Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club Fronts / Workers / Bookmakers / Dealers Archives

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Morrey Brodsky Nevada United States

Club Cal-Neva Permits Horseplay

1950 Susan Wallace, a 24-year-old, “plucky blonde” who resided in Hollywood, California, needed money to further her opera studies (Nevada State Journal, Jan. 8, 1950). In early January, she sent telegrams to the casinos in…

"Legend" Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.K. Betting and Gaming Act Gaming History It Really Happened Laurie O'Leary London--England Reginald "Reggie" Kray Ronald "Ronnie" Kray United Kingdom Wandsworth Reform Prison (London, England)

Esmeralda’s Barn: The Hijacked Casino (Part 1)

1960-1963 Twins, Reginald “Reggie” and Ronald “Ronnie” Kray, gained notoriety as powerful and murderous gangsters in London, England in the 1950s and 1960s. During their reign of terror, their involvement in organized crime included protection…

Advertisements Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Golden Gulch (Reno, NV) James H. Lloyd Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Reno Casino Re-Opening

1947 The Golden Gulch casino re-debuted on June 27 under new management, that of James H. Lloyd. He’d had the gaming rooms and bar remodeled “with decorations featuring the ornate Victorian motif and stressing the…

Casino History Clarence Shockey Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Keno-Pool Gaming History It Really Happened La Boite Amusement Palace (Reno, NV) Nevada United States Welker Cochran

Keno-Pool Parlor Pops Up

1932 Bizarrely, Clarence Shockey’s stint as a Nevada gambling club manager was short. Here’s what happened: Week One July 11, Monday: The Reno City Council approved a gambling license for Clarence, who’d worked in real…

Basin Street (Reno, NV) Casino History Ethnic Groups: Asians Gambling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History George Chin Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Harry Chon It Really Happened Nevada Old Cathay Club (Reno, NV) United States

The Big Squeeze at Reno Casino

1955-1966 Harry Chon, licensed operator of the gambling operations at the Old Cathay Club* in Reno, Nevada, found himself in an uncomfortable spot, under pressure from two parties, in 1956. The story begins about a…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Wiretapping Defense Attorneys Defense Attorneys: Harry Claiborne Defense Attorneys: Oscar Goodman Detroit--Michigan Elliot Paul Price Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Gambling: Illegal Gambling: Raids Gaming History Georgia Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service It Really Happened Jerome Zarowitz Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Miami Beach--Florida Nevada New York--New York Ohio Palm Springs--California Rose Bowl Sports Book (Las Vegas, NV) Sanford Waterman United States

Feds Pounce on Vegas Racketeers

1970-1975 In a massive, coordinated effort, federal agents raided illegal bookmaking operations throughout the U.S. with ties to organized crime. On December 12, 1970, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) agents…

Albert Anastasia Casino History Charles "Lucky" Luciano Clifford Jones Cuba Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Jake Lansky Meyer Lansky Nevada Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fidel Castro United States Wilbur Clark

Nevada Makes Gamblers Choose

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.…

California Casino History Charles Cora Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Hanging Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Fort Gunnybags (San Francisco, CA) Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System Law Enforcement / Judicial System: General William Richardson Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Vigilance Committee San Francisco--California United States

California Faro Dealer Loses It … All

1855-1856 Charles and Arabella “Bell” Cora were a colorful, rich and well-known San Francisco couple whose lives jolted into misfortune one Saturday night in 1855. He, 39, had made his money from dealing faro in…