{"id":314329,"date":"2024-03-16T21:23:46","date_gmt":"2024-03-17T02:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/?p=314329"},"modified":"2024-03-18T20:23:58","modified_gmt":"2024-03-19T01:23:58","slug":"bruno-mars-owes-50m-gambling-debt-to-mgm-resorts-unconfirmed-report","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/bruno-mars-owes-50m-gambling-debt-to-mgm-resorts-unconfirmed-report\/","title":{"rendered":"MGM Resorts Refutes Report Claiming Bruno Mars Owes it $50M Gambling Debt"},"content":{"rendered":"

UPDATE: <\/strong><\/em>Via a statement issued on Monday to the Las Vegas<\/em> Review-Journal<\/em> newspaper, MGM Resorts said that Bruno Mars “has no debt with MGM,”\u00a0 adding: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false.”<\/p>\n

However, Casino.org<\/em>‘s own Vital Vegas<\/em> blogger Scott Roeben points out:<\/a> “Pay close attention to MGM\u2019s choice of words. If Mars has a contract for $90 million and loses $50 million gambling, he doesn\u2019t technically owe<\/em> anything. Related: Mars isn\u2019t the biggest whale in Vegas, $50 million is nothing, he can afford it.”<\/p>\n

\n

EARLIER:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0There may be an ulterior motive to all the deals Bruno Mars signs with MGM Resorts. NewsNation has quoted an unnamed source claiming that Mars owes \u201cmillions to the MGM\u201d in gambling debt.<\/p>\n

\"A
A mock-up of $100 bill promotes Bruno Mars\u2019 2017 “24K World Tour.” (Image: X\/Twitter\/brunomarsspain)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A second unnamed source told the TV news network that his debt has risen as high as $50 million.<\/p>\n

Pinky Ring, Meet Pawn Stars<\/h2>\n

\u201c(MGM) basically own him,\u201d one of the two alleged insiders said. \u201cHe makes $90 million a year off the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt.\u201d And that\u2019s after taxes, the insider explained, which instantly transforms $90 million a year into $60 million.<\/p>\n

NewsNation<\/em> is a cable TV network owned by the Nexstar Media Group, the largest owner of TV stations in the U.S. The article about Mars’ gambling debt was penned by Paula Froelich, a respected former reporter for the New York Post<\/em>\u2019s Page Six <\/em>gossip column.<\/p>\n

The 24K Magic<\/em> singer has become a staple in Strip entertainment thanks to his MGM Resorts residencies. They include his solo run at the Park MGM resort and another as half of Silk Sonic.<\/p>\n

Part of Mars\u2019 multimillion-dollar MGM contract reportedly included the creation of The Pinky Ring, a cocktail lounge and performance space inside the Bellagio. (NewsNation<\/em> reported that another project is in the works as well.)<\/p>\n

However, can all this collaborating with one casino company merely be about making good on an outstanding casino balance?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
Mars plays poker in an unidentified casino in an undated photo posted to X\/Twitter. (Image: X\/Twitter)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Not Much Evidence<\/h2>\n

Mars, born Peter Hernandez 38 years ago, has never publicly been connected with problem gambling before — though he was arrested in the bathroom of the Hard Rock & Casino for possessing 2.6 grams of cocaine back in 2010.<\/p>\n

In a 2013 interview with GQ,<\/em> Mars recalled his first gambling experience. He didn\u2019t say where, just that he was only 19.<\/p>\n

“I remember my first bet, my hand was shaking, and a guy called me out on it and embarrassed me,\u201d he said, admitting he lost a hundred dollars he couldn\u2019t afford to lose. “You gotta lose. You just have to lose to win, to understand.”<\/p>\n

During his Carpool Karaoke <\/em>segment \u00a0for The Late Late Show with James Corden <\/em>in 2016, Mars said he paid rent in L.A. by playing poker \u201cfor a little while.\u201d<\/p>\n

Casino.org<\/em> emailed MGM Resorts for a comment, but did not receive a reply.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UPDATE: Via a statement issued on Monday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper, MGM Resorts said that Bruno Mars “has no debt with MGM,”\u00a0 adding: “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false.” However, Casino.org‘s own Vital Vegas blogger Scott Roeben points out: “Pay close attention […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":78,"featured_media":314330,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[62,3313,81886],"tags":[90244,82131,87187,85318,23,82024,82351,83027],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nMGM Resorts Refutes Report Claiming Bruno Mars Owes it $50M Gambling Debt - Casino.org<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"UPDATE: Via a statement issued on Monday to the Las Vegas Review-Journal newspaper, MGM Resorts said that Bruno Mars "has no debt with MGM,"\u00a0 adding: "MGM\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.casino.org\/news\/bruno-mars-owes-50m-gambling-debt-to-mgm-resorts-unconfirmed-report\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"MGM Resorts Refutes Report Claiming Bruno Mars Owes it $50M Gambling Debt - 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