gaming history Archives

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Defense Attorneys: James D.C. Murray Gambling History Gambling: Reporters Of: Martin Mooney Games / Races: Policy / Numbers Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: New York Court of Appeals New York--New York Queens County Jail United States

Newsman Gets Burned for Reporting on Illegal Gambling

1935-1936 In about mid-December 1935, New York newspaper reporter Martin Mooney (1896-1967) faced serving his jail sentence during the upcoming holidays. His offense? Contempt of court for refusing to reveal to the local grand jurors…

Carlton Bar (Reno, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder / Killing Franz Gersich Gambling History Gaming History George Delich It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada Sam Delich United States

Pharmacy Student Travels to Nevada for Exam, Leaves in Body Bag

1946-1947 When police arrived at the alley behind the Carlton Bar in Reno just after midnight on May 16, 1946, they found an unconscious man lying on the ground, covered in blood. An American Legion…

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…

Alton--Illinois Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Activists: Irene Kite Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts Casino History Cliff Phayer Gambling History Gambling: Mobster Control Of Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Gaming History Harry Murdock Harry Price Illinois It Really Happened Mobsters / Gangsters / Syndicate Members (Alleged) / Organizations Paul Delaney United States

Female Axe Murderer Gets Results

1937-1939 In 1937, an Alton, Illinois woman took on the local gambling-Mobsters and the political machine … with an axe. Motivating Factors In Irene Kite‘s county of Madison, gambling was illegal, yet law enforcement and…

Casino History Casino: Corporations: National Jokereno Inc. Casino: Openings Games / Races: Jokereno Gaming History It Really Happened Jokereno Club Nevada Reno--Nevada United States W.F. Bolte William A. De Vellier William J. Hackett

The Brief Tale of Jokereno, Game and Club, in "The Biggest Little City"

1931-1932 In 1931, the year Nevada legalized gambling on a wide open basis, the state’s major metropolis Reno saw the introduction of the game of chance jokereno and the namesake place offering it commercially, the…

Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Lynching Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Kangaroo Saloon (Vicksburg, MS) Mississippi United States Vicksburg--Mississippi

Southern U.S. City's Hatred of Gamblers Culminates in Murder

1835 During Andrew Jackson’s U.S. presidency, anti-gambling sentiment began sweeping the Southern states. By 1835, it had hit Louisiana and was making its way up the Mississippi River. The fever peaked mid-year in Vicksburg, Mississippi…

It Really Happened

War Disables Nevada Tango Club Owners

1941-1952 The 1941 breakout of war between the U.S. and Japan started a series of deleterious events for Nevada’s first tango parlor Reno Club, Inc. and its proprietors. These included a tangle with a newcomer…

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…

Casino History Crystal Bay--Nevada Gambling History Gaming History Hyatt Lake Tahoe / Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe (Incline Village, NV) Incline Village--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada Tahoe Biltmore (Crystal Bay, NV) United States

Two Lake Tahoe Hotel-Casinos Sold in 2021

Acquisitions in the same month of two hotel-casinos near one another at Lake Tahoe in Northern Nevada is anomalous and newsworthy. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino (in Incline Village, NV) Hyatt Hotels…

Caliente--Nevada Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Bubble Peeking Donald E. Rowan Gambling History Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission It Really Happened Nevada Shamrock Club (Caliente, NV) United States

Nevada Gambler-Cum-Mayor Called Out for Bubble Peeking

1955-1956 In March 1955, Nevada gaming regulators accused Caliente mayor Donald E. Rowan of cheating while dealing a 21 game — which is illegal — in the Shamrock Club. He’d operated the Clover Street gambling…

Barboot Coffee House and Casino (Reno, NV) C. Mathias "Matt" Skender Casino History Casino: Openings Gambling History Games / Races: Barbudi It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Greek Gambling Game Barbudi Doesn't Catch on in Reno

1964-1965 “Build it, and they will come” wasn’t a sure thing for gambling houses in Nevada, particularly ones offering an uncommon game. Case in point is the Barboot Coffee House and Casino in Reno. The…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Public Law 93-499 Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Revenue Act of 1951 Gambling: Taxes Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Congress It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Supreme Court United States

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part II

1952-1968 Soon after two new federal taxes — the tax on wagers and the wagering occupational tax — went into effect in late 1951, problems with them arose. (See Part I for a description of…

Gambling History Gambling: Taxes Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service It Really Happened Montana Nevada Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Washington

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part I

1951 Gambling is the lifeblood of organized crime. This was U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver’s conclusion after the Special Committee on Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce, which he headed, concluded its investigation. The Kefauver Committee’s work,…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Shooting Gambling History Hawthorne--Nevada It Really Happened Leonard E. Erickson Nevada United States Vollie "Sam" V. Gonce

Series of Tragedies in Nevada Town Starts Inside Gambling Saloon

1951 A violent episode in a gambling saloon in Hawthorne, Nevada and ensuing events destroyed at least one resident family, the Gonces. A Little Background Vollie “Sam” V. Gonce and Kathleen L. Chapman had tied…

Casino (Reno, NV) Casino History Cincinnati--Ohio Columbus--Ohio Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Misspoted Dice Europe Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Harmony Kid (Lawrence Varner) Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Jim Pents Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Horse Racing Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Hot Springs--Arkansas It Really Happened New York--New York Pekin--Illinois Reno--Nevada United States Washington--Indiana

Extreme and Dangerous: One Gambling Cheat and His Career

1886-1910 The Harmony Kid made his living as a traveling gambling cheat in the U.S. and was known from coast to coast. While primarily a card and dice sharp, Lawrence Varner (1865-1933) also perpetrated swindles…

Casino (Reno, NV) Casino History Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Harmony Kid (Lawrence Varner) Gambling History Gambling: Abolishment Gaming History It Really Happened Louvre (Reno, NV) Nevada United States

"Wild Finish of Naughty Nevada"

1910 Nevada was to cease all gambling operations and activity by midnight September 30, 1910* per a new law, already passed.** The final night, a Friday, was unlike any other before. “Nevada is determined to…