Binion's Horseshoe Casino Turns 75: A Legacy of Gambling and Controversy
On August 14, 1951, Benny Binion launched the Horseshoe Club in downtown Las Vegas, establishing a legendary casino. A former bootlegger and racketeer from Texas, Binion relocated to Las Vegas in 1946 with $1 million. His history, which included two murders in Texas, complicated his quest for a gaming license. Initially rejected by the Nevada Tax Commission, he ultimately secured the license in December 1951 after charming the commissioners during a hearing. Designed by Stan Harris, the casino prioritized gamblers with its padded craps tables and carpeting over extravagant shows. Binion faced ongoing legal issues, culminating in a five-year prison sentence for tax evasion in 1953. After regaining control in 1964, he and his son Jack founded the World Series of Poker in 1970, hosted at the Horseshoe until 2004. The property was sold to Harrah's Entertainment in 2004 and is now known as Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel, while the Horseshoe name is used at the former Bally's on the Las Vegas Strip.
Key facts
- Benny Binion opened the Horseshoe Club in downtown Las Vegas on August 14, 1951.
- Binion moved to Las Vegas in 1946 with $1 million in cash.
- He was convicted of killing Frank Bolding in 1931 and shot Ben Frieden in 1936, claiming self-defense.
- The Nevada Tax Commission initially denied Binion's gaming license application in May 1951.
- The license was approved in December 1951 after a hearing where Binion's charm won over commissioners.
- Binion was sentenced to five years in prison for tax evasion in 1953.
- The World Series of Poker was created by Binion and his son Jack in 1970.
- The property was sold to Harrah's Entertainment in 2004 and is now owned by TLC Casino Enterprises.
Entities
Artists
- Benny Binion
- Jack Binion
- Becky Binion
- Doug Swanson
- Stan Harris
- Nick "the Greek" Dondolas
- Harry Claiborne
- Bill Decker
- Smoot Schmid
- Steve Guthrie
- Herbert Noble
- Frank Bolding
- Ben Frieden
- Estes Kefauver
- Benjamin "Bugsy" Siegel
- William Moore
- Monte Bernstein
- Clarence Hibbs
- Minnie Chandler
- Charles Russell
- Robbins Cahill
- E.L. Nores
- Joe W. Brown
- Meyer Lansky
- Doc Stacher
- Abner "Longie" Zwillman
- Jerry Catena
Institutions
- Horseshoe Club
- Binion's Horseshoe
- Binion's Gambling Hall & Hotel
- Las Vegas Club
- Eldorado Club
- Apache Hotel
- Westerner
- Desert Inn
- Hotel Last Frontier
- The Mob Museum
- Nevada Tax Commission
- Nevada Highway Patrol
- IRS
- Justice Department
- Harrah's Entertainment
- TLC Casino Enterprises
- World Series of Poker
- Las Vegas Review-Journal
- Nevada State Journal
- Reno Gazette-Journal
- U.S. Department of Justice
- Special Collections and Archives, University Libraries, University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Locations
- Las Vegas
- United States
- Dallas
- El Paso
- Texas
- Nevada
- Fremont Street
- Leavenworth
- New Orleans
- Malibu
- Tennessee
- Las Vegas Strip