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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - APRIL 03: (L-R) Anderson .Paak and Bruno Mars of Silk Sonic attend the 64th Annual GRAMMY Awards at MGM Grand Garden Arena on April 03, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
Photo by Denise Truscello/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

‘A very unserious man’: Bruno Mars addresses $50 million gambling debt rumors by pleading for a little help from fans

We have to start a piggy bank for Bruno!

Last year, rumors swirled that Bruno Mars was $50 million in debt due to a gambling addiction. At the time, it almost seemed believable — social media has a way of digging up dirt to fuel speculation. But now? It’s nothing more than comedy material for the singer.

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These rumors of his debt spread like wildfire in 2024, and Mars rarely touched on them. But recently, in an Instagram story, the multi-talented Hawaiian singer shared a Spotify post announcing that, on Jan. 27, he “became the first artist to reach 150 million monthly listeners in Spotify history.” While the post itself was harmless, Mars added his own commentary, captioning it: “Keep streaming! I’ll be out of debt in no time.”

https://twitter.com/PopBase/status/1884338243719549051

These rumors first appeared in mid-March 2024 when TV network NewsNation published a report claiming that Bruno Mars was $50 million in debt to MGM Resorts International (MGM). Speculation only grew after internet sleuths dug up old Carpool Karaoke clips, in which Mars joked about playing poker to pay the bills. While meant as a joke, at the time, many thought the pieces were finally falling into place.

After all, just a month before the rumors took off, in February, Mars had opened The Pinky Ring, a cocktail bar in collaboration with MGM’s Bellagio Hotel and casino. In retrospect, some fans believed this only fueled the narrative of his alleged gambling addiction, given his ties to the casino. The rumor quickly snowballed.

https://twitter.com/PopCrave/status/1769118452600488314
https://twitter.com/luusssso/status/1761352300797247871

While Mars rarely addressed the claims, MGM stepped in to set the record straight right away. A spokesperson for MGM Resorts dismissed the allegations as “completely false,” stating that Mars “has no debt with MGM.” Now, with his recent Instagram story, Mars has not only debunked the rumors once and for all but turned them into comedy material — proving that even in bizarre times, his sense of humor remains intact.

In fact, that much is clear through his music. While we often connect Mars with angsty love songs like “Grenade,” and “Talking to the Moon,” he has also embraced a more lighthearted approach to his music, especially in recent years. His entire collaborative album with Anderson .Paak, which birthed the supergroup Silk Sonic, is a perfect example, with its signature retro concept which they fully embraced in public. It was a fun time.

However, his latest Spotify milestone can likely be attributed not only to his stellar past discography but also to his most recent singles: “Die With a Smile,” “APT,” and “Fat Wet & Juicy.” All collaborations were an instant hit. “Die With a Smile,” — an August release with Lady Gaga — just earned nominations for Song of the Year and Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 67th Annual Grammy Awards. Two months later, “APT,” a collaboration with BLACKPINK’s Rosé for her debut album Rosie, dropped and has since amassed over 900 million views on YouTube.

Most recently, Mars teamed up with Sexyy Red for “Fat Wet & Juicy,” his… well, juiciest track yet. While undeniably his most daring release, there’s little doubt it will be as successful as the rest of his repertoire.


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Author
Image of Francisca Santos
Francisca Santos
Passionate about gossip, a dedicated music enthusiast, and an unapologetic weeb, Francisca is a freelance writer at WGTG. When she's not writing, she can be found taking her dog on walks, defending BTS' honor, and re-reading 'One Piece'.