Bruno Mars jokes about alleged MGM gambling debt after setting Spotify record

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Four-time Guinness World Record holder and 15-time Grammy winner Bruno Mars has poked fun at rumours of an alleged gambling debt with Las Vegas-based casino hotel MGM Resorts.

The Hawaiian singer broke a Spotify streaming record this month when he became the first ever artist to achieve 150 million monthly listeners. 

The 39-year-old responded to the landmark in an Instagram story on Tuesday 28 January, urging fans to "keep streaming…I’ll be out of debt in no time!”.

The post references previous rumours alleging Mars owed up to $50m in debts to MGM Resorts. 

News Nation first published a story in March last year, quoting a ‘Las Vegas source’ who claimed the singer’s gambling habits had led to him owing millions to the company. 

Mars has held a residency at the Park MGM’s Dolby Theatre since 2016 and has recently signed a new deal to perform more shows across May and June of this year.

As of 2024, his residency has reportedly grossed around £100m but the source claimed a bulk of Mars’ earnings were used to repay the debts owed. 

While Mars did not publicly deny the rumours at the time, he did repost a fan joking that his newly-released single with Lady Gaga was a solution to help him pay off the balance.  

However, MGM took a sterner stance and issued a statement swiftly refuting the reports. 

It read: “We’re proud of our relationship with Bruno Mars, one of the world’s most thrilling and dynamic performers. From his shows at Dolby Live at Park MGM to the new Pinky Ring lounge at Bellagio, Bruno’s brand of entertainment attracts visitors from around the globe.

“MGM and Bruno’s partnership is longstanding and rooted in mutual respect. Any speculation otherwise is completely false; he has no debt with MGM. Together, we are excited to continue creating unforgettable experiences for our guests.”

MGM announced six new dates for Mars to perform at the Dolby Live Theatre on 28 January. The shows take place on 21, 24, 25, 28 and 30 May before his final performance on 2 June.

He is also set to perform across several major European cities as part of his 2025 tour, including London, Paris and Berlin. 

The announcements follow a successful 2024 for Mars, whose collaborations with the likes of Lady Gaga and BLACKPINK’s Rose saw him top charts in countries including the United States, Canada and New Zealand. 

The figures continue an incredible run for the singer, who first burst on to the scene with his 2010 hit “Nothin’ On You”.

Most recently, Mars has teamed up with upcoming American singer Sexyy Red on their single ‘Fat Juicy & Wet’, which was released on 24 January of this year.

Despite rumours, it has been solidly confirmed that the singer has not been 'locked out of heaven'.

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