Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club, Slot Route Owners / Operators / Licensees / Gamblers Archives

A.A. Baroni Block N (Reno, NV) Casino History Elite Cigar Store (Reno, NV) Gambling Gambling Currency Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Nevada Committee on Good Laws Overland Hotel (Reno, NV) Washoe Lunch Counter (Reno, NV)

The Truth Lies Within

1925 As of 1915, Nevada gambling law only allowed slot machines that discharged tokens, or bingles, exchangeable for on-site merchandise; those that paid out in money or bingles redeemable for currency were forbidden. “The fact…

Apache Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Continental Press Service (Chicago, IL) Dave Stearns Ed Margolis El Dorado Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gambling: Race Wire Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Golden Nugget Race Wire (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Clark County Sheriff Glen Jones--Nevada Laws: Federal Communications Act Meyer Lansky Moe Sedway Morris Rosen Nevada Sam Stearns Santa Anita Turf Club (Las Vegas, NV) Sin City United States

Mysterious Horse Racing Broadcast

1948-1950 In between dispatch orders, a Las Vegas, Nevada taxi driver fleetingly picked up the announcement of horse racing information on his cab radio one day in mid-October, 1948. He informed Clark County Sheriff Glen…

Casino History Did You Know? El Rey Club (Searchlight, NV) Gambling History Gaming History Quick Facts Searchlight--Nevada Willie Martello

Quick Fact – The Customer is an Ass

1947-1962 A wild burro sauntered into the popular gambling spot, the El Rey Club in Searchlight, Nevada at about 11 o’clock every morning. It approached the proprietor, Willie Martello, who always fed it something he…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Casino International (Havana, Cuba) Clifford Jones Cuba Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Hilton (Havana, Cuba) Hy Abrams It Really Happened Moe Dalitz Morris Kleinmann Nacional (Havana, Cuba) Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fulgencia Batista Riviera (Havana, Cuba) Thomas McGinty United States Wilbur Clark

Cuban Casino Push

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…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Raymond A. Smith

Quick Fact – Mice and Men

1936 Soon after Harolds Club opened in Reno, the main attraction, for only about a week, was mouse roulette, “where customers bet their small change on what color or number a scampering rodent would choose…

Casino History Chico Marx Commercial Hotel/Monte Carlo Casino (Elko, NV) Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Entertainment Gambling History Gaming History Lawrence Welk Nevada Newton Crumley Paul Whiteman Quick Facts Sophie Tucker Ted Lewis The Andrews Sisters United States

Quick Fact – Casino Trendsetter

1941 Nevada casinos are known for their big-name entertainment, and it all started in the city of Elko. In spring 1941, Newton Crumley, the owner of the Commercial Hotel and its Monte Carlo Casino, engaged…

Gambling Games / Races: Keno Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board: Ed Olsen It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Robert Van Santen United States

Bilking of Vegas’ Nevada Club

1961-1966 Early in 1961, Michael Catrone, 60, an apartment complex owner, presented to the Nevada Club in Las Vegas a winning keno ticket for $25,000 ($198,000 today). Yet the casino’s general manager didn’t pay it…

Anthony "Tough Tony" Capezzio Chicago--Illinois Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Kidnapping Edward "Red" Meehan Edward P. Jones Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins Games / Races: Policy / Numbers George Jones It Really Happened Matt Capone Mexico Ralph "Bottles" Capone Sam "Golf Bag" Hunt Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo United States

Gambling Czar Abduction Mystery

1946 Two brothers — Edward P. and George Jones — freely controlled Chicago, Illinois’ policy* racket for 25 years, beginning in the 1920s. As a result, the two raked in money, $10 to $30 million…

California It Really Happened John Ascuaga Nugget Motor Lodge / Dick Graves' Nugget / John Ascuaga's Nugget (Sparks, NV) United States

Pay Up Or Blow Up — Reno/Sparks

1970-1971 In the summer of 1970, a package and suitcase found in a Sparks Nugget Motor Lodge room in Northern Nevada with a note affixed saying to please deliver the items to Nugget owner John…

Gambling License 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…

Gambling: Debt It Really Happened Jimmy "The Greek" Snyder Nathan Jacobson

Let’s Get Ready to Rumble

1975 In the spring, Jimmy “The Greek” Snyder, a Las Vegas oddsmaker and bookie, punched, knocked down and kicked casino magnate, Nathan Jacobson, in a Caesars Palace hallway in a confrontation over a debt he…

Emigrant Pass Ernest Dennison Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: NV Police Superintendent Lester C. Moody Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Attorney General Alan Bible Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Vail Pittman Roadside Zoos (Nevada)

Too Cozy With Illegal Gamblers

1948 A real or perceived protective relationship with illegal gambling operators got Nevada Police Superintendent Lester C. Moody fired. Governor Vail Pittman, who’d appointed Moody to the position two years before, terminated him in May…