Gambling Archives

Big Hat (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishment: Duel Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Gambling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Sam Baker United States

The Duel at Big Hat

1948 Arthur T. Morgan belligerently stormed into the Big Hat casino on Highway 91 (outside Las Vegas, Nevada) at about 1:30 a.m. on a Friday night in spring. He immediately began heckling, threatening to shoot…

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…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Out of Time

1936 A thief took the trouble of entering a Los Angeles, California café through a skylight to rob the slot and marble games. But instead of getting the heck out after that was successful, he…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gaming History Geographical Areas Nevada Ponderosa (Reno, NV) Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling Debut Delay

1967 When the owners of the Ponderosa — Reno, Nevada’s newest major hotel (at 515 S. Virginia Street, now the Wild Orchid) — were about to debut gambling, with a celebratory first throwing of the dice, they ran into…

Cactus Pete's (Jackpot, NV) Casino History Diamond Jim's (Jackpot, NV) Elko--Nevada Gambling History Gambling: Revenue Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Horshu Club (Jackpot, NV) It Really Happened Jackpot--Nevada Nevada Tex's Gateway (Jackpot, NV) The 93 (Jackpot, NV) Twin Falls--Idaho United States

Gambling Affront: Elko Disses Jackpot

1960 When one rural Nevada town grew into a gambling hot spot in the mid-1900s, the gamblers in another loudly grumbled. Soon after Idaho outlawed slot machines, its last vestige of legal gambling, the sagebrush-…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Nevada Bookmaking Legalized

1941 In an override of Governor Edward Carville’s veto, Nevada legislators legalized bookmaking. The law explained that “the receiving of bets or wagers on horse races held without the state of Nevada shall be deemed to be…

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

Quick Fact – Cha-Ching!

1936 An $11,800 gambling win (about $205,000 today) was the largest ever in Las Vegas to that point. The payout went to a man named A. “Blacksmith” Sweitzer after playing 21 (blackjack) for two hours, starting…

Casino History Casino: Financings: Teamsters Pension Fund Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Jai Alai Governing / Regulatory Bodies: National Labor Relations Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service It Really Happened MGM Grand Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) MGM Grand Hotel (Reno, NV) Nevada Sin City United States

MGM Grand’s Gamble on Jai Alai

1974-1983 A revolt of the performers — athletes in this case — threatened to close a popular attraction at the MGM Grand Hotel in Las Vegas — jai alai. Unique to the Strip at the…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Behind the Word “Casino”

Today A casino is a place that houses and facilitates various gambling forms, according to the English, but a casino or kasino is an officers’ mess hall to the Germans, Spanish and others. In Italian,…