gaming history Archives

Casino: Corporations: Pyramid Securities Inc. Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Fraud Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Gaming History Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Oak Room (Reno, NV) Pyramid Securities Inc.: Joe Larango

Slot Machines Land on Trouble in Reno

1953 Theodore “Ted” Donaldson, 31, bought six slot machines from Joe Larango of Pyramid Securities Inc., a company with the devices in several Reno, Nevada locations, including the Oak Room casino. Donaldson paid the $1,825 cost…

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…

Boxers / Fight Promoters: James W. Coffroth California Casino History Events Events: Panama-Pacific International Exposition Events: Panama-Pacific International Exposition: '49 Camp (San Francisco, CA) Gambling Gambling Currency: Scrip Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Faro Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Wheel of Fortune Gaming History It Really Happened Samuel "Sam" P. Davis San Francisco--California United States

Gambling Trouble at World’s Fair in San Francisco

1915 The ’49 Camp, one of the attractions at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition, offered a gambling experience in which chips could be bought for money but cashed only for free-admission coupons for the other…

Casino History Did You Know? Eli Francovich Gambling History Games / Races: Wheel of Fortune Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States Wine House (Reno, NV)

Quick Fact – Engendering Envy

1929 When the only types of legal gambling in Nevada were poker, five hundred, solo, whist, parimutuel betting on horse races and slot machines with restrictions, owner Eli Francovich* installed in his Wine House club…

California Casino History Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Assistance Devices Games / Races: Creators / Manufacturers: Bob Bamford / Joe Alper Gaming History It Really Happened Nevada Pasadena--California Sahara (Las Vegas, NV) United States

“Electronic Brain Upsets Vegas Blackjack Dealers”

1960 “Las Vegas seemed to be both fascinated and frightened by the little computing machine,” reported Ray Duncan in the Independent Star-News (Dec. 5, 1960). The referenced device, via a dial on its front, advised…

Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Equipment Gambling: Revenue Gaming History It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Lawsuit Nevada Ray Wherrit Southern Nevada Vending Company United States

Cashing In, Out on Slot Machine Route

1951-1954 In October 1951, Southern California resident, Wayne H. Teipel, responded to a “For Sale” ad in the Los Angeles Examiner for a slot machine, pinball game and phonograph route business in Las Vegas, Nevada.…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Roulette Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling at Both Ends

1947 When the luxurious 12-story Mapes hotel opened in Reno, Nevada on Saturday, December 27, 1947, it boasted two casinos. One was on the river side of the main level, the other in the southwest…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling Gambling History Games / Races: Craps Games / Races: Keno Games / Races: Roulette Games / Races: Slot Machines / Fruities: Big Berthas Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts Silver Spur (Reno, NV) United States

Quick Fact – Spurring On Business

1968 During the grand opening of the Silver Spur casino at 221 N. Virginia Street, Reno, Nevada on July 1, 1968, the ribbon was cut with a silver spur that Audie Murphy used in the…

"All The King's Men" Casino History Did You Know? Entertainment Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gaming History Louisiana Nevada Politicians / Politics: LA Governor Huey Long Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Gambling on the Oscars

1950 For Hollywood’s Academy Awards, Las Vegas, Nevada casinos offered even money on All The King’s Men, the favorite for Best Movie. The other nominees and their odds were Battleground, 5 to 2; The Heiress,…

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…

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…