Gambling Laws / Regulations Archives

Casino History Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Public Law 93-499 Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Revenue Act of 1951 Gambling: Taxes Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Congress It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Supreme Court United States

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part II

1952-1968 Soon after two new federal taxes — the tax on wagers and the wagering occupational tax — went into effect in late 1951, problems with them arose. (See Part I for a description of…

Did You Know? Gambling Laws / Regulations Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Operation Penalty

1937 At a time when wide-open gambling was legal in Nevada (as of 1931), the penalty for operating a game of chance without a license was 60 days in the county jail or a $120…

Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Gambling Law of 1931 Gambling License Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Washoe County Commission (NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Supreme Court Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Washoe County Sheriff E. Russell Trathen--Nevada Nevada United States

Lawsuit: I’m Entitled to a Cut

1931 In April 1931, the month after the new, liberal gambling law went into effect (March 19), Washoe County Sheriff E. Russell Trathen, per his job description, collected $20,000 (about $330,000 today) in gambling license…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Act to Prohibit Bucketing and Bucket Shopping Gambling: Bucket Shopping Games / Races: Commodities Gaming History It Really Happened Politicians / Politics: U.S. President William Taft United States

Bucket Shopping: A Species of Gambling

1870s-1920s “I want to go short 1,000 bushels of December wheat, 1 cent on the bushel.” This $10 bet was typical back in the heyday of bucket shops in the United States, between 1870 and…

"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…

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 Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Anti-Lottery Law Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Politicians / Politics: NV Assemblyman Patrick Cline Politicians / Politics: NV Senator William A. Marsh United States

Nevada: Lottery Too Liberal

1937-1939 A ticket would cost $1 (about $17 today). A drawing would be held at least every 90 days, maybe monthly if demand was great enough, on the last Saturday night of the month. It…

Casino History Colony Casino (Reno, NV) Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: Reno Red Line Ordinance Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada United States

Reno’s Divisive Gambling Zone

1947-1970 For some businesses, the Red Line was beneficial; for others, detrimental. The Red Line designated a rectangular region of downtown Reno, Nevada in which casinos with unlimited gambling could exist. Clubs offering gambling outside the…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Regulation 25 Gambling License Gambling: Junkets Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Hawaii It Really Happened Nevada United States

Crooks Exploit Gambling Junkets

1969-present When executives of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada hosted 12 people from Kansas City in 1969 as part of a gambling junket, it unexpectedly backfired. When their guests, after four days at the…

Gambling Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Anti-Lottery Law It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Opportunity Club (Reno, NV)

The Chain Letter Of The Law

1935 Although it was a Ponzi scheme, its lure of big money was too strong for many Renoites to resist. One chain letter business, the Opportunity Club, popped up overnight as part of the nationwide…

Desert Inn (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Laws / Regulations: Nevada's Black Book / Excluded Person List Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Louis Tom Dragna Nevada

Nevada’s Black Book: Civil Rights Violation?

1960-1967 Los Angeles mobsters, Louis Tom Dragna and John “The Bat” Battaglia, conversed in a hotel-casino cocktail lounge on the Las Vegas Strip one day in February 1960. But their visit was cut short when…

California Embassy Club (Gardena, CA) Gambling Gambling Laws / Regulations: CA Anti-Gambling Act Games / Races: Poker It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: CA California Attorney General Ulysses Webb Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Monterey Club (Gardena, CA) United States

Webb’s Wacky War On Poker

1936-Present If it weren’t for gambler Ernest J. Primm’s nerve and fortitude, California’s nearly 90 card clubs wouldn’t exist today. With a gambling license from the City of Gardena (in Los Angeles County), he opened…