Bruno Mars Addresses Gambling Debt Rumor

Posted on: April 13, 2026, 11:26h. 

Last updated on: April 13, 2026, 11:27h.

Corey Levitan Read More
Expertise: Commercial Gaming, Entertainment, Expert Insight, Las Vegas, Restaurants, Vegas Myths Busted.
  • Bruno Mars addressed long-standing gambling debt rumors during his tour kickoff in Las Vegas
  • The singer joked with Anderson .Paak on stage, claiming he is finally debt-free
  • Despite past reports of multimillion-dollar losses, MGM Resorts previously denied any outstanding debt

During the kickoff of his “Romantic” tour on April 10 in Las Vegas, pop superstar Bruno Mars addressed the longstanding rumor of his gambling debt to MGM Resorts for the first time on stage.

Bruno Mars appears on a makeshift stage following a parade and street-naming in his honor outside Park MGM on April 10. (Image: Ethan Miller/Getty)

The “24K Magic” singer has been a great source of entertainment revenue for MGM since he began performing at the Park MGM in 2016. But, according to a rumor circulating for at least seven years, he’s also been a great source of gambling revenue.

On stage at Allegiant Stadium on Friday, Mars engaged in what appeared to be a carefully rehearsed dialog about the rumor with his Silk Sonic partner Anderson .Paak, which one fan posted to Instagram.

“I hate to make this about me, but when I think about how much debt — I mean how many steps — it took to get here, I get emotional,” Paak addressed the crowd.

Mars replied: “Andy, I’m sorry you’re going through all that. Hey, I’m debt-free. I paid the casino off a long time ago!”

Pinky Ring, Meet Pawn Stars

On May 19, 2019, Casino.org’s own Vital Vegas became the first to report about Mars’ alleged debt, tweeting:  “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.”

A March 2024 report from NewsNation doubled down on the allegation, quoting an unnamed source stating that Mars had run up $50 million in unpaid markers and that MGM Resorts “basically owns” him.

Mars’ favorite games were said to be blackjack, baccarat, and slots, though he admitted paying rent in L.A. by playing poker during a 2016 “Carpool Karaoke” segment on The Late Late Show with James Corden.

Some have speculated that his commitment to perform at the Bellagio’s Pinky Ring nightclub may even have been part of his arrangement to pay back his losses.

MGM’s Response

In March 2024, MGM Resorts issued a statement denying any allegations of a debut owed by Mars.

“MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM,” MGM stated.

However, as Vital Vegas astutely tweeted, that statement may have been intentionally misleading.

“Pay close attention to MGM’s choice of words,” Vital Vegas wrote. “If Mars has a contract for $90 million and loses $50 million gambling, he doesn’t technically ‘owe’ anything. Related: Mars isn’t the biggest whale in Vegas, $50 million is nothing, he can afford it.”

Not Mars’ First Gambling Debt Joke

Though his tour kickoff on Friday was the first time Mars alluded to his debt to a live audience, he’s also joked about it twice on social media.

In January 2025, Mars reposted Spotify’s announcement that he became the first artist to reach 150 monthly listeners in the streaming platform’s history along with a note stating: “Keep streaming! I’ll be out of debt in no time!”

Then, in a July 2025 Instagram post, he wrote, “Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!!”