Who is at the origin of the gambling business? Who were the first casino owners? How modern gambling magnates managed to make a fortune and firmly establish themselves in the industry beating many competitors?
The articles in this section of Casinoz talk about life and activities of the biggest bigwigs in the industry. You will read the biographies of the legendary casino owners and learn many secrets from their lives.
The founders of the legendary casinos of the past
Start with the colorful personalities that shaped the appearance of the modern gambling business. Among them were fascinating characters who came out from a different stratum of society.
- Howard Hughes – he is remembered as an eccentric millionaire, a dreamer who was not afraid to invest in the most different spheres: scientific inventions, cinema, aviation and, of course, gambling. His Vegas casinos offered a high level of service and forced the competition also improve the service.
- Jim McKay – one of the founders of Las Vegas as the gambling capital of the USA. He was the owner of the biggest and most popular establishments on the early history of the city. McKay casinos were successful until the early fifties when large monopolies replaced them.
- Bugsy Siegel – the most charming gangster in the history of Las Vegas. He ran a casino in the style typical for the representative of criminals. His life has daring robberies, beautiful women, wealth, fame, recognition of the wealthiest and most influential people, but it ended early and sadly.
- Benny Binion began as a typical an American bandit who did not disdain theft, bootlegging and even murder. Later he took up the organization of underground gambling, and after a while opened legal casinos. His main brainchild was the famous Binion's Horseshoe casino, which has long been a trendsetter in Las Vegas.
- Nick Abelman was born in a family of poor immigrants, but more than a modest background did not prevent him from becoming one of the magnates of the gambling industry. He owned casinos in Reno, Nevada, and California. Abelman's institutions were visited by famous artists, big politicians, well-known athletes, and the wealthiest people.
The articles also describe many other casino operators of the past.
Tycoons of the second half of the twentieth century
In the second half of the twentieth century, the sphere of gambling business began to develop very actively. The history of gambling at that time included many outstanding personalities.
- Frank Rosenthal is an iconic character. The legendary "Lefty" directly and indirectly managed several famous casinos, which boldly introduced all sorts of innovations. His world fame contributed to the film "Casino" by Martin Scorsese, shot based on the biography of Frank Rosenthal.
- Stanley Ho was called the king of gambling of Macau and Hong Kong, and this flattering title does not seem an exaggeration. He created a huge monopoly, earned billions of dollars and for many years set the tone of gambling development in the region.
- Bill Bennett was born in a farmer's family, and he served in the U.S. Navy during world war II. Returning home, he started a business and proved to be a very successful manager. Later he became the casino manager, and after a while, he became the owner of the famous Circus Circus Casino. Later he bought the casino Sahara, which is working to this day.
- Kirk Kerkorian – he was called "father," "Baron», "lion" and even "King." The man's business reputation was impeccable. His authority was unwavering. He invested in various areas, including gambling. He owned the international Hotel casino and the MGM Grand Hotel. Later he bought Steve Wynn's company Mirage.
- Sheldon Adelson engaged in the gambling business in the late eighties of the twentieth century by buying The Sands Casino in Las Vegas. He later opened the iconic Venetian casino and then expanded the scope of his activities in Macau, running there Venetian Macao Casino and the legendary Marina Bay Sands complex.
- Steve Wynn was one of the most charismatic characters in the world of gambling. He owned very popular casinos, attracting customers with luxury and variety of services. But his reputation and financial affairs have significantly shaken in connection with several scandals and trials.
Read more about these and other industry leaders in the articles of this section.
A new generation of gambling bigwigs
Gambling business does not suffer from a lack of new top managers. In the industry poured fresh blood in the face of young and ambitious casino owners.
Perhaps the most striking example is Lawrence Ho, son of the legendary Stanley Ho. The guy chose not to live a slacker life and seriously took up education and delve into all the secrets of the family business. Eventually, he raised the Empire founded by his father to new heights and successfully continues to develop his casinos in different countries of the world.
Conclusion
New articles periodically supplement the section with biographies of the largest gambling tycoons of the past and present. Do not forget to open this page to learn about the founders of major casinos and leading gambling figures.
