MGM Resorts has responded to a report that Bruno Mars had accumulated tens of millions of dollars in gambling debts at the company’s properties, saying that the story is false.

Mars Speculation ‘Completely False’

In a statement, MGM said that Mars “has no debt with MGM.”

On Friday, NewsNation posted a story that quoted an anonymous Vegas insider who claimed that Mars owed as much as $50 million at times.

“(MGM) basically owns him,” the unnamed insider was quoted as saying. 

But MGM offered up a total denial of that report on Monday in a statement released to the Las Vegas Review-Journal and other outlets.

“We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers,” the statement reads. “MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false.” 

Mars has had a residency with MGM since December 2016. He has played at Park MGM, the Aria, and the Bellagio during that time. Most recently, he has been appearing with The Hooligans – his backing band – at The Pinky Ring at Bellagio, a no-phones-allowed lounge that opened on Feb. 10 and was made for Mars.

The Las Vegas Review-Journal also quoted a source familiar with Mars’ residency who replied to the report by saying “that whole thing is such BS.”

Is Bruno Mars a Well-Known Gambling Whale?

However, even if the stories of the debt may be questionable, it’s no secret that Mars enjoys playing table games for high stakes in Las Vegas.

According to a tweet by Vital Vegas, Mars’ love of high-stakes gambling is “the worst-kept secret in Vegas.”

“Mars is to MGM resorts as Celine’s husband (Rene Angelil) was to Caesars,” Vital Vegas said in the post on X. “MGM’s table games revenue in Q4 2023 was among the highest (possibly THE highest) in the company’s history, due in no small part to Bruno Mars.”

Many commentors on X noted that MGM’s denial wasn’t fully a denial, either. “Has no debt with MGM” doesn’t mean he never did, nor does it preclude Mars from having lost big and paid off any markers. 

But even if Mars is losing millions to the casinos, it’s likely that the 38-year-old crooner can afford it. The same NewsNation report that started the recent flurry of discussion suggested that Mars makes $1.5 million per night for his residency, and a total of $90 million a year under his deal with MGM. 

Even after taxes, Mars would have plenty of money that he could afford to lose and still live more than comfortably, especially as there is no end in sight for his residency.

Bruno Mars has sold over 130 million records worldwide, and is known for hits such as “Locked Out of Heaven,” “When I Was Your Man,” and his featured role on Mark Ronson’s “Uptown Funk.” 

In February 2024, Mars was the headline performer for the Super Bowl XLVIII halftime show, which at the time was the most watched halftime show in Super Bowl history. Mars has won a total of 12 Grammy Awards during his career. 

(Image: Barry King / Alamy)