Geographical Areas Archives

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts The Westerner (Las Vegas, NV) United States

Quick Fact – Crossed Wires

1951 Upon entering The Westerner casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, an electrician told the guard he’d been dispatched to repair a boiler connection. After being admitted to the utility room, he produced a pistol and…

Bank Club (Reno, NV) Gambler (Operators/Players): Estate Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Jack Sullivan / John D. Scarlett Nevada United States Willows (Reno, NV)

An Inside Look at Late Gambler’s Estate

1951 Canada-born Jack Sullivan, né John D. Scarlett, had co-owned and run the Bank Club for two decades and prior to that, the Willows (it burned down in 1932) — both Reno, Nevada casino hotspots.…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins--Brass Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Nevada State Prison (Carson City, NV) Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Brass in Pocket

1967 The month following closure of its on-site Bullpen casino, the Nevada State Prison sold the brass coins that inmates had used for decades (since 1932) for wagering and as currency. Sets, containing one coin…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Did You Know? Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gambling: Raids Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Threefold Pettiness

1940 After some angry husbands in Los Angeles, California complained their wives were gambling away the grocery money, two vice squad officers raided the Monday night birthday party of Ann Dicker, a 73-year-old great-grandmother, at…

Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Education Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: B.C. Wills & Co. Gaming History Golden Hotel (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Monaco Nevada

Nevada Schools Monte Carlo on Craps

1949 “Eight the hard way!” “It’s the Big Dick!” “Next shooter, please!” “Seven, you lose!” When translated into the French language, these common phrases shouted by stickmen during craps lose their pizazz and bite, their…

Casino d'Istanbul (Istanbul, Turkey) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Bombings Gambling History Games / Races: Baccarat Games / Races: Chemin de Fer Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Hot Springs--Arkansas Istanbul--Turkey It Really Happened

Former Illegal U.S. Gamblers Open Turkey’s First Casino

1969-1975 A bomb exploded on the Casino d’Istanbul’s roof, injuring several people, on the night of Saturday, May 1, 1971. It happened during a banquet hosted by the Dayton, Ohio-based National Cash Register Company and…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Equipment: Seizures Gaming History It Really Happened Plumas County--California United States

The Illegal, Future-Telling Slot Machine Dilemma

1957 These fortunes and statements were what appeared in the display of a particular slot machine when one read the whole reel from left to right. Short three- to five-word phrases replaced the typical fruit…

Did You Know? Events: World War II Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gaming History Michigan Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling Sympathy Strike

1943 A site protection officer disciplined nine workers for shooting dice in a restroom and instructed them to report to the labor relations officer. This happened during the night shift at the Ford Motor Company…

Advertisements Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Nevada Club (Reno, NV) Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Select Workers Only

1965 Interesting age and marital status restrictions are specified in this help wanted ad for casino personnel:

Boulder Club (Las Vegas, NV) Casino History Clara Bow Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Debt Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Louis Cornero Meadows (Las Vegas, NV) Nevada Quick Facts Rex Bell United States

Quick Fact – The Hard Way or the Easy Way

1931-1932 Actors Clara Bow and Rex Bell gambled at the Meadows in Las Vegas in summer 1931 and racked up a $1,100 loss (about $18,000 today), for which they left an IOU. By December, the…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Dallas--Texas Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Lester "Benny" Binion Meyer Lansky Nevada United States

10 Intriguing Facts About Gambling Kingpin “Benny” Binion

Today Although Texas-born Lester B. “Benny” Binion (1904-1989) no longer is with us, he remains a legend among Las Vegas casino owners and operators — gamblers, in industry parlance. Iconic even in his appearance —…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles city jail Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Joint Features Gambling

1916 The Los Angeles city jail was likely the only legalized casino in California, with gambling taking place daily to a shocking extent, declared Faith Chevaillier, a woman whom President Chester Arthur appointed to evaluate…