Gambling History Archives

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Loss Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Matrimonial Diss

1947 Hollywood actress Mildred Jenkins testified in court about her wedding night in Nevada. After marrying A.Q. Bonner, Jr., a Northern California rancher, the two had breakfast and went to a casino. “A.Q. lost all…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Gambling History Gaming History Harrah's Lake Tahoe (Stateline, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Stateline--Nevada United States

Crime: The Harrah’s Holdup

1972-1973 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. No names have been changed, as there were no innocents. This is the city, Stateline, Nevada. It’s the gambling mecca of Lake…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Kansas Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gamble Gone Really Wrong

1921 Two Minnesotans each wagered $5,000 (about $67,000 today) on a new Fort Scott, Kansas oil well not producing 25 barrels the first day. Twenty-seven Kansans pooled the same amount and bet the opposite. The…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Regulation 25 Gambling: Junkets Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Harry Wald It Really Happened Japan Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Nevada United States

Gambling Junkets Cause International Discord

1974-1975 For many Japan-based businessmen, gambling trips to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada turned nightmarish. Kikumaru Okuda, 46, also a resident of the Land of the Rising Sun, and a film producer with Toho Film…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Bingo Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Detrimental Game of Chance

1956 The gambling licensees of the Dunes and Silver Slipper casinos applied to restart bingo on the premises, but the Nevada Gaming Commission denied their request, stating that the return of the game to the Las…

"711 Ocean Drive" Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Boulder City--Nevada California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Harassment / Intimidation Edmond O'Brien Frank N. Seltzer (Producer) Gambling History Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History It Really Happened Joanne Dru Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Gangster Squad Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lieutenant William "Bill" Burns Mickey Cohen Nevada Palm Springs--California United States

Mobsters Threaten Hollywood Filmmaker

1950 In late 1948, Hollywood movie producer, Frank N. Seltzer — known for the movies, Jungle Patrol and Let’s Live Again, which debuted that same year — began research for his next project, 711 Ocean…

Casino History Death Valley--California Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Coin Toss Gaming History Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Life Staked on Coin Toss

1909 Businessman David Eldridge and self-described “desert rat,” Malapai Mike, traveled 40 miles across Death Valley in California to investigate a proposed power site for the Brockington Company in Boston, Massachusetts. On their return, they got…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Gambling Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Reno Police Department--Nevada Nevada United States

Gunfire Roils Crowded Harolds Club

1947-1953 Harolds Club bustled on Christmas Eve in 1947 with revelers enjoying the gambling and camaraderie when an unexpected event instantly silenced the din. Panic followed. Since the previous morning, Reno, Nevada police had been…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gambling: Prizes Games / Races: Tango Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Bonus of Hosiery

1946 Some Las Vegas, Nevada casinos handed out women’s nylons as slot machine and tango game* prizes. When the city’s board of commissioners found out, they banned it, threatening repeat offenders with losing their gambling…

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 Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Ban Gaming History Gold Hill Mining District (Utah Territory) Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Early Gambling Ban

1859 Before Nevada became a state (1864), a few hundred miners at Gold Hill — in what then was the Territory of Utah — passed some anti-crime laws. One forbade gambling: “No Banking games, under…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Grafting Ethnic Groups: Asians Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Los Angeles City Council (CA) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Captain of Police Captain of Police C.A. Ketlar Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Chief of Police J.W. Davis Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles Police Department Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Officer John L. Fonck United States

Dirty Police Chief in City of Angels?

1886 In fall 1886, Officer John L. Fonck confronted one of his superiors face to face. He charged Chief of Police J.W. Davis with “standing in with the gamblers,” in other words, allowing them to…