gaming history Archives

Casino History Elko--Nevada Gambling History Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Character Manufacturing Co. Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Frank Polk Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Sundance Cravat Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Animated Gaming History It Really Happened Las Vegas Club (Las Vegas, NV) Nevada Nevada Club (Reno, NV) United States

Reno Company Handcrafts Animated Slot Machines

1950-1956 A novel, animated gambling device began to appear in Nevada casinos in 1950. It debuted in the lobby of Reno’s Mapes hotel-casino in the fall and “got a big play from visiting Shriners,” reported the…

Casino History Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened

It Really Happened! is Back

Hi, Wonderful Gambling History Blog Subscribers, I hope all is well with you! I’m so thrilled to announce that It Really Happened! is back up, and I’m generating new posts for it. I apologize…

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.…

California Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Folsom State Prison (CA) Frank Bompensiero Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Bookmaking Gambling: Feuds Gaming History George "Les" Bruneman It Really Happened Jack Dragna Jimmy "The Weasel" Fratianno Johnny Rosselli Leonard "Leo/Lips" C. Moceri Nationwide (Wire Service) Politicians / Politics: CA Governor Edmond "Pat" G. Brown Politicians / Politics: CA Governor Gerald "Jerry" Brown Surf Club (Redondo Beach, CA) United States

Los Angeles Mafiosos Snuff Out Innocents’ Lives Over Gambling Beef

1937-1981 An innocent man was placed in law enforcement’s crosshairs in late 1930s Los Angeles for a heinous crime … the frame-up stuck. Caught Unawares While strolling on Southern California’s Redondo Beach Strand, or boardwalk,…

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…

Casino History Clayton P. Gatterdam Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Cheating / Fleecing: Misspot Dice England Europe Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gambling: Junkets Games / Races: Craps Gaming History Incline Village Casino (Incline Village, NV) It Really Happened London--England Villa Casino (London, England)

Americans’ Crime and Punishment in England

1969 For a week in May, the leader of a group of U.S.-based gamblers rented the Villa Casino, which overlooked Hyde Park in West London, along with two craps tables, the latter for $2,500 (about…

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…

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

Casino Owner Blackballs Worker?

1956-1959 A thief absconded with $2,000 (about $17,500 today) from the Club Primadonna casino in Reno, Nevada on the first Friday of May 1956. The missing 10,000 dimes, 2,000 quarters and 1,000 half-dollars, the reserve…

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…

Bank Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Gambling History Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Town House (Reno, NV) United States

Crimes in Reno Casinos Raise Concern

1945-1946 In the Bank Club, a co-proprietor of a local gambling saloon, Andrew Jackson “Jack” Blackman, shot to death James Lannigan, a small-time thug, on October 30, 1944, an action for which he was acquitted. In…

Did You Know? Nevada Quick Facts

Quick Fact – Store Slots

1967 Nevada legislators proposed a bill that would disallow any future installation of slot machines in grocery and drug stores, but it died in the Senate Taxation Committee.