What Is Bruno Mars’ $50 Million Debt? To Whom and Why Does He Owe Money? Here’s the Truth

Published 01/28/2025, 6:45 PM PST

Showbiz is all about the blinding glitz and glamor, but it is just as much about the persistent bickering in and around the stars deal on a daily basis. Although some artists are too well-versed in the cruelty of the entertainment capital, not everyone belongs to the camp. Yet, despite steering clear of the archetype controversies that often entangle the starlets, Bruno Mars secured a landing in the conflicting row of a $50 million debt.

For those caught a little off-guard by the buzz, here is the scoop on the entire drama.

All about Bruno Mars’ $50 million overdraft

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Bruno Mars has had quite the chart-topping career over two decades, and throughout, the singer has expertly dodged drama and controversies. However, Mars found himself in the trenches of conflict after he was linked to a $50 million gambling debt following a rumor mill surfacing on March 2024.

News Nation first reported on the matter after a “well-placed Vegas insider” dropped the nugget. According to the source, Mars reportedly owed the money from betting at a casino. They went as far as to claim that the other party allegedly “owned” Mars. Additionally, they reported that his $90 million per year deal with the concerned hotel was used to clear the outstanding balance.

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Though Bruno Mars has rarely found himself in such deep claims of controversy, who was the opposite party involved in the chaos?

Who did Bruno Mars owe $50 million to?

According to News Nation’s report back in the day, Bruno Mars reportedly had a $50 million pending due with MGM Casino. The singer has been a resident at the hotel for nearly a decade, and last year, he launched a cocktail lounge, The Pinky Ring, in collaboration with MGM. Though the reports were shocking, Mars’ reactions were even more surprising. 

So much so that it prompted a further probe about the truth of the claim. This was not exactly the first time Mars has been linked to gambling, but the debt condition surely raised eyebrows. Subsequently, MGM eventually clapped back at the gossip grapevine, setting the record straight about the alleged $50 million debt.

The real truth about Bruno Mars’ debt

Bruno Mars is no random singer trying to mark their footing in showbiz because he has already done that and his shocking performance fees alone speak for that. But to imagine him entangled with MGM over a whopping $50 million debt even after their cherished partnership? This surely had many dropping their jaws left and right. According to Buzz Feed, MGM eventually touched on the matter, clarifying that “he has no debt with MGM.”

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“MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect,” the company said, separating fact from fiction. Although Mars never really paid heed to the rumor mill per se, considering he even re-posted memes on it, MGM’s clarification was the ultimate sigh of relief for his fans, who struggled to come to terms with the speculation in the first place.

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Did you know about Bruno Mars' rumored debt with MGM? Let us know in the comments below!

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Anushka Bhattacharya

1889 articles

I'm Anushka Bhattacharya, an entertainment journalist at Netflix Junkie. Armed with a degree in literature, I once wielded my words to catalyze change within society through my work with NGOs. However, as I stumbled into the exuberant hole of crime thrillers and documentaries on Netflix, it was love at first sight and pushed me into entertainment journalism.

Edited By: Itti Mahajan

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