Quick Facts Archives

Casino Casino Central--Argentina Gambling History Gaming History Mar del Plata--Argentina Quick Facts South America

Quick Fact -- Big Business

It opened in 1939 and for years was the world’s largest. It was (and still is) in Argentina‘s Mar del Plata, the “smartest, most opulent, most ostentatious shore resort in South America,” as described by…

Carson City--Nevada Casino Casino History Gambling History Hyatt Hotels Corp. Incline Village--Nevada Kings Castle (Incline Village, NV) Nathan "Nate" S. Jacobson Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact -- Lady Godiva Trots to New Residence

Lady Godiva has a new address. Looking gorgeous in a long blue dress, she and her horse distinctively embellish the front yard of a Carson City home. Godiva appears as though she’s arriving for a…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts: Nevada Committee on Good Laws California Casino History Gambling History Gambling History: Poems Gaming History Quick Facts Ships: Monte Carlo United States

Quick Fact - Poem About <i>S.S. Monte Carlo</i> is Attack on Gambling Industry

1938 In the following verse, penned about the S.S. Monte Carlo following its demise, the writer Ida Clarise Gowan uses a hostile, derogatory and accusatory tone. She personifies, or gives human qualities to, the ship,…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Casino: Financings Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) George Raft Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts Rex (offshore, Southern CA) Southern California Offshore

Quick Fact - Bugsy Borrows Benjamins

1938, 1946 Notorious mobster, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, borrowed money several times from his friend, actor George Raft, according to the biography George Raft, for which author Lewis Yablonsky interviewed the subject on numerous occasions. Siegel…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Duel Gambling History Games / Races: Thimblerig Gaming History Placerville (Hangtown)--California Quick Facts United States William "Lucky Bill" B. Thorington

Quick Fact - A Day in the Life

1851 Roving gambler William “Lucky Bill” B. Thorington’s stint in Hangtown (today Placerville, California) was brief because he literally thimblerigged a prominent local out of $1,500 to $2,000 (more than $39,000 to $52,000 today) and…

Bally's Casino Tunica (Robinsonville, MS) Bally's Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Bally's New Orleans (New Orleans, LA) Bally's Park Place (Atlantic City, NJ) Bally's Reno (Reno, NV) Casino History Casino: Corporations: Bally Entertainment Corp. Casino: Corporations: Bally Manufacturing Corp. Casino: Corporations: Caesars Entertainment Casino: Corporations: Eldorado Resorts Casino: Corporations: Gaming & Leisure Properties Casino: Corporations: Meruelo Group Casino: Corporations: VICI Properties Gambling History Gaming History Louisiana Mississippi Nevada New Jersey Paris Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Casino Empire

Today Bally Manufacturing Corp., at one time decades ago, was heavily involved in the gambling industry. It owned six hotel-casinos in the U.S. It was a major producer of state lottery games and developer of…

Bally Manufacturing Corp. Casino History Chicago--Illinois Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: Games Creators / Manufacturers: Lion Manufacturing Co. Games / Races: Lotteries/Sweepstakes Games / Races: Poker Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History It Really Happened Quick Facts The Who United States

Quick Fact - Naming Bally

1968, 1969 Bally Manufacturing Corp. got its name from Ballyhoo, the first coin-operated pinball machine (a penny got you seven plays) created in 1931 by Raymond Moloney, owner of Chicago, Illinois-based Lion Manufacturing Co. Lion…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambler (Operators/Players): Donation Gambling History Gaming History Los Angeles-California Quick Facts Rex (offshore, Southern CA) Tony Cornero / Antonio Cornero Stralla United States

Quick Fact - Tainted v. Pure Money

1938 Gambler Tony Cornero Stralla offered to donate a day’s worth of revenue from his Southern California casino boat, the Rex, to Zoo Park at 3800 Mission Road in Los Angeles. The attraction, then owned/operated…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Holdouts Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - He Who Cheats First …

1938 During a preliminary hearing on the felony charge of using a cheating device while playing cards at a Las Vegas gambling house, Walter Eccles of Los Angeles explained that he’d used a holdout worn…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Geographical Areas Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Greater Transparency Given

The Nevada Tax Commission members agreed by unanimous vote to allow reporters to sit in and report on its voting sessions, meetings in which they made key decisions. Previously, voting had been done behind closed…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Robbery / Theft / Embezzling Did You Know? Gambling History Henry Club (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada The Capitol (Reno, NV) United States

Quick Fact - More Trouble Anticipated

1931 Robberies plagued Reno. The Capitol bar and the Henry Club, both offering games of chance, were hit inside of eight days. A rumor circulated that notorious gangsters were headed to the Northern Nevada city. It…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Assaults Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Disturbing the Peace Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Golden Bank (Reno, NV) Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Police Department--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Beat-it-Out-of-You Approach

1957 Inside the Golden Bank Casino on a Saturday afternoon, security personnel saw Merle Naughton, 40-year-old salesman, yanking and pounding on slot machines. When they told him to leave, he did. He went across the…

Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Pseudo Coins / Slugs Did You Know? Events: Seattle World's Fair / Century 21 Exposition Gambling Gambling Currency Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - The Right Size

1962 After the Seattle World’s Fair, or the Century 21 Exposition, the bronze coins used as trade dollars during that event appeared in slot machines throughout Nevada.

Accidents Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Lido de Paris Nevada Quick Facts Stardust (Las Vegas, NV) United States

Quick Fact - The Nude is Falling

1969-1971 Patron Alvin Glasky sat in the Stardust hotel-casino’s showroom in Las Vegas, Nevada, watching Lido de Paris on a Saturday evening in 1969. As one of the topless showgirls was being lowered from the…

Casino History Casino: Openings Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Mapes (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Gambling at Both Ends

1947 When the luxurious 12-story Mapes hotel opened in Reno, Nevada on Saturday, December 27, 1947, it boasted two casinos. One was on the river side of the main level, the other in the southwest…

Casino History Did You Know? Eli Francovich Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: Wheel of Fortune Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Reno City Council (NV) Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States Wine House (Reno, NV)

Quick Fact - Engendering Envy

1929 When the only types of legal gambling in Nevada were poker, five hundred, solo, whist, parimutuel betting on horse races and slot machines with restrictions, owner Eli Francovich* installed in his Wine House club…