Celebrities Rumored to Frequent Underground Casinos
Underground poker games and secretive casinos accessible only to wealthy elites have long captured the public’s imagination. The aura of danger and intrigue surrounding illicit gambling dens has led to rampant speculation about which celebrities might frequent these exclusive, members-only establishments.
While definitive proof is hard to come by due to the illegal nature of these venues, certain A-list stars have developed reputations for indulging in high-stakes games at underground casinos both domestically and overseas, despite existing many quality gambling venues like Richard Casino, where players can legally enjoy games. Here are some of the most prominent celebrity names linked to the world of illegal gambling over the years through insider leaks, investigative reporting, black book listings, and more.
Leonardo DiCaprio
Oscar-winning actor and renowned environmentalist Leonardo DiCaprio was first linked to underground poker circles in the early 2000s. Though never conclusively tied to any specific underground casinos, DiCaprio has made little secret of his love of siirto kasinot among friends and acquaintances. There are also rumors he helped organize small private games in Los Angeles featuring buy-ins as high as $100,000, though participants are extremely tight-lipped regarding any illegal activity. His penchant for the card game is referenced multiple times in a controversial lawsuit brought against DiCaprio and his associates surrounding a misappropriated charity donation.
Matt Damon
Like his Departed co-star Leonardo DiCaprio, Oscar winner Matt Damon is an avid poker player rumored to participate in super high-stakes underground games when not filming blockbuster movies. Back in 2010, Damon was reportedly on a list of A-list stars put together by illegal gambling whistleblowers identifying celebrities with alleged ties to major underground poker operations. And according to friends, his frequent collaborator Ben Affleck often has to pull Damon away from marathon late-night poker sessions. Though Damon himself has downplayed connections to unsanctioned casinos, his close-knit group of celebrity pals makes it likely that Damon has at least been adjacent to some of Hollywood’s most exclusive subterranean betting events.
Tobey Maguire
Few stars have closer suspected links to elite underground gambling than actor Tobey Maguire of Spider-Man fame. Maguire was firmly established as a high stakes regular at a notorious illegal Beverly Hills card club named The Hustler Casino in the late 2000s, routinely posting six figure wins and losses alongside billionaires, CEOs, and top pros. When founder Ruderman pled guilty to money laundering and tax fraud charges, Maguire found himself caught up in the federal investigation, ultimately ponying up $80,000 to avoid potential legal exposure for banking winnings under the table. He was also widely assumed to be the anonymous “Celebrity Player X” referenced in court papers displaying extremely aggressive tactics at underground games involving drugs, violence, and laundered funds. Though Maguire has since settled down following his involvement in the scandal, his love of high stakes poker generated some wild tales over the years of big money action at LA’s most exclusive underground venues.
Affluent Silicon Valley Tech Founders
While Hollywood has generated the bulk of rumors surrounding underground gambling among celebrity circles, in recent years attention has shifted to the affluent tech community in Silicon Valley. While online entrepreneurial personalities like Dan Bilzerian and Randi Zuckerberg openly flaunt big money gambling antics, secret casinos catering to startup billionaires and tech execs are rumored to be hidden across San Francisco and the larger Bay Area, fueled by the region’s extreme wealth concentration. Two names repeatedly floated in the Valley’s gossip circles are quiet billionaire WhatsApp founder Jan Koum and crypto evangelist Balaji Srinivasan, though details remain scarce given the reclusive nature of the tech elite. Still, insiders whisper about extravagant private estates equipped with custom poker suites for weekend games with seven figure swings becoming the ultimate status symbol among the west coast technocrats in recent years as wealth and demand intersects.
Celebrity Gambling Culture Hotbeds
While the existence of specific establishments remains largely unconfirmed, certain locales have developed notoriety as hotbeds for underground celebrity gambling over the years. These include:
- Los Angeles: With Hollywood a nucleus for movie star gamblers, illegal casinos are rumored across various areas of LA like Beverly Hills, Bel Air, and the Hollywood Hills, usually run out of large private homes. Celebrity games mentioned in court documents indicate dynamic pot limits reaching mid seven figures for elite games frequented by the likes of Tobey Maguire and Leonardo DiCaprio during the 2000s poker boom years.
- London: Synonymous with posh exclusivity, the presence of celebrity fueled private gambling clubs for London’s rich and powerful dates back centuries, with modern incarnations like Les Ambassadeurs Casino allowing aristocrats, billionaires, and the occasional chart topping pop star to bet fortunes away from prying eyes deep in the city’s Mayfair district. Lax oversight of England’s stuffy old world gambling policies permit these institutions to endure serving the whims of prominent patrons.
Rumors surrounding Tobey Maguire, Leonardo DiCaprio, Matt Damon, and the Silicon Valley elite provide a glimpse into underground poker’s glamorous appeal for the rich and famous. Yet while the reality likely falls short of exaggerated myths of gambled drug fortunes, for those select ultra wealthy superstars granted access, illicit high stakes gambling clearly retains an irresistible forbidden allure in popular imagination. One thing is clear – public intrigue surrounding the secret exploits of the world’s most famous and powerful casino whales is unlikely to abate anytime soon.