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Southern U.S. City's Hatred of Gamblers Culminates in Murder
Anti-Gambling / Anti-Casino Efforts Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Lynching Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Kangaroo Saloon (Vicksburg, MS) Mississippi United States Vicksburg--Mississippi

Southern U.S. City's Hatred of Gamblers Culminates in Murder

1835 During Andrew Jackson’s U.S. presidency, anti-gambling sentiment began sweeping the Southern states. By 1835, it had hit Louisiana and was making its way up the Mississippi River. The fever peaked mid-year in Vicksburg, Mississippi…

ByDoresa Banning

October 29, 2021

War Disables Nevada Tango Club Owners
Ben Furuta Charles P. O'Keefe Fred Taketo Aoyama Fred Y. Yamagishi Gambling History Games / Races: Bingo Games / Races: Tango It Really Happened James L. O'Keefe Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Supreme Court Lottie M. O'Keefe Nevada Reno Club, Inc. (Reno, NV) Reno--Nevada United States William "Bill" F. Harrah Y. Yamagishi

War Disables Nevada Tango Club Owners

1941-1952 The 1941 breakout of war between the U.S. and Japan started a series of deleterious events for Nevada’s first tango parlor Reno Club, Inc. and its proprietors. These included a tangle with a newcomer…

ByDoresa Banning

October 22, 2021

Two Lake Tahoe Hotel-Casinos Sold in 2021
Casino History Crystal Bay--Nevada Gambling History Gaming History Hyatt Lake Tahoe / Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe (Incline Village, NV) Incline Village--Nevada It Really Happened Nevada Tahoe Biltmore (Crystal Bay, NV) United States

Two Lake Tahoe Hotel-Casinos Sold in 2021

Acquisitions in the same month of two hotel-casinos near one another at Lake Tahoe in Northern Nevada is anomalous and newsworthy. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino (Incline Village, NV) Hyatt Hotels Corp.,…

ByDoresa Banning

October 15, 2021

Nevada Gambler-Cum-Mayor Called Out for Bubble Peeking
Caliente--Nevada Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Bubble Peeking Donald E. Rowan Gambling History Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission It Really Happened Nevada Shamrock Club (Caliente, NV) United States

Nevada Gambler-Cum-Mayor Called Out for Bubble Peeking

1955-1956 In March 1955, Nevada gaming regulators accused Caliente mayor Donald E. Rowan of cheating while dealing a 21 game — which is illegal — in the Shamrock Club. He’d operated the Clover Street gambling…

ByDoresa Banning

September 9, 2021

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part II
Casino History Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Public Law 93-499 Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Revenue Act of 1951 Gambling: Taxes Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Governing / Regulatory Bodies: U.S. Congress It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: U.S. Supreme Court United States

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part II

1952-1968 Soon after two new federal taxes — the tax on wagers and the wagering occupational tax — went into effect in late 1951, problems with them arose. (See Part I for a description of…

ByDoresa Banning

August 25, 2021

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part I
Gambling History Gambling: Taxes Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service It Really Happened Montana Nevada Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Washington

Congress' Strategy For Slashing U.S. Gambling Activity Proves Problematic, Part I

1951 Gambling is the lifeblood of organized crime. This was U.S. Senator Estes Kefauver’s conclusion after the Special Committee on Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce, which he headed, concluded its investigation. The Kefauver Committee’s work,…

ByDoresa Banning

August 19, 2021

Extreme and Dangerous: One Gambling Cheat and His Career
Casino (Reno, NV) Casino History Cincinnati--Ohio Columbus--Ohio Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Misspot Dice Europe Gambler (Operators/Players): Cheater: Jim Pents Gambler (Operators/Players): Dice Cheats: Harmony Kid Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Horse Racing Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Hot Springs--Arkansas It Really Happened New York--New York Palace (Reno, NV) Pekin--Illinois Reno--Nevada United States Washington--Indiana

Extreme and Dangerous: One Gambling Cheat and His Career

1886-1910 The Harmony Kid made his living as a traveling gambling cheat in the U.S. and was known from coast to coast. While primarily a card and dice sharp, Lawrence Varner (1865-1933) also perpetrated swindles…

ByDoresa Banning

August 4, 2021

A Legal Battle: Card Counters vs. Nevada Casinos
Casino History Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gamblers: Card Counters: Kenneth "Ken" S. Ulston Gamblers: Card Counters: Mark Estes Gambling History Gambling: Card Counting Games / Races: 21 / Blackjack Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Las Vegas Hilton (Las Vegas, NV) Las Vegas--Nevada Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Supreme Court Marina Hotel and Casino MGM Grand Hotel (Las Vegas, NV) Nevada United States

A Legal Battle: Card Counters vs. Nevada Casinos

1977-1979 As Mark Estes, 28, played blackjack at a table in Nevada’s Las Vegas Hilton casino one day, he counted the cards. This involved remembering the cards dealt during each game and using a mathematical…

ByDoresa Banning

July 14, 2021