Bruno Mars followed up a surprise appearance alongside Blackpink in Los Angeles by posting on Instagram that he was “almost out of debt” following rumors he amassed $50 million in gambling losses at casinos.
The singer posted on Instagram, “Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!! Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!!”.
Rumors circulated last year that Mars has racked up debt gambling at MGM casinos in Las Vegas. NewsNation quoted an insider source as saying, “He owes millions to the MGM (from gambling).” They go on to say that the source said his losses have accumulated to as much as $50 million.
However, these are offset by the partnership the Hawaii-born performer has with MGM Resorts. The source went on to say, “He makes $90 million a year off of the deal he did with the casino, but then he has to pay back his debt… after taxes (Mars makes $1.5 million per night).”
Bruno Mars performs a Las Vegas residency at Dolby Live (formerly Park Theater) inside Park MGM and is nearing his 100th performance since signing the long-term deal in 2016.
You Just Have To Lose To Win, Says Mars
Bruno Mars has a long history of gambling. In an interview back in 2013, he stated that he started gambling when he was 19 years old and that losses are required to win.
Recounting his first loss, he said, “I remember my first bet. My hand was shaking, and a guy called me out on it and embarrassed me. You gotta lose. You just have to lose to win, to understand.”
MGM Denies Singer Owes Money
MGM, which operates online casinos as well as its brick-and-mortar sites in Vegas and across the world, denied that Bruno Mars has outstanding debts and emphasized their positive relationship with the performer.
Commenting upon signing the star, Bill Hornbuckle, president of MGM Resorts International said, “Bruno is among the most talented performers in the world and we are excited to start a long-term relationship with him across our industry-leading portfolio of entertainment venues.”
Rumors began circulating that the singer was racking up debt while performing, however. In 2019, Vital Vegas claimed he had racked up $7 million in debt and posted on X (then twitter), “It’s well-known Bruno Mars likes gambling, but he may be in the middle of a cold spell. Rumor is he’s racked up $7 million in losses at MGM Resorts casinos. If true, Park Theater shows are basically paying back gambling debts. Million-a-night swings aren’t uncommon for high rollers.”
Bruno Mars has not publicly admitted to the losses, but instead continues to play up to the rumors in social media posts. In an interview, he previously stated, “I love the lore that I am a Las Vegas lounge singer in debt to the mob. I can work with that.”
Earlier this year he also encouraged fans to keep streaming his music on Spotify to ease his debt troubles: “Keep streaming! I’ll be out of debt in no time!” he posted in an Instagram story.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling. Adam focuses on emerging stories in the ever changing landscape of betting in the US. Read the latest on prediction markets, changing legislation, and sweepstakes.
