Act Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Los Angeles-California Nick Licata Peter J. Milano San Fernando Valley--California United States

Los Angeles Mobster's Gambling Ring

1971-1974 In 1971, various people began complaining to the local police department they’d gotten fleeced at an informal casino setup in California’s San Fernando Valley (yes, the location of, like, “valley girl” fame, a culture…

Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Credit Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Casino Credit Component

1970s Caesars Palace in Las Vegas extended $160 million in credit to players in 1977. This was more than the then-considered staggering $106 million cost of the original MGM Grand (early ’70s), also in Sin City, and…

Casino History Club Cal Neva (Reno, NV) Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Morrie Brodsky Nevada Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements Reno--Nevada United States

Club Cal-Neva Permits Horseplay

1950 Susan Wallace, a 24-year-old, “plucky blonde” who resided in Hollywood, California, needed money to further her opera studies (Nevada State Journal, Jan. 8, 1950). In early January, she sent telegrams to the casinos in…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Chips Gambling Currency: Counterfeit Gambling History Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Bogus Chips in Nevada

1947 John Clark Bosworth, of Reno, 47, was sentenced to 10 days in the local jail for playing with fake $25 chips in a Las Vegas casino. What do you think? Was this a light…

Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Circus Circus (Las Vegas, NV) Defense Attorneys: Oscar Goodman Elliot Paul Price Elliot Paul Price Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Gambling: Race Wire Gambling: Work Card Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened James "Whitey" Joseph Bulger Jr. Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Mike O'Callaghan United States Winter Hill Gang

The Vegas Casino Work Card Battle

1970-1973 When federal agents arrested Elliot Paul Price, 51, during a massive multi-city raid in 1970 and charged him with illegally transmitting race wire information across state lines via telephone, two dominos fell: • He…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Los Angeles city jail Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Joint Features Gambling

1916 The Los Angeles city jail was likely the only legalized casino in California, with gambling taking place daily to a shocking extent, declared Faith Chevaillier, a woman whom President Chester Arthur appointed to evaluate…

Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Esmeralda's Barn (London, England) Gambling History Gaming History Geographical Areas It Really Happened London--England Movies / Movie Stars / Entertainers / Celebrities Reginald "Reggie" Kray Ronald "Ronnie" Kray

Esmeralda's Barn: The Hijacked Casino (Part 2)

1960-1963 Esmeralda’s Barn in London, England initially flourished under the ownership of twin brothers and gangsters, Reggie and Ronnie Kray. The place to be seen in the West End, famous politicians and celebrities frequented it —…

"Legend" Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Extortion Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Harassment / Intimidation Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.K. Betting and Gaming Act Gaming History It Really Happened Laurie O'Leary London--England Reginald "Reggie" Kray Ronald "Ronnie" Kray United Kingdom Wandsworth Reform Prison (London, England)

Esmeralda's Barn: The Hijacked Casino (Part 1)

1960-1963 Twins, Reginald “Reggie” and Ronald “Ronnie” Kray, gained notoriety as powerful and murderous gangsters in London, England in the 1950s and 1960s. During their reign of terror, their involvement in organized crime included protection…

Casino History Chicago--Illinois Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Gambling: Equipment Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Gambling Tools' Fate

1895 Chicago gamblers waged a long, hard legal battle against the law that allowed police and other authorities to destroy casino equipment seized during the execution of a search warrant. The fight ended, however, in 1895…

Artists / Designers Artists / Designers: Lewis "Lew" Hymers Artists / Designers: Pat Denner Artists / Designers: Roscoe "Duke" Reading Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Mascots: Bucky Buckaroo Gambling: Mascots: Last Chance Joe Gambling: Mascots: Vegas Vic Gambling: Mascots: Wendover Will Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Nugget Motor Lodge / Dick Graves' Nugget / John Ascuaga's Nugget (Sparks, NV) Pioneer Club (Las Vegas, NV) Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements Reno--Nevada Sparks--Nevada State Line Hotel and Casino (Wendover, NV) United States Wendover / West Wendover--Nevada

4 Iconic Gambling Characters

1940s-Today They’re one of a kind. Dazzling. Captivating. Iconic. Pure Nevada. They’re the mascots of the state’s gambling industry. They graced the facades of casinos in the gambling meccas, and some still do. Rather than…