Part V: Regional & Cultural · Casino Slang & Historical Terms

7.9 Howard Hughes

Historical — Industry Figure

Howard Hughes (1905-1976) was an American business magnate, aviator, and film producer whose purchase of multiple Las Vegas casinos in 1967-1968 marked a pivotal moment in the corporate gaming transition. Hughes acquired the Desert Inn, Sands, Frontier, Castaways, and Silver Slipper through his Summa Corporation, becoming the largest employer in Nevada. His entry demonstrated that legitimate corporate capital could operate casinos profitably, encouraging other institutional investors to enter the market. Hughes lived in seclusion on the top floor of the Desert Inn for four years before departing Las Vegas.

In practice

Hughes’s casino purchases were motivated partly by his desire to avoid moving from his Desert Inn penthouse suite — he bought the entire hotel rather than be asked to leave. His impact on legitimizing casino ownership cannot be overstated.

One entry from the Casino Industry Glossary — 1,157 terms written for surveillance, compliance and operations professionals rather than for players. Definitions describe industry usage; where a term carries a regulatory meaning, verify against the instrument that governs your jurisdiction.