Gambling History Archives

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Keno Gaming History KENO Radio Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - The Other Keno

1941 When Maxwell Kelch applied for call letters for his Las Vegas, Nevada radio station, he requested KLVN as a first choice and KENO as a second, certain the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approve a…

"Casino" Alphonse "Al/Scarface" Capone Casino History Casino: Financings: Teamsters Pension Fund Frank Sinatra Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission It Really Happened Joe Pesci Johnny Rosselli Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Restaurants / Chefs Restaurants / Chefs: Anjoe's -- Las Vegas, NV Restaurants / Chefs: Joseph "Joe the Cook" Pignatello Restaurants / Chefs: Villa d'Este -- Las Vegas, NV Sam "Momo" Giancana Sam Baker The Outfit (Chicago, IL) United States

No Gambling License For You!

1961-1990s “As a boy in Chicago, [he] learned to cook standing on a milk crate in his mom’s kitchen, where Mrs. Capone — Scarface Al’s mom — would join them,” reported the Las Vegas Review-Journal…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Burro Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Creature Game Creation

1962 How ’bout a game of Burro? Fred Carrier, a Stateline, Nevada accountant, developed a gambling game with this name, the concept for which came to him in a nightmare. Based on magnetism, it featured…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Suicide Gambling Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) Oberon (Reno, NV) Reno--Nevada United States

Unable To Provide An Alibi

1906-1907 “They’ll never get me,” prisoner John Edwards said while being ushered into court for his trial. “They’ll never fasten anything on me” (Nevada State Journal, April 19, 1906). “Hasn’t a man a right to…

Casino History Cecil Lynch Did You Know? Fortune Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Golden Slot (Las Vegas, NV) Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Nevada Club (Las Vegas, NV) Quick Facts Robert Van Santen United States

Quick Fact - Casino Name Beef

1957 After Robert Van Santen and Cecil Lynch’s business partnership in the Las Vegas, Nevada Fortune Club went sour (Lynch broke off to open his own gambling club at the Golden Slot site), the two…

Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Wiretapping Defense Attorneys Defense Attorneys: Harry Claiborne Defense Attorneys: Oscar Goodman Detroit--Michigan Elliot Paul Price Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Gambling: Raids Gaming History Georgia Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service It Really Happened Jerome Zarowitz Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Los Angeles-California Miami Beach--Florida Nevada New York--New York Ohio Palm Springs--California Rose Bowl Sports Book (Las Vegas, NV) Sanford Waterman United States

Feds Pounce on Vegas Racketeers

1970-1975 In a massive, coordinated effort, federal agents raided illegal bookmaking operations throughout the U.S. with ties to organized crime. On December 12, 1970, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Debt Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Rhyolite--Nevada Stock Exchange (Rhyolite, NV) United States

Quick Fact - Betting "The Farm"

1908 Johnny-Behind-the-Gat bet more than he should’ve. He was a prospector and miner said to have little common sense, a big temper and a penchant for using his weapon to solve disputes. John Cyty (his…

Casino History Casino: Takeovers Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Reno City Council (NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Reno--Nevada The Den (Reno, NV) United States

Casino Owners in Combustible Predicament

1949-1950 The Den opened its doors in spring 1949. The proprietors — Donald A. Bentley, John R. Hope and Robert M. Colahan — likely were hoping for at least as long a run as their…

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

Quick Fact - Oasis in the Desert

1950 Las Vegas spent $750,000 a year on advertising (about $7.5 million today). The Chamber of Commerce promoted the town as: “An oasis for the harassed refugees from artificial restraints and laws of other states.“…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: CA Anti-Gambling Act Gambling: Debt Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Long Beach--California United States

Mega Poker Loss in California

1938 Esquire* Harry T. Clifton was a wealthy Englishman who owned racing stables and often visited Southern California. During his visit there in April 1938, he gambled with Lew Brice and Tommy Guinan in a…

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

Quick Fact - Gambling, Guns and ... Dolls

1968 For a few months, Harolds Club expanded its exhibited items beyond antique guns and Old West memorabilia. The Reno, Nevada casino displayed a collection of 150 dolls — including the 1930s Shirley Temple —…

Albert Anastasia Casino History Charles "Lucky" Luciano Clifford "Cliff" A. Jones Cuba Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Hilton (Havana, Cuba) It Really Happened Jake Lansky Las Vegas--Nevada Meyer Lansky Nacional (Havana, Cuba) Nevada Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fidel Castro Riviera (Havana, Cuba) Sands (Las Vegas, NV) Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV) United States Wilbur Clark

Nevada Makes Gamblers Choose

1957-1959 During Nevada’s 1957 legislature, State Senator Kenneth Johnson (R-Ormsby), voiced his concerns about some of the state’s gambling licensees* simultaneously co-owning Cuban casinos. He feared that: • Nevada licensees might form alliances with U.S.…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Creepy Quick Fact - Stiff at Poker Game

1939 A Fred Martens, or “Fritz the Rooster,” sat at a table in a Las Vegas gambling house playing poker with some men. After a streak of bad luck, he seemed headed for a possible straight.…

Casino History Did You Know? Fan Tan (Reno, NV) Gambling History Games / Races: Pai Gow Gaming History Nevada New China Club (Reno, NV) Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Pai Gow's Nevada Debut

1967 After a demonstration of the game, Nevada gambling regulators, for the first time, allowed pai gow — a Chinese version of dominos — to be offered in its casinos. The clubs with pai gow,…

Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Gambling License Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada New Star (Winnemucca, CA) United States Winnemucca--Nevada

How Do I Cheat? Let Me Count the Ways (Part II)

1958-1959 (Part I ran last week. If you missed it, it’s available here.) The Nevada Tax Commission withdrew the gambling license of the New Star operators — Brent Mackie and Kenneth Henton — in July 1958…

Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Commercial Hotel/Monte Carlo Casino (Elko, NV) Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Gambling History Games / Races Gaming History Nevada Newton Crumley Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - When All Else Fails … Wager

1925 Newton “Newt” Crumley, Sr., Goldfield, Nevada resident, met with William Doyle in September to discuss purchasing from him the Commercial Hotel in Elko, but they couldn’t agree on a price. Doyle wanted $5,000 more…