gambling history Archives

Architects Architects: Thomas E. Hull Artists / Designers: Tom Douglas Barn Club (Reno, NV) Bonanza Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Chesterfield Syndicate (Detroit, MI) Frank "The Prime Minister" Costello Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Big Six Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History International Casino (Havana, Cuba) Louis "Lou" J. Wertheimer Monte Carlo (Las Vegas, NV) Nevada Tropicana (Havana, Cuba) United States

Mobbed Up Casino Opens in The Biggest Little City

1944 The debut of the Bonanza Club* on October 3, 1944 in Reno, Nevada, was doubly significant. Formerly the Barn Club, the new casino was regarded as one of, if not, the finest in the…

Did You Know? Gambling Gaming History Quick Facts Texas United States

Quick Fact – Gambling Downs Nine Pin

1830s In this decade, moral fervor over gambling and organized crime led many United States cities to outlaw nine-pin bowling, which had been popular since colonial times. By the mid-40s, nine pin had vanished from…

Did You Know? Nevada The Mint (Las Vegas, NV)

Quick Fact – Mint Cake

1964 For its eighth anniversary, the Mint hotel-casino in Las Vegas, Nevada baked a mega, 6,527-pound cake in the shape of the hotel-casino. About the size of 1,363 regular 10-inch cakes, it required: • 12,960…

Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling Currency: Tokens / Bingles Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board It Really Happened Nevada

Got Coins?

1965 The U.S. suffered a shortage of coins in 1965. And that led to decreased business for Nevada’s largest industry — gambling. Usage of half-dollars, common in casinos then for table games and one-armed bandits,…

California Casino History Charles "Chuck" J. Delmonico / Charles Tourine, Jr. Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Card Spying Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Extortion Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambler (Operators/Players): High Rollers: Nicholas "Nick the Greek" A. Dandolos Gambler (Operators/Players): High Rollers: Raymond "Ray" J. Ryan Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Debt Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Marshall Caifano / Johnny Marshall Nevada Palm Springs--California Thunderbird (Las Vegas, NV) United States

A Rare Case: High Roller Defies, Tattles on Mobsters

1963-1964 Mobsters Marshall Caifano (aka Johnny Marshall) and Charles Delmonico were arrested in Las Vegas on a federal warrant in July 1963 for conspiracy to commit extortion and engaging in interstate transportation in the aid…

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Quick Fact - Floating the Showboat

1967 Ironically, considering the entity’s name, water poured inside the Showboat Hotel (later Castaways) when flash floods hit Las Vegas, Nevada on Tuesday, August 8. At 2800 E. Fremont Street, east of the city, the…

Bahamas Casino History Casinos / Gambling Saloons / Card Clubs / Slot Routes / Wire Services / Hotels / Racetracks / Racinos Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Skimming Cuba England Flamingo (Las Vegas, NV) Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Haiti Israel It Really Happened Lebanon Meyer Lansky Miami Beach--Florida United States

Mobster Meyer Lansky Tries to Desert USA

1970-1972 Meyer Lansky was the puppeteer behind the scenes of the world’s gambling stage from the 1930s to the 1970s, controlling and manipulating the characters, or National Crime Syndicate members, with aplomb. He capitalized on…