Gambling History Archives

Casino History Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Clint Stone Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Gambling History: Books Gambling: Cheating Harrah's (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Card Sharp Pens Tell-Almost-All Book

In the autobiographical book Cheater, the author Clint Stone (likely an alias), paints himself as a lifelong gambling cheat. His specialty is mucking, using sleight of hand, one hand in his case, to introduce a…

91 Club (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Nevada Frontier Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gambling History Nevada Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes Guy McAfee It Really Happened Lake Mead--Nevada Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Pair O' Dice Club Politicians / Politics: U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt Politicians / Politics: U.S. Senator (NV) Key D. Pittman United States

Lake Mead Didn't Become State Park Due to Gambling

1939 With the recent discoveries of dead bodies there, Lake Mead in Southern Nevada has been in the news. The 1.5 million acres encompassing this water body and its environs have been a designated national…

Casino Dream Casino History Errol Flynn Gambling History It Really Happened Virgin Islands (U.S.)

Famous Movie Actor and His Casino Dream

1953-1959 Australian-American actor Errol Flynn was going to open one of the world’s largest casinos, one that would rival Monaco’s Monte Carlo, in the Virgin Islands when gambling was legalized there, he said in 1953.…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Bombings Fort Worth--Texas Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Nelson Harris Nelson's Place (Fort Worth, TX) Texas United States

Car Blast Victim Tied to Gambling, Part III

1950 In the morning, gambler Nelson Harris, 34, telephoned two Fort Worth, Texas criminal attorneys and said he was on his way over to discuss a life and death matter. He and his wife Juanita,…

California Casino History Casino History U.S. Gambling History Gambling History U.S. Gambling: Cheating Devices: Faro Dealing Boxes Gambling: Cheating Devices: Manufacturers: Joseph Graves Gambling: Cheating Devices: Manufacturers: Will & Finck Gambling: Cheating Devices: Prepared Cards Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Faro: Dealing Box Makers: Joseph Graves Games / Races: Faro: Dealing Box Makers: Robert Bailey Games / Races: Faro: Dealing Box Makers: Will & Finck It Really Happened United States Virginia

Faro Breeds Cunning Card Sharps En Masse

1700s-1950s Faro stands out in U.S. gambling history. The imported card game dominated the industry here for a long time, about 100 years. “Tiger” was the country’s favorite gambling pastime during the 1800s, though played…

Advertisements Casino History Gambling History Harolds Club (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Reno--Nevada United States

Place For a Roaring Good Time

1949 The Smiths, who owned and operated Harolds Club in Reno, Nevada appropriately named their casino Roaring Camp. Generally, a roaring camp was “a gold-prospecting camp characterized by wild behavior, unrestrained drinking and gambling,” according…

California Casino History California Casino History Nevada Casino History U.S. Charles Binaggio Colma--California Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Tax Evasion Elmer "Bones" F. Remmer Emilio "Gombo" Georgetti Gambler (Operators/Players): Cemeteries Buried In: Mountain View Cemetery Gambling History Gambling History California Gambling History Nevada Gambling History U.S. Gambling: Illegal Gaming History Horseshoe Club / Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Kansas City--Missouri McNeil Island Corrections Center (WA) Nevada Reno--Nevada Samuel "Sam" F. Termini San Mateo County--California Tahoe Biltmore (Crystal Bay, NV) United States Willow Tree (Colma, CA)

10 Intriguing Facts About Mob Tied Gambler Sam Termini

1928-1972 Samuel “Sam” F. Termini (1903-1972) was known as a small-time racketeer who worked at and operated gambling enterprises mostly for others. Here are 10 interesting tidbits about him and his life: Gambling History 1)…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities It Really Happened Seattle--Washington Washington

Hate When That Happens

1934 A man named Hans Brucksmer played about $15 worth of nickels (about $300 today) in a slot machine at a place of business in Seattle, Washington and got only four coins back. He lifted…

Casino History Charles Enquist Divorce / Annulment G.W. Summerfield Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada The Big Casino (Tonopah, NV) Tonopah--Nevada United States William S. Johnson

U.S. Runs Gambling House in Nevada

1913-1915 Circumstances of a lawsuit in the U.S. led to an unusual occurrence, even for Nevada: the federal government taking over and running a Silver State casino. It was The Big Casino, a combination casino,…

Blakeland Inn (Denver, CO) Casino History Colorado Cottonwood Ranch (Denver, CO) Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Bombings Denver--Colorado Gambling History It Really Happened Leo Barnes Ova "Smiling Charlie" Elijah Stephens United States

Series: Car Blast Victim Tied to Gambling, Part II

1936 Gambler Leo Barnes and his wife had only been in Denver, Colorado for about six months, having moved from Kansas City, Missouri. On the night of Dec. 8, the couple got in their car…

Casino History Chicago--Illinois Defense Attorneys: George Beiber Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gaming History Illinois It Really Happened Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo United States

Mobster Avoids Trial With Clever Scheme

1943-1944 Had it not been for a shifty plan Tony “Joe Batters” Accardo and/or his attorney, George Bieber dreamed up, the Mobster might’ve gone to prison at age 37, in 1944, for illegal gambling. Cigar Store…

Alphonse "Al/Scarface" Capone Casino History Chicago--Illinois Continental Press Service (Chicago, IL) Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Fremont Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Animated Gaming History Havana--Cuba Illinois It Really Happened Las Vegas--Nevada Nevada Nick Bosa Owl Club (Calumet City, IL) Paul "The Waiter" Ricca Riviera (Las Vegas, NV) Stardust (Las Vegas, NV) The Outfit (Chicago, IL) Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo United States

Bosa Bros.' Mobster Great Grandfather Involved in Gambling

1935-1965 Tony Accardo, né Antonino Leonardo Accardo (1906-1992), is credited with reviving and expanding the Chicago Outfit’s gambling business in the 1940s after the organization’s head Paul “The Waiter” Ricca named him underboss. Accardo himself…