Bruno Mars shed light on rumors about gambling debts that followed him for more than a year, joking on stage as he kicked off his new residency tour in Las Vegas.
The singer opened The romantic visit at Allegiant Stadium on April 10, with Silk Sonic band member Anderson .Paak making a surprise appearance during the show.
In footage shared on social media, .Paak made a subtle reference to the debt story, saying: “I hate talking about myself, but when I think about the amount of debt, I mean how many steps it took to get here, I get emotional.”
Mars laughed and played along.
“Andy, I’m sorry you’re going through all this,” he said. “You see, I have no more debts, I paid off the casino a long time ago.”
The moment was a playful nod to a 2024 report claiming Mars had racked up $50 million in gambling debt with MGM Casino.
The story spread widely before MGM Resorts International decided to shut it down completely.
“The partnership between MGM and Bruno is long-standing and rooted in mutual respect,” the company said in a statement to New York Post.
“Any speculation is completely false; he owes no debt to MGM.”
The casino also took the opportunity to tout its relationship with the singer, whose Pinky Ring lounge operates at the Bellagio as part of their ongoing partnership.
This isn’t the first time Mars has referenced the rumors with a wink.
Last summer, after joining Rosé on stage to perform their collaboration APT., he shared a clip on Instagram with the caption: “Almost debt free BehhhhhBehhhhh!!!”
The Las Vegas show clearly put him in a good mood, and if the debt jokes are to be believed, he has made peace with history entirely.
