Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Archives

California Gambling Games / Races: Lotteries/Sweepstakes Games / Races: Sports Betting It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit San Quentin State Prison (CA)

In the Name of Charity

1937 The Great American Football Pool (GAFP) of 1937 was to be of massive scale and the first of its kind in the U.S. The organizers aimed to sell 3 million tickets at $1 apiece…

Archie Sneed Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Elmer West Ernest "Ernie" J. Primm Events: World War II Frank Richardson Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Joseph Hall Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Military Nevada Palace Club (Reno, NV) United States

Lawsuit: You Won’t Get Away With It

1945-1946 Alfred E. Cushman entered the Palace Club, in uniform, shortly after 5 p.m. on Sunday, November 11, 1945. Prior to that, the recently discharged U.S. Army veteran participated in the Armistice Day parade in…

California Casino History Casino: Floating Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nick Licata Peter J. Milano San Fernando Valley--California United States

Los Angeles Mobster’s Gambling Ring

1971-1974 In 1971, various people began complaining to the local police department they’d gotten fleeced at an informal casino setup in California’s San Fernando Valley (yes, the location of, like, “valley girl” fame, a culture…

Andrew Jackson "Jack" Blackman Bank Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Folsom State Prison (CA) Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Town House (Reno, NV) United States

Shakedown in Reno Escalates (Part 2)

1944-1945 The trial of Andrew Jackson “Jack” Blackman, free on $10,000 bail, began in April 1945, six months after he’d fatally shot James Lannigan in the Bank Club in Reno, Nevada. District Attorney Melvin E. Jepson, in…

California Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bucket Shopping Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit San Francisco--California

Bucket Shopper’s Dogged Fight

1911-1912 A San Francisco, California ordinance outlawed bucket shopping in 1911 — no longer was running or visiting such an enterprise legal — and one operator didn’t like it. Henry A. Moss, a bucket shop owner and…

California Casino History Folsom State Prison (CA) Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened John Quinn Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada San Francisco--California United States

Gambler’s Wealth Meets Undue Fate

1924-1932 The story of the estate of a long-ago Nevada gambler after his passing is strange and unfortunate. John Quinn was a man who’d lost and made large fortunes in gambling and mining stock deals…

Bal Tabarin (Crystal Bay, NV) Bay Meadows Racetrack (San Mateo, CA) Bernard "Mooney" Einstoss California Casino History Defense Attorneys: Paul McCormick Del Mar Racetrack (Del Mar, CA) Gambler (Operators/Players): Minors Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Gambling: Parimutuel Games / Races: Horse Racing Gaming History Hollywood Park Racetrack (Inglewood, CA) Incline Village--Nevada It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Nevada Club (Reno, NV) Tanforan Racetrack (San Bruno, CA) United States

Nevada Casino Owner Fixes California Horse Races

1939-1941 Bernard “Bernie” Einstoss was a well-known gambler in Northern Nevada for nearly two decades, between 1947 and 1965.* Prior to that, he masterminded and executed a scheme to fix horse races** in California by…

107th Street Mob Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Shills Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Helmuth Hartmann It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada United States

The Wanted Man of Mystery

1941 The man who played roulette in the Palace Club nearly every day for six months was noticeable for his suave appearance. Henry Helmut, age 47, had a bit of gray hair and sported a…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Loss Games / Races: Craps Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada United States

Blaming It On The Dice

1946-1947 On the third Tuesday of April 1946, after work at the Southern Pacific Shop in Sparks, Nevada, Sam Lemel took the bus to Reno and went to Harolds Club where he played craps. He…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Internal Revenue Service Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Stateline--Nevada United States

8 Twists in Tahoe Gambler’s Court Case

1957-1960 In June 1957, a federal grand jury secretly indicted the owners of the Wagon Wheel Saloon and Gambling Hall (Harvey’s today) at Lake Tahoe in Stateline, Nevada — Harvey A. Gross, and his wife, Llewellyn…

Arizona Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gambling: Raids Gambling: War Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Maricopa County Attorney John W. Corbin--Arizona Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Maricopa County Justice of the Peace Harry E. Westfall--Arizona Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Maricopa County Sheriff Roy Merrill--Arizona Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Maricopa County Sheriff's Deputy Porter Northroup--Arizona Maricopa County--Arizona Phoenix--Arizona United States

Illegal Gambling Conspiracy in Maricopa County

1937-1938 Within a year of becoming the Maricopa County Attorney, John W. Corbin began work to expose the illegal gambling taking place in the Arizona region. He set his sights on busting the game operators and…

Casino: Corporations: Pyramid Securities Inc. Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Fraud Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Oak Room (Reno, NV) Pyramid Securities Inc.: Joe Larango

Slot Machines Land on Trouble in Reno

1953 Theodore “Ted” Donaldson, 31, bought six slot machines from Joe Larango of Pyramid Securities Inc., a company with the devices in several Reno, Nevada locations, including the Oak Room casino. Donaldson paid the $1,825 cost…