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Another one of Don’s greatest passions was aviation. Laughlin loved ballroom dancing, horseback riding and classic cars. Ten years later, they sold the casino for $165,000 to pursue a new adventure. However, he longed for something more of his own, away from the bustling Sin City.

By 1954, Laughlin saved enough money to purchase his own business, the 101 Club in North Las Vegas. Don worked as a bartender by day and attended card and dice dealer school at night. Laughlin married his wife Betty Jones in 1953, and they moved west to Las Vegas with their infant son, pulling a travel trailer. Making $500 a week at the time, Laughlin’s school principal told him to leave the job behind or drop out. He reportedly worked during Minnesota’s cold winters as a fur trapper while a teenager, using some of the profits to buy and install slot machines in hunting lodges. Born on May 4, 1931, in Owatonna, MN, Laughlin became involved in gaming at an early age. 22 at age 92 after a long and storied life in the gaming industry.

Legendary Casino Visionary Don Laughlin Passes AwayĮditorial Staff | Posted on Novem| Leaving a Lasting Legacy in Gaming Industry By Sean ChaffinĬasino impresario Don Laughlin passed away on Oct.

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