Gaming History Archives

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Chief of Police Charles E. Sebastian Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Vice Crusade Tactic

1913 As what the Los Angeles Times called the “the first sally in the greatest campaign that has ever been waged for the elimination of gambling” (April 7, 1913), Los Angeles Chief of Police Charles…

Bartley "Bart" J. Smithson Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Ely--Nevada Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Officer Herbert "Burt" D. Long Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) NV) Palace Club (Ely, NV) United States

Gambler Destroys the Peace … Officer

1932 At about 4:30 on a Sunday morning, a drunk Bartley “Bart” J. Smithson was target practicing in the Palace Club, shooting at a spittoon and a silver dollar with a 0.38 Smith & Wesson…

Australia Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Two-Up Gaming History Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Popular in Australia

1850s-Today Tuesday, April 25, Australians will be spotted throughout the local pubs playing Two-Up. Anzac Day, when military war veterans are honored, is the only time this game of chance is allowed legally. Two-Up is…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bucket Shopping Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit San Francisco--California

Bucket Shopper's Dogged Fight

1911-1912 A San Francisco, California ordinance outlawed bucket shopping in 1911 — no longer was running or visiting such an enterprise legal — and one operator didn’t like it. Henry A. Moss, a bucket shop owner and…

Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - In Observance

1939 Las Vegas gambling houses and saloons were shut for three hours in observance of Good Friday, at the request of the local churches. It was the first time in the Nevada city’s history that such…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Gambling History Gaming History Harrah's Lake Tahoe (Stateline, NV) It Really Happened Lake Tahoe--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: El Dorado County Sheriff Ernest Carlson--California Nevada Stateline--Nevada

Murder Mystery at South Shore

1958-1959 Clarence Thayer grew ill with flu-like symptoms on Thanksgiving Day in 1958 while visiting his sister in Oakland, California. He was a well drilling contractor who lived in South Lake Tahoe. He and his…

Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Staying Put

1956 She wouldn’t budge. C. Johnson was playing a slot machine from a stool that was blocking the aisle in a downtown Reno, Nevada casino. When employees asked the Oakland, California resident to please shift…

Casino History Charles Mapes Events: Daylight Saving Time Gambling History Gambling: Revenue Gaming History Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Mapes (Reno, NV) Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Vail Pittman Raymond "Pappy" I. Smith United States

Gamblers Oppose Daylight Saving Time

1949 Casino owners balked when the question of going on daylight saving time (DST) arose in Nevada in 1949. Gamblers’ Outcries Charles Mapes, owner of the Mapes hotel-casino in Reno, made a few arguments: •…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gaming History Quick Facts United States Washington

Quick Fact - Evidence? What Evidence?

1934 When police raided an illegal gambling den in Kingston, Washington, one of the players present, Raymond Johnson, swallowed the dice. In court after his arrest, the judge gave him 30 days to “digest” and…

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…