Gaming History Archives

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…

Brent Mackie Casino History Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club Fronts / Workers / Bookmakers / Dealers Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Defense Attorneys: Thomas Foley Gambling History Gambling License Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board: Fred Galster Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission: Robbins Cahill It Really Happened Kenneth Henton Nevada New Star (Winnemucca, CA) NV) Politicians / Politics: Robert F. Kennedy United States Winnemucca--Nevada

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

1958 Casino workers at the New Star allegedly were caught in flagrante delicto. In April, a gambling detective — Michael MacDougall from New York — conducted a statewide, in-person survey of various gambling entities upon…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - In The Slot Machine’s Likeness

1960s-1970s More than a half-decade after the invention of the slot machine in 1887, liquor-filled decanters in their likeness became the rage, particularly at casinos. The version (in the photo), adorned with 24-carat gold, contained…

Casino History Club Primadonna (Reno, NV) Colony Casino (Reno, NV) Ernest "Ernie" J. Primm Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: Reno Red Line Ordinance Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Reno City Council (NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Reno's Divisive Gambling Zone

1947-1970 For some businesses, the Red Line was beneficial; for others, detrimental. The Red Line designated a rectangular region of downtown Reno, Nevada in which casinos with unlimited gambling could exist. Clubs offering gambling outside…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Mexico Quick Facts Tivoli Bar and Cafe (Juarez, Mexico)

Quick Fact - Casino Fit For a General

1911-1914 When Pancho Villa was commanding his armies in Northern Mexico, he chose for his headquarters the richly appointed Tivoli, then the largest casino in Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico. Photo from El Paso Public Library: By…

Big Hat (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Duel Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Gambling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Sam Baker United States

The Duel at Big Hat

1948 Arthur T. Morgan belligerently stormed into the Big Hat casino on Highway 91 (outside Las Vegas, Nevada) at about 1:30 a.m. on a Friday night in spring. He immediately began heckling, threatening to shoot…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Ban Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Jackpot--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States Wells--Nevada

Quick Fact - Rural Gambling Ban

1954 Due to the 1953 scandal in Wells, Nevada, the Nevada Tax Commission members in June 1954 prohibited open gambling in the town of Jackpot in The Silver State, just south of its border with…

A.A. Baroni Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts: Nevada Committee on Good Laws Block N (Reno, NV) Casino History Elite Cigar Store (Reno, NV) Gambling Gambling Currency Gambling Currency: Tokens / Bingles Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations Games / Races Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada NV) Overland Hotel (Reno, NV) Reno--Nevada Washoe Lunch Counter (Reno, NV)

The Truth Lies Within

1925 As of 1915, Nevada gambling law only allowed slot machines that discharged tokens, or bingles, exchangeable for on-site merchandise; those that paid out in money or bingles redeemable for currency were forbidden. “The fact…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Los Angeles-California Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Out of Time

1936 A thief took the trouble of entering a Los Angeles, California café through a skylight to rob the slot and marble games. But instead of getting the heck out after that was successful, he stayed…