It Really Happened Archives

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…

Apache Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Continental Press Service (Chicago, IL) Dave Stearns Ed Margolis El Dorado Club (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling History Gambling: Race Wire Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Golden Nugget Race Wire (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Clark County Sheriff Glen Jones--Nevada Laws: Federal Communications Act Meyer Lansky Moe Sedway Morris Rosen Nevada Sam Stearns Santa Anita Turf Club (Las Vegas, NV) Sin City United States

Mysterious Horse Racing Broadcast

1948-1950 In between dispatch orders, a Las Vegas, Nevada taxi driver fleetingly picked up the announcement of horse racing information on his cab radio one day in mid-October, 1948. He informed Clark County Sheriff Glen…

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 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…

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…

California Casino History Charles Cora Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Hanging Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Fort Gunnybags (San Francisco, CA) Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System Law Enforcement / Judicial System: General William Richardson Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Vigilance Committee San Francisco--California United States

California Faro Dealer Loses It … All

1855-1856 Charles and Arabella “Bell” Cora were a colorful, rich and well-known San Francisco couple whose lives jolted into misfortune one Saturday night in 1855. He, 39, had made his money from dealing faro in…

Carson City--Nevada Casino History Creators / Manufacturers Elko--Nevada Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Nevada Electronics Inc. Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Hawthorne--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada Wells--Nevada

Money-Making Casino Ploy

1966 Suddenly, in the fall, the Nevada Gaming Commission (NGC) directed 41-plus casinos to cease operation of specific electronic blackjack machines because they were “experiencing difficulties when played so as to render the devices more…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Gaming History Geographical Areas It Really Happened United States

“Gambling Fool’s” Three-Day Craps Game

1946 A tastefully attired gent in his 40s sat at a craps table around 7 p.m. on a March Tuesday and began to wager with bundles of $1,000 ($12,000 today). After betting Harolds Club’s house…

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 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 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…

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…