casino history Archives

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Currency: Chips Gambling Currency: Counterfeit Gambling History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Bogus Chips in Nevada

1947 John Clark Bosworth, of Reno, 47, was sentenced to 10 days in the local jail for playing with fake $25 chips in a Las Vegas casino. What do you think? Was this a light…

Casino History Esmeralda's Barn (London, England) Gambling History Gaming History Geographical Areas It Really Happened London--England Reginald "Reggie" Kray Ronald "Ronnie" Kray

Esmeralda’s Barn: The Hijacked Casino (Part 2)

1960-1963 Esmeralda’s Barn in London, England initially flourished under the ownership of twin brothers and gangsters, Reggie and Ronnie Kray. The place to be seen in the West End, famous politicians and celebrities frequented it —…

"Legend" Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.K. Betting and Gaming Act Gaming History It Really Happened Laurie O'Leary London--England Reginald "Reggie" Kray Ronald "Ronnie" Kray United Kingdom Wandsworth Reform Prison (London, England)

Esmeralda’s Barn: The Hijacked Casino (Part 1)

1960-1963 Twins, Reginald “Reggie” and Ronald “Ronnie” Kray, gained notoriety as powerful and murderous gangsters in London, England in the 1950s and 1960s. During their reign of terror, their involvement in organized crime included protection…

Casino History Chicago--Illinois Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Gaming History Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling Tools’ Fate

1895 Chicago gamblers waged a long, hard legal battle against the law that allowed police and other authorities to destroy casino equipment seized during the execution of a search warrant. The fight ended, however, in 1895…

Artists / Designers Artists / Designers: Lewis "Lew" Hymers Artists / Designers: Pat Denner Artists / Designers: Roscoe "Duke" Reading Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Mascots Gambling: Mascots: Bucky Buckaroo Gambling: Mascots: Last Chance Joe Gambling: Mascots: Vegas Vic Gambling: Mascots: Wendover Will Gaming History It Really Happened Pioneer Club (Las Vegas, NV) State Line Hotel and Casino (Wendover, NV) United States Wendover / West Wendover--Nevada

4 Iconic Gambling Characters

1940s-Today They’re one of a kind. Dazzling. Captivating. Iconic. Pure Nevada. They’re the mascots of the state’s gambling industry. They graced the facades of casinos in the gambling meccas, and some still do. Rather than…

Advertisements Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Golden Gulch (Reno, NV) James H. Lloyd Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Reno Casino Re-Opening

1947 The Golden Gulch casino re-debuted on June 27 under new management, that of James H. Lloyd. He’d had the gaming rooms and bar remodeled “with decorations featuring the ornate Victorian motif and stressing the…

Casino History Clarence Shockey Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Keno-Pool Gaming History It Really Happened La Boite Amusement Palace (Reno, NV) Nevada United States Welker Cochran

Keno-Pool Parlor Pops Up

1932 Bizarrely, Clarence Shockey’s stint as a Nevada gambling club manager was short. Here’s what happened: Week One July 11, Monday: The Reno City Council approved a gambling license for Clarence, who’d worked in real…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Loss Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Matrimonial Diss

1947 Hollywood actress Mildred Jenkins testified in court about her wedding night in Nevada. After marrying A.Q. Bonner, Jr., a Northern California rancher, the two had breakfast and went to a casino. “A.Q. lost all…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Gambling History Gaming History Harrah's Lake Tahoe (Stateline, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Stateline--Nevada United States

Crime: The Harrah’s Holdup

1972-1973 Ladies and gentlemen, the story you are about to read is true. No names have been changed, as there were no innocents. This is the city, Stateline, Nevada. It’s the gambling mecca of Lake…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Kansas Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gamble Gone Really Wrong

1921 Two Minnesotans each wagered $5,000 (about $67,000 today) on a new Fort Scott, Kansas oil well not producing 25 barrels the first day. Twenty-seven Kansans pooled the same amount and bet the opposite. The…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: NV Regulation 25 Gambling: Junkets Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Harry Wald It Really Happened Japan Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department Nevada United States

Gambling Junkets Cause International Discord

1974-1975 For many Japan-based businessmen, gambling trips to Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada turned nightmarish. Kikumaru Okuda, 46, also a resident of the Land of the Rising Sun, and a film producer with Toho Film…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Bingo Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Detrimental Game of Chance

1956 The gambling licensees of the Dunes and Silver Slipper casinos applied to restart bingo on the premises, but the Nevada Gaming Commission denied their request, stating that the return of the game to the Las…