casino Archives

Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Did You Know? Events: World War II Gambling History Gaming History Monaco Quick Facts Ships: HMS Sickle

Quick Fact – Miss and Hit

1943 The British submarine, HMS Sickle, fired a succession of torpedoes during World War II, in May, sinking an enemy vessel in Cape Ferrat, southeastern France. But one of the missiles hit a cliff in…

Casino History Casino: Stock Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Jerry's Nugget (North Las Vegas, NV) Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Taking Stock

1974 The Nevada Gaming Commission, the industry’s state regulatory body, amended regulations to allow employees to own stock in a casino where they worked, without having to get a gambling license, a process that involved…

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

Quick Fact – Curiosity Trumps Motherhood

1931 When a Southern Pacific train stopped in Reno on a Friday in May at about 9:15 p.m., four passengers disembarked to squeeze in, before continuing on, a glance at gambling, which Nevada recently had…

British Royals: Edward VIII, Prince of Wales British Royals: Prince George, Duke of Kent Casino History Casino Municipal de Viña del Mar (Viña del Mar, Chile) Chile Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Baccarat Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Viña del Mar--Chile

Chancy Chaps Champion Chilean Casino

1928-Today Members of English royalty unwittingly helped launch a new South American casino toward success in the 1930s. After Chilean President Carlos Ibáñez del Campo, in 1928, authorized creation of a gambling house, Viña del…

Casino History Gambling History Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Clark County Sheriff's Office--Nevada Nevada United States

Catching an Impromptu Show in Vegas

1958 Tourists Robert and Lola McDurmon may or may not have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, depending on how you look at it. After taking in four shows on the Las…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling License Gambling: Fines Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Nevada Ralph Engelstad United States

Casino Owner’s Offense Embarrasses Nevada

1988-1989 Tipped off by the contents of various lawsuits and complaints by employees, Nevada Gaming Control Board (NGCB) agents raided the Imperial Palace Hotel and Casino* on September 27, 1988. The 2,700-room property located on…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Raids Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History George L. O'Dwyer It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Louisiana State Police Louisiana New Orleans--Louisiana O'Dwyer's (New Orleans, LA) Politicians / Politics: Kefauver Committee Rudolph "Rudy" T. O'Dwyer United States

Unexpected Cost at New Orleans Gambling Raid

1953 On a weeknight in May, Louisiana state policemen surrounded a high-end home in the New Orleans suburbs. One of them knocked on a secret side door that contained a one-way glass window, allowing those…

California Casino at Tallac (South Lake Tahoe, CA) Casino History Elias "Lucky" Jackson Baldwin Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gaming History It Really Happened Nathaniel "Nat" Carl Goodwin South Lake Tahoe--California United States

Wealthy Californians Frequent Illegal Lake Tahoe Casino

1902-1927 Touted as “the finest clubhouse west of the Rocky Mountains,” the Casino at Tallac debuted at Lake Tahoe’s South Shore in California in July 1902 despite gambling having been illegal in the state since…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Poisoning Gambling History Gaming History Illinois State Penitentiary (Joliet, IL) It Really Happened Nevada United States

Wily Desperado Falls Short on Crime Execution

Two acquaintances were having a drink at a Reno casino bar — Miles T. Ellis, 47, a tourist, and Anthony Swiderski, 52, a local chef in the Northern Nevada town. At an opportune moment, Swiderski…

California Casino History Crystal Bay--Nevada Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States Will Rogers

Quick Fact – “Castle in the Sky”

1938 To draw guests, a 1938 newspaper ad for the new casino resort at Lake Tahoe in Crystal Bay touted the cinematic history of the land. It read, “All America enjoyed the beloved Will Rogers…

Beverly Hills-California Casino: Mock Ethnic Groups: African Americans Gambling History Games / Races: Chuck-a-luck Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Keno Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Landmark Hotel and Casino (Las Vegas, NV) Madison--Wisconsin Nevada United States Virginia

Replicated Casinos: Who, Why, When and Where

1957, 1962, 1968, 1974 Over the years, entities around the world fashioned casinos for various educational and training purposes. Here are four that were based in the U.S.: 1) Instruction for Novice Players In 1957,…

Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Disturbing the Peace Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Golden Bank (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Beat-it-Out-of-You Approach

1957 Inside the Golden Bank Casino on a Saturday afternoon, security personnel saw Merle Naughton, 40-year-old salesman, yanking and pounding on slot machines. When they told him to leave, he did. He went across the…