Events Archives

Casino History Circus Circus (Las Vegas, NV) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Gambling Disruptions Events: Strikes / Protests Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Governor Mike O'Callaghan United States

Protests Deliberately Disrupt Gambling in Las Vegas

1971 Actress Jane Fonda and renowned activists led about 900 people down the Las Vegas Strip on March 6, 1971, a Saturday, in protest of welfare cutbacks. “Today we launched a spring offensive and…

Casino History Did You Know? Events: Seattle World's Fair / Century 21 Exposition Gambling Gambling Currency Gambling Currency: Pseudo Coins / Slugs Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – The Right Size

1962 After the Seattle World’s Fair, or the Century 21 Exposition, the bronze coins used as trade dollars during that event appeared in slot machines throughout Nevada.

Casino History Casino: Takeovers Did You Know? Europe Events: Frank Zappa and the Mothers of Invention Concert Gambling History Gaming History Montreux Casino (Montreux, Switzerland) Montreux--Switzerland Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Inspired by Life

1971 The sight of Switzerland’s Montreux Casino burning down on December 4, 1971 was the inspiration for Deep Purple’s hit song, Smoke on the Water. A fan firing a flare gun during a Frank Zappa…

Did You Know? Events: World War II Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gaming History Michigan Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling Sympathy Strike

1943 A site protection officer disciplined nine workers for shooting dice in a restroom and instructed them to report to the labor relations officer. This happened during the night shift at the Ford Motor Company…

Casino History Charles Mapes Events: Daylight Saving Time Gambling History Gambling: Revenue Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Raymond "Pappy" I. Smith United States

Gamblers Oppose Daylight Saving Time

1949 Casino owners balked when the question of going on daylight saving time (DST) arose in Nevada in 1949. Gamblers’ Outcries Charles Mapes, owner of the Mapes hotel-casino in Reno, made a few arguments: •…

Casino, Gambling Saloon, Card Club Fronts / Workers / Bookmakers / Dealers Cuba Events: World War II Games / Races: Dog Racing Games / Races: Horse Racing It Really Happened Mexico Nevada United States

WWII: Impact on Nevada’s Gambling

1944-1945 In the final year of World War II, three related mandates hampered Nevada’s gambling clubs, but, in general, casinos willingly withstood the hits out of a sense of patriotic duty. These directives, imposed by…

Beausoleil--France Casino History Did You Know? Europe Events: World War I France Games / Races: Baccarat Games / Races: Petits-chevaux Gaming History Le Casino Municipal de Beausoleil (Beausoleil, France) Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Put Into Service

1907-1918 In 1918, the United States Army requisitioned Le Casino Municipal de Beausoleil, in France on its border with Monaco, for a YMCA center for World War I infantrymen on leave. In the main former…

Archie Sneed Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Elmer West Ernest "Ernie" J. Primm Events: World War II Frank Richardson Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Joseph Hall Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Military Nevada Palace Club (Reno, NV) United States

Lawsuit: You Won’t Get Away With It

1945-1946 Alfred E. Cushman entered the Palace Club, in uniform, shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 11, 1945. Prior to that, the recently discharged U.S. Army veteran participated in the Armistice Day parade in…

Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Did You Know? Events: World War II Gambling History Gaming History Monaco Quick Facts Ships: HMS Sickle

Quick Fact – Miss and Hit

1943 The British submarine, HMS Sickle, fired a succession of torpedoes during World War II, in May, sinking an enemy vessel in Cape Ferrat, southeastern France. But one of the missiles hit a cliff in…

Barn Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Events: World War II Folsom State Prison (CA) Gambling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Irving Cowan It Really Happened Jack Fugitt Joseph Scrivani Larry Tripp Louis "Lou" J. Wertheimer Nevada Northern Club (Reno, NV) Otell "Mike" Micheletti United States Walter Oswald William Lawrence Hunger aka Larry Brady

Criminals, Money Problems Plague Reno Casino

1940-1943 The Barn Club casino’s existence during World War II was rocky and, therefore, cut short. It began in December 1940, when Jack Fugitt, an entertainment machine business owner, and Walter Oswald, assumed the lease…

Boxers / Fight Promoters: James W. Coffroth California Casino History Events Events: Panama-Pacific International Exposition Events: Panama-Pacific International Exposition: '49 Camp (San Francisco, CA) Gambling Gambling Currency: Scrip Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Wheel of Fortune Gaming History It Really Happened Samuel "Sam" P. Davis San Francisco--California United States

Gambling Trouble at World’s Fair in San Francisco

1915 The ’49 Camp, one of the attractions at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, offered a gambling experience in which chips could be bought for money but cashed only for free-admission coupons for the other…