nevada history Archives

Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – So Done

1946 Mobster Benjamin “Bugsy” Siegel’s wife, Esta (née Esther Krakower) filed for divorce in Reno, Nevada after 17 years of marriage. The two had wed when she was 18 and he was 23. In the…

Casino History Gambling History Games / Races: Contests Gaming History Hacienda (Las Vegas, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Supreme Court Nevada United States

Vegas Casino Welshes on Paying Out

1958-1961 The Hacienda in Las Vegas, Nevada held an ongoing promotional contest at its golf course, which was widely advertised, even on the back of the postcard above. Participants would pay 50 cents (about $4.25 today) per…

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

Quick Fact – Out of Thin Air

1964 When dealer Lue Dennis exited her work, Harolds Club casino, a man descended and hit the pavement in front of her. Reno resident, John Nahirney, age 79, had fallen from the Nevada casino’s fire…

Casino History Gambling History Gambling: Topless Gaming History Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Holiday Hotel (Reno, NV) It Really Happened Law Enforcement / Judicial System: Nevada Attorney General Harvey Dickerson Nevada North Las Vegas--Nevada Silver Nugget (North Las Vegas, NV) United States

Topless Dealers: Brainchild of Nevada Casino

1966 The Silver Nugget casino announced it would debut topless, female, 21 (blackjack) dealers during the midnight to 8 a.m. shift. This, too, was the gist of the complaints the Nevada attorney general (A.G.) received…

Accidents: Plane Crashes California Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Nevada Quick Facts San Francisco--California

Quick Fact – Gambling Trip Turns Dicey

1957 In 1957, Club Primadonna chartered passengers to and from San Francisco to the Reno, Nevada casino on “champagne tours.” On the September 28 return flight, delayed from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. due to…

Barn Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Events: World War II Folsom State Prison (CA) Gambling Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Irving Cowan It Really Happened Jack Fugitt Joseph Scrivani Larry Tripp Louis "Lou" J. Wertheimer Nevada Northern Club (Reno, NV) Otell "Mike" Micheletti United States Walter Oswald William Lawrence Hunger aka Larry Brady

Criminals, Money Problems Plague Reno Casino

1940-1943 The Barn Club casino’s existence during World War II was rocky and, therefore, cut short. It began in December 1940, when Jack Fugitt, an entertainment machine business owner, and Walter Oswald, assumed the lease…

Avi Resort & Casino (Laughlin, NV) Did You Know? Gambling History Gaming History Laughlin--Nevada Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Aptly Named

1995-Today The casino name, Avi, translates into “money” or “loose change” in the language of the Mojave tribe, whose members own it. Uniquely located geographically, Avi Resort & Casino is on the Fort Mojave Reservation,…

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…

Casino History Did You Know? Gambling History Gambling License Gaming History Geographical Areas Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Commission Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Gaming Control Board Governing / Regulatory Bodies: Nevada Tax Commission Nevada Quick Facts United States

Quick Fact – Greater Transparency Given

1952 The Nevada Tax Commission members agreed by unanimous vote to allow reporters to sit in and report on its voting sessions, meetings in which they made key decisions. Previously, voting had been done behind closed…

Bank Club (Reno, NV) Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Disseminating Horse Racing Info Gambling Gambling History Gambling: Illegal Gaming History It Really Happened Jack Sullivan / John D. Scarlett Nevada Raymond J. Poncia United States Washoe Publishing Co. (Wire Service) Western News Co. (Wire Service)

Reno Mobsters’ Bank Club Breaks Gambling Law

1940-1941 In a series of raids in December 1940, Washoe County deputy sheriffs confiscated gambling-related paraphernalia from three Reno, Nevada locations: 1) Bank Club casino 2) Washoe Publishing Company (WPC) (room 311 in the Lyons Building)…

Casino History Crimes / Violence / Punishments Crimes / Violence / Punishments: Firearms Did You Know? Gambling History Henry Club (Reno, NV) Nevada Quick Facts The Capitol (Reno, NV) United States

Quick Fact – More Trouble Anticipated

1931 Robberies were plaguing Reno. The Capitol bar and the Henry Club, both offering games of chance, were hit inside of eight days. A rumor circulated that notorious gangsters were headed to the Northern Nevada city.…