Gaming History Archives

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gambling: Illegal Gaming History Quick Facts United States Washington

Quick Fact – Evidence? What Evidence?

1934 When police raided an illegal gambling den in Kingston, Washington, one of the players present, Raymond Johnson, swallowed the dice. In court after his arrest, the judge gave him 30 days to “digest” and…

Boulder City--Nevada Casino History F.J. Warren Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Bingo Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Poker Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Henderson--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada O.T. Buck Railroad Pass Club (Henderson, NV) United States

Casino Entertains Hoover Dam Workers

1931 Twenty-six miles southeast of Las Vegas, the United States government, in 1931, developed Boulder City as the place to house men working on the Hoover Dam (originally Boulder Dam). The Bureau of Reclamation required…

Bad Homburg--Germany Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Did You Know? Europe Francois Blanc Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Monaco Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – European v. American Roulette

1840s-Today Gambler Francois Blanc, at his casino in Bad Homburg, Germany, introduced roulette in the early 1840s with only 0 and no 00 on the wheel and table layout, a choice he stuck with when…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Riviera (Las Vegas, NV) Tony Martin United States

Quick Fact – Application Red Flags

1960-1961 Singer Tony Martin applied for a gambling license to acquire a 2 percent interest for $50,000 ($410,000 today) in the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Investigation into his background revealed he’d served two days…

Bank Club (Elko, NV) Casino History Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Elko Casino Targeted

1934 After hiding somewhere in the building, a person robbed the Bank Club casino’s safe of $500 in silver change (about $9,000 today) between 4 and 6 p.m. on a Wednesday in early December. This…

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

Quick Fact – Casino Credit Component

1970s Caesars Palace in Las Vegas extended $160 million in credit to players in 1977. This was more than the then-considered staggering $106 million cost of the original MGM Grand (early ’70s), also in Sin City, and…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Morrey Brodsky Nevada United States

Club Cal-Neva Permits Horseplay

1950 Susan Wallace, a 24-year-old, “plucky blonde” who resided in Hollywood, California, needed money to further her opera studies (Nevada State Journal, Jan. 8, 1950). In early January, she sent telegrams to the casinos in…

Casino History Esmeralda's Barn (London, England) Gambling History Gaming History Geographical Areas It Really Happened London--England Reginald "Reggie" Kray Ronald "Ronnie" Kray

Esmeralda’s Barn: The Hijacked Casino (Part 2)

1960-1963 Esmeralda’s Barn in London, England initially flourished under the ownership of twin brothers and gangsters, Reggie and Ronnie Kray. The place to be seen in the West End, famous politicians and celebrities frequented it —…

"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 Chicago--Illinois Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling Tools’ Fate

1895 Chicago gamblers waged a long, hard legal battle against the law that allowed police and other authorities to destroy casino equipment seized during the execution of a search warrant. The fight ended, however, in 1895…

Artists / Designers Artists / Designers: Lewis "Lew" Hymers Artists / Designers: Pat Denner Artists / Designers: Roscoe "Duke" Reading Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Mascots Gambling: Mascots: Bucky Buckaroo Gambling: Mascots: Last Chance Joe Gambling: Mascots: Vegas Vic Gambling: Mascots: Wendover Will Gaming History It Really Happened Pioneer Club (Las Vegas, NV) State Line Hotel and Casino (Wendover, NV) United States Wendover / West Wendover--Nevada

4 Iconic Gambling Characters

1940s-Today They’re one of a kind. Dazzling. Captivating. Iconic. Pure Nevada. They’re the mascots of the state’s gambling industry. They graced the facades of casinos in the gambling meccas, and some still do. Rather than…

Advertisements Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Golden Gulch (Reno, NV) James H. Lloyd Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Reno Casino Re-Opening

1947 The Golden Gulch casino re-debuted on June 27 under new management, that of James H. Lloyd. He’d had the gaming rooms and bar remodeled “with decorations featuring the ornate Victorian motif and stressing the…