Quick Facts Archives

Casino Casino Central--Argentina Gambling History Gaming History Mar del Plata--Argentina Quick Facts South America

Quick Fact -- Big Business

It opened in 1939 and for years was the world’s largest. It was (and still is) in Argentina‘s Mar del Plata, the “smartest, most opulent, most ostentatious shore resort in South America,” as described by…

Carson City--Nevada Casino Casino History Casino: Corporations: Hyatt Hotels Corp. Gambling History Incline Village--Nevada Kings Castle (Incline Village, NV) Nathan Jacobson Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact -- Lady Godiva Trots to New Residence

Lady Godiva has a new address. Looking gorgeous in a long blue dress, she and her horse distinctively embellish the front yard of a Carson City home. Godiva appears as though she’s arriving for a…

California Casino History Gambling History Gambling History: Poems Gaming History Nevada Committee on Good Laws Quick Facts Ships: Monte Carlo United States

Quick Fact - Poem About S.S. Monte Carlo is Attack on Gambling Industry

1938 In the following verse, penned about the S.S. Monte Carlo following its demise, the writer Ida Clarise Gowan uses a hostile, derogatory and accusatory tone. She personifies, or gives human qualities to, the ship,…

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History George Raft Las Vegas--Nevada Quick Facts Southern California Offshore

Quick Fact – Bugsy Borrows Benjamins

1938, 1946 Notorious mobster, Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel, borrowed money several times from his friend, actor George Raft, according to the biography George Raft, for which author Lewis Yablonsky interviewed the subject on numerous occasions. Siegel…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishment: Duel Gambling History Games / Races: Thimblerig Gaming History Placerville (Hangtown)--California Quick Facts United States William "Lucky Bill" B. Thorington

Quick Fact – A Day in the Life

1851 Roving gambler William “Lucky Bill” B. Thorington’s stint in Hangtown (today Placerville, California) was brief because he literally thimblerigged a prominent local out of $1,500 to $2,000 (more than $39,000 to $52,000 today) and…

Bally's Casino Tunica (Robinsonville, MS) Bally's Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Bally's New Orleans (New Orleans, LA) Bally's Park Place (Atlantic City, NJ) Bally's Reno (Reno, NV) Casino History Casino: Corporations: Bally Entertainment Corp. Casino: Corporations: Caesars Entertainment Casino: Corporations: Eldorado Resorts Casino: Corporations: Gaming & Leisure Properties Casino: Corporations: Meruelo Group Casino: Corporations: VICI Properties Gambling History Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Bally Manufacturing Corp. Gaming History Louisiana Mississippi Nevada New Jersey Paris Las Vegas (Las Vegas, NV) Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Casino Empire

Today Bally Manufacturing Corp., at one time decades ago, was heavily involved in the gambling industry. It owned six hotel-casinos in the U.S. It was a major producer of state lottery games and developer of…

Casino History Chicago--Illinois Gambling History Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Bally Manufacturing Corp. Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Lion Manufacturing Co. Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Quick Facts The Who United States

Quick Fact – Naming Bally

1968, 1969 Bally Manufacturing Corp. got its name from Ballyhoo, the first coin-operated pinball machine (a penny got you seven plays) created in 1931 by Raymond Moloney, owner of Chicago, Illinois-based Lion Manufacturing Co. Lion became…

Did You Know? Gambling Laws / Regulations Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Operation Penalty

1937 At a time when wide-open gambling was legal in Nevada (as of 1931), the penalty for operating a game of chance without a license was 60 days in the county jail or a $120…

Did You Know? Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – First Floor

1869, 1877, 1905 The 1869 statute partially legalizing gambling in Nevada prohibited any such operations in first floor rooms. An 1877 revision allowed gambling in back rooms of a ground level in certain small counties.…

Did You Know? Gambling Gambling: Shills Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Shills Unlicensed

1961 In Nevada, where casino operators can employ shills to play in their clubs, it was established that a licensee may not act as a shill, gambling in their own establishment. Their spouse can’t either…

Did You Know? Games / Races: Poker Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit McGill Club (McGill, NV) McGill--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – McGill Suit

1928 A woman named Gladys Anderson sued the McGill Club in McGill, Nevada for $5,000. It was the amount she claimed her husband had lost there playing poker. The district court, however, dismissed her case…

Did You Know? Games / Races: Chuck-a-luck Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Roulette Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Equipment Carful

1920 Following abolishment of gambling in Nevada, a Los Angeles moving picture company purchased and shipped to California a carful of equipment outlawed in 1909, including roulette wheels, faro tables and chuck-a-luck games. Photo from…