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28 pieces from the Nevada Gaming History archive.

2026 · Nevada Gaming History

Nevada Casino History by Region: Las Vegas, Reno, Tahoe, and Beyond

Introduction Nevada’s gaming history is not defined by a single city. While Las Vegas became the global symbol of entertainment and excess, the state’s casino culture was shaped by multiple regions — each with its own identity, economic forces, and cast of characters. From the pioneering gambling halls of Reno to the glamorous lakefront resorts … Read more

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2026 · Nevada Gaming History

George Wingfield: Nevada’s Banking Kingmaker and Political Power

Nothing Lasts Forever When George Wingfield arrived in Nevada in the final years of the nineteenth century, the state was still more frontier than settled society. The great silver bonanza of the Comstock Lode had faded into legend. Towns that once blazed with lamps and speculation had sunk into dust and memory. Yet Nevada remained … Read more

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2026 · Nevada Gaming History

Casino Owners of Pre‑1980 Las Vegas: A Complete Historical Guide

Introduction Before Las Vegas became a corporate resort powerhouse, it was shaped by a colorful cast of casino owners, operators, financiers, visionaries, hustlers, and risk takers. From the 1930s through the late 1970s, these individuals built the foundations of the modern Strip—often with limited capital, unconventional financing, and a willingness to gamble everything on a … Read more

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2026 · Nevada Gaming History

Kirk Kerkorian and the Reinvention of Las Vegas

Kirk Kerkorian, a significant figure in Las Vegas, shifted its landscape through innovative mega-resort development, transforming the city from a simplistic gambling hub into a mass-tourism destination. Born in 1917, he leveraged his aviation success to invest in unexploited hospitality opportunities, culminating in the creation of iconic establishments like the International Hotel and MGM Grand. Kerkorian’s strategic focus on scale, branding, and corporate legitimacy redefined the casino industry, paving the way for large-scale operations and solidifying Las Vegas’s global hospitality reputation.

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2026 · Nevada Gaming History

Why Gambling Was Legalized in Nevada in 1931

The Economic, Political, and Social Reasons Behind the Decision Dispelling Common Myths About Nevada’s Gaming Legalization Many people believe that Nevada legalized gambling because of mob pressure or a desire to become “Las Vegas.” The truth may surprise you. Nevada experienced a boom-and-bust cycle as gold and silver mines flourished and faded just as California … Read more

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2024 · Nevada Gaming History

Reno’s Last 7-Card Stud Game

I learned to play poker in West Springfield, Virginia, after my friend Barry Wilson invited me to play. We were high school freshmen, and the guys we ended up playing against were juniors and seniors. We both lost. In the coming weeks, we improved, but we were still dorks. To finance poker, Barry got a … Read more

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2024 · Nevada Gaming History

Nevada Casino Stories on YouTube Videos

I wrote my first little story about the Primadonna Casino in Reno for my chip-collecting friends in 1984. We weren’t a big group, so the front side of the first of four pages had an actual postcard stuck to it. Below the scalloped edges of the Reno-Tahoe Advertising post card were a few paragraphs about … Read more

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2024 · Nevada Gaming History

Harold S. Smith – Nevada Gaming Pioneer

Harold S. Smith was born in Denver, Colorado, on February 23, 1910. His father, Raymond I. “Pappy” Smith, was a carnival booth owner who ran games in traveling circuses and at established boardwalks and fairs. He preferred the slappers, a roulette-style game with prizes in each pegged slot, and offered regular roulette at many locations. … Read more

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2023 · Nevada Gaming History

Your Desert Inn Casino Host – Wilbur Clark

Wilbur Clark was a prominent figure in Las Vegas’s development, recognized for his significant contributions to the casino industry and luxurious resorts. His friendly, approachable personality made him a relatable figure, inspiring trust and confidence among visitors. Las Vegas was never perfect, but the right frontman, like Clark, helped shape its welcoming image. In the … Read more

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2023 · Nevada Gaming History

Reno’s Definitive and Dangerous Bank Club Casino

Reno’s Bank Club casino opened in the Golden Hotel basement in 1929. The property was owned by George Wingfield, Nevada’s richest man, whose wealth of $ 50 million in the early 20th century reflected his mining success in Goldfield and Tonopah. His achievements and Reno’s growth are detailed in The Roots of Reno. Winfield received … Read more

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2020 · Nevada Gaming History

The Christmas Tree Casino

In 1946, John and Alice Ross founded the Christmas Tree casino, a landmark built at the top of Mount Rose with spectacular views down to Washoe Valley, fostering local pride and a sense of community. To increase the small club’s income, Reno gambler Virgil Smith, fresh from bankrolling Bill Harrah’s blackout bar in Reno, opened a … Read more

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2020 · Nevada Gaming History

Bert Riddick – Nevada Gaming Pioneer

The Tahoe Village at South Shore Lake Tahoe circa the 1940s – Video here Bert Riddick Bert Riddick was a Native Nevadan, born in the tiny mining town of Carlin. His wife, Vivian’s family, was from Ely, Nevada, and Bert and Vivian spent their lives in Northern Nevada, traveling between Tonopah, Ely, and Reno. Riddick … Read more

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2020 · Nevada Gaming History

Nevada Pioneer Steve Pavlovich

Steve Pavlovich was born in Yugoslavia in 1889. He came to America armed with dreams and a promise of a good life. Despite facing rough characters who would rather beat you for your pennies than give you the time of day, he persisted. He traveled from New York to New Jersey to Wyoming before arriving … Read more

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2019 · Nevada Gaming History

Reno’s Town House Casino

Reno became the Divorce Capital of the World in the 1930s because its laws allowed quick, easy divorces, attracting thousands seeking a fresh start and significantly shaping the city’s social fabric. Pictures from the ’20s and ’30s depict Reno visitors in cowboy garb, even if they had just taken the train in from New York … Read more

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2017 · Nevada Gaming History

Reno’s Northern Club

Reno’s Northern Club, licensed for gaming in 1931, stands as one of the earliest casinos in Nevada, marking the beginning of the state’s gaming era. Located on Center Street, it was operated by Felix Turillas Sr. and John Etchebarren within the Commercial Hotel. Women were rare players at the 4,000-square-foot club when it opened, featuring … Read more

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2016 · Nevada Gaming History

Harold’s Club – A Reno Classic

Harold’s Club in Reno was the Nation’s best-known casino in the 1940s and 1950s, symbolizing Nevada’s rise in gambling prominence and inspiring pride among enthusiasts. How did that happen? Well, the story is told in much greater detail in Nevada’s Golden Age of Gambling, but here’s the start! Raymond “Pappy” Smith Raymond I. Smith spent thirty … Read more

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2014 · Nevada Gaming History

Reno’s Club Harlem

Club Harlem was one of the first integrated casinos in Nevada. Located at 221 East Douglas Alley, the bar first opened in 1946 under the watchful eye of its owner, William Bailey. Although cited for illegal gaming, the small property was later licensed in 1948 for slots and 21. Bailey moved to Reno from South … Read more

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2013 · Nevada Gaming History

Mob City – Reno Connection

When Lucky Luciano organized the first Commission of the American Mafia, the cities with representation were all large, heavily invested in the riches from Prohibition, and had a ready delivery system for the booze that came in, usually along waterways and docks controlled by gangs. Detroit, Buffalo, and Cleveland (although each currently seeing a decline … Read more

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2012 · Nevada Gaming History

Reno Casino Stories

The Roots of Reno Northern Nevada’s gold and silver mines were a close second to the gold mines found in 1849 at Sutter’s Mill in California. The rush to Virginia City in the late 1850s even brought Samuel Clemens to the Comstock where he failed as a miner but wrote regularly for the Territorial Enterprise … Read more

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2012 · Nevada Gaming History

Charlie Mapes

Sometimes, Charlie Mapes doesn’t get the respect he deserves for his work in the Reno gaming community. I mean, really, here he is getting punched out by boxing champion Jack Sharkey! The event was the 85th Birthday party of Ancil Hoffman, who was well-known in Reno as the manager of Heavyweight Champ Max Baer. The … Read more

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2012 · Nevada Gaming History

100-Pound Mountian Lion leaves Harrah’s Reno

Early Friday morning, as the sun was peeking over the Sierra Nevada Mountains, a young mountain lion was turned away from Harrah’s Reno casino, raising questions about how wildlife ends up in urban areas and what it means for local ecosystems. Guests must be 21 years old to gamble, and the cougar was only about … Read more

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2012 · Nevada Gaming History

Harrah’s Bingo Club 1960s

Bill Harrah first came to Reno in 1936, and his businesses hopped around the block on Center Street several times after opening his first club in 1937. The first spot was at a bar previously called the Owl. After more successful ventures on Commercial Row and Virginia Street, Harrah’s casino straddled both sides of what … Read more

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2008 · Nevada Gaming History

The Roots of Reno

Yup – it’s a new book. Your chance to discover how Reno grew from a tiny town below Lake Tahoe into the renowned “Biggest Little City in the World,” inspiring curiosity and pride in local history. Of course, this little ditty is written by yours truly, and I’m sorry to say it’s not perfect. For … Read more

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