Geographical Areas Archives

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Casino International (Havana, Cuba) Clifford Jones Cuba Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Hilton (Havana, Cuba) Hy Abrams It Really Happened Moe Dalitz Morris Kleinmann Nacional (Havana, Cuba) Politicians / Politics: Cuba President Fulgencia Batista Riviera (Havana, Cuba) Thomas McGinty United States Wilbur Clark

Cuban Casino Push

1952–1958 When Fulgencio Batista returned to power as president in Cuba in 1952, he aimed to foster a gambling empire from which he could generate revenue for his coffers. To facilitate casino development, he and…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Chips Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Gaming History Quick Facts Ships: American-Hawaiian Steamship Company United States

Quick Fact – Hit Them in the Pocketbook

1913 During an era of reform in the United States, the American-Hawaiian Steamship Co. tried to discourage gambling by raising the freight rate on poker chips transported from New York to the West Coast by…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Art: Golden Rooster Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Dick Graves Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit United States

Golden Rooster: Advertising or Art?

1957-1962 Perhaps it was a bird-brained idea; perhaps not. In 1957, Dick Graves, the owner of the Nugget, in Sparks, Nevada, commissioned a handcrafted, solid gold rooster for display in one of his hotel-casino restaurants,…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Raymond A. Smith

Quick Fact – Mice and Men

1936 Soon after Harolds Club opened in Reno, the main attraction, for only about a week, was mouse roulette, “where customers bet their small change on what color or number a scampering rodent would choose…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission: Ray Warren Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission: Robbins Cahill It Really Happened Last Frontier (Las Vegas, NV) Phoenix--Arizona Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Politicians / Politics: U.S. Senator (TN) Estes Kefauver

Public Relations Nightmare for Nevada Gambling

1951-1952 Gambling boomed in Las Vegas, Nevada immediately following Senator Estes Kefauver and his committee’s nationwide investigation into organized crime. The 27 hearings the group conducted in 14 United States cities in 1950 and 1951…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Incline Village--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts Restaurants / Chefs: Denny's Restaurants Inc. United States

Quick Fact – Diners and Casinos?

1968-1969 Can you imagine if Denny’s was in Nevada’s casino business? Well, it nearly happened. In 1968 Denny’s Restaurants, Inc. had reached an agreement to acquire Caesars Palace in Las Vegas but didn’t go through…

Casino History Chico Marx Commercial Hotel/Monte Carlo Casino (Elko, NV) Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Entertainment Gambling History Gaming History Lawrence Welk Nevada Newton Crumley Paul Whiteman Quick Facts Sophie Tucker Ted Lewis The Andrews Sisters United States

Quick Fact – Casino Trendsetter

1941 Nevada casinos are known for their big-name entertainment, and it all started in the city of Elko. In spring 1941, Newton Crumley, the owner of the Commercial Hotel and its Monte Carlo Casino, engaged…

It Really Happened James Mann / Bernard Louvre Saloon (Goldfield, NV) Oberon (Reno, NV) United States Wieland Saloon (Reno, NV)

Gambler’s Drunken Stupidity

1904-1905 Criminal drama occurred between two men late one November morning in the Wieland saloon in Reno, Nevada in 1904. James Mann, a Wyoming man who sometimes worked in Silver State gambling clubs — the…

Gambling Games / Races: Keno Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board: Ed Olsen It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Robert Van Santen United States

Bilking of Vegas’ Nevada Club

1961-1966 Early in 1961, Michael Catrone, 60, an apartment complex owner, presented to the Nevada Club in Las Vegas a winning keno ticket for $25,000 ($198,000 today). Yet the casino’s general manager didn’t pay it…

Did You Know? Edie Adams Ernie Kovacs Gambling Games / Races: Poker Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – A Splurge For a Splurge

1954-1962 Each time her husband, Ernie Kovacs, lost big at poker, actress Edie Adams bought herself a chinchilla coat or antique harpsichord. When the bills for those purchases arrived, he’d say, “We can’t afford this!”…

Anthony "Tough Tony" Capezzio Chicago--Illinois Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Kidnapping Edward "Red" Meehan Edward P. Jones Gambling Gambling Currency: Coins Games / Races: Policy / Numbers George Jones It Really Happened Matt Capone Mexico Ralph "Bottles" Capone Sam "Golf Bag" Hunt Tony "Joe Batters" Accardo United States

Gambling Czar Abduction Mystery

1946 Two brothers — Edward P. and George Jones — freely controlled Chicago, Illinois’ policy* racket for 25 years, beginning in the 1920s. As a result, the two raked in money, $10 to $30 million…

Deadwood--South Dakota Did You Know? Leadville--Colorado Quick Facts Tombstone--Arizona

Quick Fact – Renowned U.S. Gambling Towns

1870s Three fledgling U.S. towns that boomed and evolved into gambling centers were: Deadwood, South Dakota, where Wild Bill Hickok was killed while playing poker, immortalizing “dead man’s hand” Leadville, Colorado, where Doc Holliday shot…