gaming history Archives

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Murder Dallas--Texas Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Poker Gaming History It Really Happened Lester "Benny" Binion Meyer Lansky Nevada United States

10 Intriguing Facts About Gambling Kingpin “Benny” Binion

Today Although Texas-born Lester B. “Benny” Binion (1904-1989) no longer is with us, he remains a legend among Las Vegas casino owners and operators — gamblers, in industry parlance. Iconic even in his appearance —…

California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Los Angeles city jail Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Joint Features Gambling

1916 The Los Angeles city jail was likely the only legalized casino in California, with gambling taking place daily to a shocking extent, declared Faith Chevaillier, a woman whom President Chester Arthur appointed to evaluate…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling Laws / Regulations: U.S. Act to Prohibit Bucketing and Bucket Shopping Gambling: Bucket Shopping Games / Races: Commodities Gaming History It Really Happened Politicians / Politics: U.S. President William Taft United States

Bucket Shopping: A Species of Gambling

1870s-1920s “I want to go short 1,000 bushels of December wheat, 1 cent on the bushel.” This $10 bet was typical back in the heyday of bucket shops in the United States, between 1870 and…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Dice Gambling: Illegal Gaming History Quick Facts United States Washington

Quick Fact – Evidence? What Evidence?

1934 When police raided an illegal gambling den in Kingston, Washington, one of the players present, Raymond Johnson, swallowed the dice. In court after his arrest, the judge gave him 30 days to “digest” and…

Bad Homburg--Germany Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) Casino History Did You Know? Europe Francois Blanc Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Monaco Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – European v. American Roulette

1840s-Today Gambler Francois Blanc, at his casino in Bad Homburg, Germany, introduced roulette in the early 1840s with only 0 and no 00 on the wheel and table layout, a choice he stuck with when…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Riviera (Las Vegas, NV) Tony Martin United States

Quick Fact – Application Red Flags

1960-1961 Singer Tony Martin applied for a gambling license to acquire a 2 percent interest for $50,000 ($410,000 today) in the Riviera hotel-casino in Las Vegas. Investigation into his background revealed he’d served two days…

Bank Club (Elko, NV) Casino History Did You Know? Elko--Nevada Gambling Currency: Coins Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Elko Casino Targeted

1934 After hiding somewhere in the building, a person robbed the Bank Club casino’s safe of $500 in silver change (about $9,000 today) between 4 and 6 p.m. on a Wednesday in early December. This…

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

Quick Fact – Casino Credit Component

1970s Caesars Palace in Las Vegas extended $160 million in credit to players in 1977. This was more than the then-considered staggering $106 million cost of the original MGM Grand (early ’70s), also in Sin City, and…

Casino History Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History It Really Happened Morrey Brodsky Nevada United States

Club Cal-Neva Permits Horseplay

1950 Susan Wallace, a 24-year-old, “plucky blonde” who resided in Hollywood, California, needed money to further her opera studies (Nevada State Journal, Jan. 8, 1950). In early January, she sent telegrams to the casinos in…

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…