21 Archives

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Owning Gold Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins: Gold Gambling History Games / Races Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Nevada Quick Facts Reno--Nevada United States

Quick Fact - Last to Hear

1940 “Apparently unaware that gold has been forbidden as a medium of exchange, a tall, dark complexioned cowpuncher walked into a [Reno, Nevada] gambling club last night and startled the dealer by casually dropping a…

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…

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 Gambling History Gambling: Win / Jackpot Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Cha-Ching!

1936 An $11,800 gambling win (about $205,000 today) was the largest ever in Las Vegas to that point. The payout went to a man named A. “Blacksmith” Sweitzer after playing 21 (blackjack) for two hours, starting…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Extortion Gambling License Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission: Dudley Kline Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission: Robbins Cahill It Really Happened Leo Quilici United States Wells--Nevada

Scandal Hits Gambling Watchdogs

1953-1955 In fall 1953, John “Fat Jack” Galloway was playing the card game, 21, at Leo Quilici’s hotel-casino, the El Rancho Hotel, in Wells, Nevada. Fat Jack himself, in his early 40s, was the operator…

Advertisements Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club Fronts / Workers / Bookmakers / Dealers Harold S. Smith, Sr. Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas--Nevada Reno--Nevada

Men Please Do Not Apply

1937-1970 Card dealing was a male-dominated profession in Nevada’s casinos until 1937, when Harolds Club, in Reno, put the first woman at a 21 table to deal. Co-owner Harold Smith previously had been hiring women,…

Gambling Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Anti-Lottery Law Games / Races: Lotteries/Sweepstakes It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Opportunity Club (Reno, NV) Reno--Nevada

The Chain Letter Of The Law

1935 Although it was a Ponzi scheme, its lure of big money was too strong for many Renoites to resist. One chain letter business, the Opportunity Club, popped up overnight as part of the nationwide…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Suicide Divorce / Annulment Gambling Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack It Really Happened John Steinbeck Newell Benningfield Reno--Nevada West Indies Club (Reno, NV)

Mrs. John Steinbeck's Tale of Woe

1948-1950 Tragedy struck when the wife of famed American novelist, John Steinbeck, was in Reno, Nevada for a quickie divorce from him after 5½ years of marriage. In 1948, while establishing residency in The Biggest…

Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada

Hey, IRS, Give 'Em Back!

1961 It was hot inside and outside Harolds Club in Reno, Nevada on a Wednesday afternoon in the early summer of 1961. Indoors, people gathered around to watch high-roller Lonnie Joe Chadwick on a winning…

Gambling Laws / Regulations It Really Happened Nevada

Was Betting on "Old Maid" Legal?

1861-present Since becoming a U.S. territory, Nevada has undergone periods of full, partial and no legalization of gambling. Here’s a timeline of what types of games of chance legislators allowed or disallowed and when: 1861:…

Cal-Neva Lodge (Lake Tahoe, NV) Clara Bow Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Elmer "Bones" F. Remmer Games / Races: Chuck-a-luck Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette It Really Happened James "Jim/Cinch" C. McKay Lake Tahoe--Nevada Nevada William "Bill/Curly" J. Graham

Hollywood Sex Symbol's Missteps

1930 Silent film star, Clara Bow, spent one September evening in 1930 playing illegal gambling games at a Lake Tahoe, Nevada casino. Both winning and losing at roulette, craps, 21 and the dice game, chuck-a-luck,…