gaming history Archives

Artists / Designers: Pierre de Régnier (aka Tigre) Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Art Games / Races: Baccarat Gaming History Nice--France Quick Facts

Quick Fact - Depiction of French Gamblers

1931 The Big Baccarat Table in Nice (France) was sketched by cartoonist, Pierre de Régnier, aka Tigre (1898-1943), and ran in newspapers with this description: “From left to right: Mme. Ephrussi, the French multimillionaire widow…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Tax Evasion Dallas--Texas Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Horseshoe Club / Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Lester "Benny" Binion Meyer Lansky Mobsters / Gangsters / Syndicate Members (Alleged) / Organizations Moe Dalitz Nevada United States

10 Intriguing Facts About Gambling Kingpin "Benny" Binion

Although Texas-born Lester B. “Benny” Binion (1904-1989) no longer is with us, he remains a legend among Las Vegas casino owners and operators — gamblers, in industry parlance. Iconic even in his appearance — large…

Casino History Did You Know? Don and Bea Hawkins Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States Winnemucca--Nevada

Quick Fact - Women Banned

1962 The City of Winnemucca in Nevada had an ordinance that prohibited women from working in a casino in which they had some ownership. Bea Hawkins, who with her husband Don, owned the Ferris Hotel…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Parimutuel Games / Races: Greyhound Races Games / Races: Midget Car Races Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Experiments in Parimutuel Wagering

1937-1938 In each of two consecutive summers, Northern Nevadans experienced on-site, parimutuel* betting on new types of organized races locally: first, midget car in 1937 and greyhound (the dog, not the bus) in 1938. The…

Boulder Club (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Any Place Will Do

1931 Using a gambling table as her dais, Canada-born evangelist, Mildred “Minnie” Kennedy, delivered fire and brimstone, revival-type sermons upstairs at the Boulder Club in Las Vegas from Aug. 23 to 30. A large sign…

107th Street Mob Casino History Drugs / Narcotics Gambling History Gambling: Shills Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Helmuth Hartmann It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Police Department--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation Nevada Palace Club (Reno, NV) Reno--Nevada United States

The Wanted Man of Mystery

1941 The man who played roulette in the Palace Club nearly every day for six months was noticeable for his suave appearance. Henry Helmut, age 47, had a bit of gray hair and sported a…

Casino History Cleveland's Mayfield Road Gang Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Run Games / Races: Craps Geographical Areas Las Vegas--Nevada Moe Dalitz Moe Dalitz Nevada Quick Facts United States Wilbur Clark

Quick Fact - Beginners' Luck

1950 The $1.6 million Desert Inn resort had just opened in Las Vegas, and a gambling naif nearly put it out of business. A 22-year-old sailor, who didn’t know much about gambling, bet $1 on…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Elite Club (Ely, Nevada) Ely--Nevada Gambling History Gaming History Goodsprings--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada Oberon Saloon (Sparks, NV) Pioneer Saloon (Goodsprings, NV) Sparks--Nevada United States

Men Quick to Fire in Gambling Clashes

1904, 1915, 1936 Against a backdrop of sagebrush and dust in Nevada’s early, remote mining towns, saloons drew men for drinking and gambling. That combination, along with contrarian/antagonistic personalities, sometimes led to disputes that turned…

Canada Casino History Did You Know? Fallsview Casino (Niagara Falls, Ontario) Gambling History Gaming History Niagara Falls--Ontario Quick Facts

Quick Fact - A Natural View

Today In Ontario, Canada, the appropriately named gambling resort — Fallsview Casino — overlooks Horseshoe Falls, one of the three gushing cascades that comprise Niagara Falls.

00 (Double-0) Saloon (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) Northern Saloon (Las Vegas, NV) Star (Las Vegas, NV) Turf (Las Vegas, NV) United States

Busted for Running Gambling in Nevada

1916 The year brought indictments in Las Vegas against individuals for violating Nevada’s anti-gambling statute, which was unusual because law enforcement generally ignored or poorly enforced it. Operating a gambling game then constituted a felony.…

Beldon Katleman Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Tax Evasion Did You Know? El Rancho Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact - Shoddy Accounting

1956 When auditors for Nevada reviewed its books, they discovered the El Rancho casino on the Las Vegas Strip had underpaid the requisite gambling taxes over nine quarters by $39,000 ($350,500 today). Despite the claims…