The Chip Board
Custom Search
   


The Chip Board Archive 05

Cuba Casino History

For those of you intrested in Cuba and their casinos here is a list I found that give who ran what game in Cuba. I do not have the time to check out the facts but it may help those doing reseach

As of 1958 the following were the principal casinos in Havana, Cuba:

a. The TROPICANA – operated by Wilber Clark and Frank BISCHOPE. Frank BISCHOFF has been a suspected narcotic trafficker. His principal
assistant in the casino was one Pierre CANAVESE who was closely associated with Salvatore LUCANIA alias Lucky Luciano, FBN International List
No. 198. (CANAVESE had been previously deported from the U.S.A. to Italy but he subsequently entered Cuba by means of a fraudulent passport).

b. The SANS SOUCI – operated by Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. One of Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr.'s principal assistants in the operation of this club was one Sid JACOBS alias Syd Mathews.

c. The RIVIERA CASINO – operated by Meyer LANSKIN FBN International List No. 169, Frank ERICKSON, Giordano CELLINI, Ed LEVINSON and one "Disty" PETERS. The RIVIERA CASINO was one of the more honest gambling casinos in Havana. Meyer LANSKY and Frank ERICKSON were suspected of being the real owners of the club.Frank ERICKSON represented racketeer Frank COSTELLO'S interests.

d. CASINO INTERNATIONAL – Hotel Nacional, operated by Wilbur CLARK. His principal assistants in the operation of this club were Edward GOFFREDO CELLINY and Merle JACOBS. As far as could be ascertained, CLARK, CELLINI, and JACOBS do not have any criminal records.

e. The SEVILLA BILTMORE, operated by Amletto BATTISTI, a Cuban citizen of Italian extraction. BATTISTI was kingpin of the "bolita" racket
(lottery). He was the owner of the Sevilla Biltmore Hotel which he had leased to a Chicago concern. BATTISTI also owned and operated a bank in the hotel.

f. CAPRI HOTEL CASINO – operated by Nicholas Di COSTANZO and Charles TURIN believed to be identical with racketeer Charles TOURAINE
[Tourine] alias Charley Blade. It was believed that George RAFZ, the movie star, owned a considerable interest in this club.

g. NATIONAL CASINO – operated by Jack LANSKY brother of notorious racketeer Meyer LANSKY, FBN International List No. 169. Jack and Meyer LANSKY owned the major portion of this casino and had in their employ a number of technicians from Las Vegas, Nevada. It was said that this casino was run strictly "on the level" because the habitues were the "boys" who demanded a square game when they felt like gambling.

h. HAVANA HILTON CASINO – Operated by Clifford JONES of Las Vegas, Nevada, Senator Kenneth JOHNSON of Nevada and one Sidney ARCB of New York Two wealthy Cuban industrialists, Ramon MANDOZA and Marcos MENDOZA had substantial interests in this club. Santo TRAFFICANTE Jr. and Joseph SILESI alias Joe Rivers, of New York, N.Y., were rumored to have had a piece in this casino. However, this was not verified.

Messages In This Thread

Cuba Casino History
Great history lesson! Thanks
Re: Cuba Casino History
Re: Cuba Casino History
Re: Cuba Casino History
Re: Cuba Casino History
Re: Cuba Casino History

Copyright 2022 David Spragg