Nevada Archives

Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Marilyn Monroe Nevada Philip Paval Publicity Stunts / Promotions / Advertisements Sandra Giles

The Lady Of Chance … Au Naturel

1956 The Fremont in Las Vegas commissioned a large oil painting that depicted a “lady of chance” to grace a wall in its casino. The hotel-casino’s press agent, Shelly Davis, asked aspiring actress Sandra Giles…

Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Laws / Regulations Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Frederick "Fred" Balzar Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Seer Balzar

1930 In December, while vacationing in Southern California, Nevada Governor Frederick “Fred” Balzar — foretelling the future — told reporters that gambling already was wide open in his state and that a bill making it…

Gambling It Really Happened Nevada

Gambling Addiction Support: The Early Days

1958-present Las Vegas, Nevada resident Howie C. had gambled so much during the 1950s and ’60s that he owed banks, finance companies and loan sharks. He often had borrowed money from his mom and even…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Ernest Dennison Gambling Gambling Laws / Regulations Games / Races: Chuck-a-luck It Really Happened Nevada

Animals Run Roadside Zoos

1940s A spate of “roadside zoos” opened along various Nevada highways, typically in rural areas, during the late 1940s. The owners were hustlers who lured unsuspecting tourists onto their grounds with the promise of seeing…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling Laws / Regulations It Really Happened Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Charles Russell Sparks--Nevada

Loophole in the Law

1955 When Nevada legislators legalized gambling in 1931, they didn’t consider one significant caveat. The omission came to light in January 1955 when an industrious Las Vegas casino patron was arrested for using Mexican 10…

Did You Know? Gambling Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Peephole Vetting

1931 Even after wide-open gambling became legal in Nevada, many of the exclusive clubs continued to vet the people who wanted entry. Someone inside the establishment would look through the peephole in the door and…

Did You Know? Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Store Slots

1967 Nevada legislators proposed a bill that would disallow any future installation of slot machines in grocery and drug stores. It died, though, in the Senate Taxation Committee.

Bobby Garcia Carl "Cork" Civella Gambling Laws / Regulations: Nevada's Black Book / Excluded Person List Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Joe Sica John "The Bat" Battaglia Louis Tom Dragna Marshall Caifano / Johnny Marshall Michael "Trigger Mike" Coppola Mobsters / Gangsters / Syndicate Members (Alleged) / Organizations Motel Grzebienacy Murray "The Hump"/"The Camel" Humphreys Nevada Nick Civella Sam "Momo" Giancana

The Original Black Book

1960 A cheap, spiral notebook held great power in Nevada’s gambling world for decades. It contained known U.S. mobsters whose underworld statuses and histories were such that the state gambling authorities didn’t want them anywhere…

Did You Know? Gambler (Operators/Players): Minors Gambling Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Gambling Minors

1888 When select games of chance were legal in Nevada, so many youths under age 21 regularly were frequenting the gambling clubs (which was illegal) that the police threatened to make an example of some…

Did You Know? Harolds Club (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada

Quick Fact - Harolds Warning

Harolds Club, a casino that debuted in Reno, Nevada in 1935, displayed signs on its property that read: “No one can win all the time. Harolds Club advises you to risk only what you can…

Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Coins Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Sands (Las Vegas, NV)

Quick Fact - Sands Silver

1956 As revelers welcomed the new year at the Sands in Las Vegas, Nevada, management gave every guest (an estimated 18,000 of them) a brand new silver dollar. Additionally, they gifted each of the 700 women…