Source: Emma McIntyre/Getty
Last week, social media was buzzing afterwards NewsNation “mentionted” that Pop/R&B sensation Bruno Mars had racked up more than $50 million in gambling debt at MGM casinos, and that a large portion of that debt is being paid off with money Mars won during his time at Park MGM in Las Vegas Vegas.
After the news broke, the web was flooded with memes, gifs and everyone's opinion about Aris' apparent gambling addiction. Shannon Sharpe even started dishing about a story she heard about the “Talking to the Moon” singer losing nearly $2 million after a night of gambling.
Well, it turns out that the Silk Sonic member may not be a victim of his own gambling urges, but he may be a victim of bad journalism. According to MGM Resorts International, none of the rumors about Mars' outstanding debt are true.
“We are proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the most exciting and dynamic performers in the world. From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring Lounge at the Bellagio, Bruno's brand of entertainment attracts guests from around the world,” MGM said in a statement to People. “The partnership between MGM and Bruno is long-standing and based on mutual respect. Any other guess is completely false. has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”
Since the company has no discernible reason to lie that Mars doesn't owe it money, it seems pretty safe to say that this is yet another example of why people can't just believe every headline they read in their news.
From People:
A source had claimed to NewsNation that MGM “basically owned” Aris after allegedly racking up millions in gambling debts with the hospitality and entertainment company.
The publication also claimed that Mars was making $90 million a year from his MGM residences, but the singer was using a large amount of that to pay the company back.
“[He will] only earn $1.5 million a night after taxes,” NewsNation claimed.
So it sounds like Bruno Mars is doing well, and there are some entertainment outlets out there that really need to do a better job of checking their facts before rushing to publish a juicy celebrity story.
