The Happy Bottom Riding Club was one of those places that just lucked into popularity.

It was situated alongside Edwards Air Force Base, north of Los Angeles. When the war broke out and gasoline became scarce, the boys next door couldn't go far, so Pancho Barnes opened up her (yes, her) Happy Bottom Riding Ranch to the troops.

I guess one of the main attractions was the large swimming pool which Pancho filled with a bunch of naked women. Not too difficult to see why the place was so busy.

I hadn't heard of gambling there, but I wouldn't doubt it. The government accused Pancho of running a brothel, but she denied that. To rid them of the nuisance, the government claimed eminent domain and purchased the ranch from Pancho under protest. Whether the need for space was real, or they were getting rid of the place, no telling.

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As for the chips, man, that's a tough one.

I know of a Pancho's Club in Manhattan, Kansas, that got busted for gambling and liquor in the early 1950s. I don't know of any chips from there.

I've seen mention of other places with "Pancho" in the name from around the country (although I haven't dug into whether they had gambling.)

In my opinion, I would want a little more evidence than just the name (especially since its not unique). Any idea where they were found?