Nevada Makes Gamblers Choose

Albert Anastasia, Casino History, Charles "Lucky" Luciano, Clifford "Cliff" A. Jones, Cuba, Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV), Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV), Gambling, Gambling History, Gambling Laws / Regulations, Gaming History, Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board, Hilton (Havana, Cuba), It Really Happened, Jake Lansky, Las Vegas--Nevada, Meyer Lansky, Nacional (Havana, Cuba), Nevada, Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fidel Castro, Riviera (Havana, Cuba), Sands (Las Vegas, NV), Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV), United States, Wilbur ClarkLeave a comment

1957-1959 During Nevada’s 1957 legislature, State Senator Kenneth Johnson (R-Ormsby), voiced his concerns about some of the state’s gambling licensees* simultaneously co-owning Cuban casinos. He feared that: • Nevada licensees might form alliances with U.S. Mobsters in Havana, who primarily ran gambling there • Nevada licensees might use those relationships to hide Mob interests in…

Cuban Casino Push

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel, Casino History, Casino International (Havana, Cuba), Clifford "Cliff" A. Jones, Cuba, Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV), Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV), Gambling, Gambling History, Gaming History, Hilton (Havana, Cuba), Hy Abrams, It Really Happened, Las Vegas--Nevada, Moe Dalitz, Morris Kleinmann, Nacional (Havana, Cuba), Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fulgencia Batista, Riviera (Havana, Cuba), Thomas McGinty, Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV), United States, Wilbur ClarkLeave a comment

1952–1958 When Fulgencio Batista returned to power as president in Cuba in 1952, he aimed to foster a gambling empire from which he could generate revenue for his coffers. To facilitate casino development, he and his administration: • Restricted gambling licenses to hotels or nightclubs worth $1 million or more • Waived taxes, which were…

Quick Fact – Road to Monopoly?

Castaways (Las Vegas, NV), Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV), Did You Know?, Frontier (Las Vegas, NV), Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission, Howard Hughes, Las Vegas Strip / S. Las Vegas Boulevard, Las Vegas--Nevada, Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Department of Justice, Laws: U.S. Sherman Anti-Trust Act, Nevada, Quick Facts, Sands (Las Vegas, NV), Silver Slipper (Las Vegas, NV), United StatesLeave a comment

1968 Howard Hughes, billionaire industrialist, received the Nevada Gaming Commission’s blessing to buy the Stardust hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada for $30.5 million and moved forward with the acquisition. He already owned five such properties on the Strip — the Castaways, Silver Slipper, Frontier, Sands and Desert Inn. (Adding the Stardust would’ve given him control…

Frank Sinatra’s Hissy Fits

Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, NV), Frank Sinatra, Gambling, Games / Races: Baccarat, Howard Hughes, It Really Happened, Las Vegas--Nevada, Sands (Las Vegas, NV)Leave a comment

1967 & 1970 Apparently, the beloved crooner Frank Sinatra, Sr. had a temper, which he sometimes unleashed when casino operators denied him additional, excessive amounts of credit when gambling. In one instance when Sinatra lost control, he wound up losing two front teeth. That was in 1967, when he provoked a fight with Carl Cohen,…

Quick Fact – Sands Silver

Did You Know?, Gambling Currency: Coins, Las Vegas--Nevada, Nevada, Quick Facts, Sands (Las Vegas, NV)Leave a comment

1956 As revelers welcomed the new year at the Sands in Las Vegas, Nevada, management gave every guest (an estimated 18,000 of them) a brand new silver dollar. Additionally, they gifted each of the 700 women in the showroom a satin bag filled with 25 silver dollars. That’s a total giveaway of $35,500 (a $311,000 value…