United States Archives

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 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…

Advertisements Casino History Casino: Openings Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Golden Gulch (Reno, NV) James H. Lloyd Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Reno Casino Re-Opening

1947 The Golden Gulch casino re-debuted on June 27 under new management, that of James H. Lloyd. He’d had the gaming rooms and bar remodeled “with decorations featuring the ornate Victorian motif and stressing the…

Casino History Clarence Shockey Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Keno-Pool Gaming History It Really Happened La Boite Amusement Palace (Reno, NV) Nevada Reno--Nevada United States Welker Cochran

Keno-Pool Parlor Pops Up

1932 Bizarrely, Clarence Shockey’s stint as a Nevada gambling club manager was short. Here’s what happened: Week One July 11, Monday: The Reno City Council approved a gambling license for Clarence, who’d worked in real…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Loss Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Matrimonial Diss

1947 Hollywood actress Mildred Jenkins testified in court about her wedding night in Nevada. After marrying A.Q. Bonner, Jr., a Northern California rancher, the two had breakfast and went to a casino. “A.Q. lost all…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Gambling History Gaming History Harrah's Lake Tahoe (Stateline, NV) It Really Happened Lake Tahoe--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Nevada Stateline--Nevada United States

Crime: The Harrah's Holdup

1972-1973 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. No names have been changed, as there were no innocents. This is the city, Stateline, Nevada. It’s the gambling mecca of Lake…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Kansas Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Gamble Gone Really Wrong

1921 Two Minnesotans each wagered $5,000 (about $67,000 today) on a new Fort Scott, Kansas oil well not producing 25 barrels the first day. Twenty-seven Kansans pooled the same amount and bet the opposite. The…

Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Extortion Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Regulation 25 Gambling: Junkets Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Harry Wald It Really Happened Japan Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Nevada United States

Gambling Junkets Cause International Discord

1974-1975 For many Japan-based businessmen, gambling trips to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas turned nightmarish. Kikumaru Okuda, 46, also a resident of the Land of the Rising Sun, and a film producer with Toho Film Company,…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Bingo Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Sands (Las Vegas, NV) Silver Slipper (Las Vegas, NV) United States

Quick Fact - Detrimental Game of Chance

1956 The gambling licensees of the Dunes and Silver Slipper casinos applied to restart bingo on the premises, but the Nevada Gaming Commission denied their request, stating that the return of the game to the Las…

"711 Ocean Drive" Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Boulder City--Nevada California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Harassment / Intimidation Edmond O'Brien Frank N. Seltzer (Producer) Gambling History Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History It Really Happened Joanne Dru Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Gangster Squad Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lieutenant William "Bill" Burns Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Police Department Los Angeles-California Mickey Cohen Mobsters / Gangsters / Syndicate Members (Alleged) / Organizations Nevada Palm Springs--California United States

Mobsters Threaten Hollywood Filmmaker

1950 In late 1948, Hollywood movie producer, Frank N. Seltzer — known for the movies, Jungle Patrol and Let’s Live Again, which debuted that same year — began research for his next project, 711 Ocean…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Police Department--Nevada Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Gunfire Roils Crowded Harolds Club

1947-1953 Harolds Club bustled on Christmas Eve in 1947 with revelers enjoying the gambling and camaraderie when an unexpected event instantly silenced the din. Panic followed. Since the previous morning, Reno, Nevada police had been…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gambling: Prizes Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Games / Races: Tango Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Bonus of Hosiery

1946 Some Las Vegas, Nevada casinos handed out women’s nylons as slot machine and tango game* prizes. When the city’s board of commissioners found out, they banned it, threatening repeat offenders with losing their gambling…