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| 1898 | |
| Cuba | Played for centuries in the Basque region, cesta punta is introduced to the Americas in Cuba. |
| 1902 | |
| Havana, Cuba | May 7, 1902 - First official jai-alai court in America opens. |
| 1904 | |
| St. Louis, MO | First USA jai-alai fronton is built on DeBaliviere Avenue in the Kingsbury section of St. Louis, during the 1904 World's Fair. I have not found a direct connection with the World's Fair, only that it was an attraction built at the same time. |
| St. Louis, MO | May 15, 1904 - St. Louis fronton opens. |
| St. Louis, MO | July, 1904 - Jai-alai operations end after two months. The fronton later became the Winter Garden skating rink. |
| 1924 | |
| Hialeah, FL | The first Miami fronton is built as part of the Hialeah complex |
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1925 |
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| New Orleans, LA | New Orleans fronton built. |
| 1926 | |
| Hialeah, FL | September 18, 1926 - The original Miami fronton is destroyed by the "Great Miami Hurricane", a massive Category IV storm which devastated Miami and Miami Beach. |
| Miami, FL | Jai-Alai is first played professionally at the Miami fronton. |
| 1927 | |
| Chicago, IL | December 21, 1927 - Chicago jai-alai begins at the Rainbo Fronton (Rainbo Gardens). |
| 1929 | |
| Mexico City | Fronton Mexico opens. |
| 1931 | |
| Florida | Pari-mutuel wagering begins. |
| 1936 | |
| Miami, FL | January 4, 1936 - Pari-mutuel wagering begins at Biscayne (Miami) Fronton. |
| 1938 | |
| New York, NY | September 8, 1938 - Jai-Alai is introduced at the Hippodrome, playing only one short season. |
| 1947 | |
| Tijuana, Mexico | February 28, 1947 - Fronton Palacio opens. |
| 1953 | |
| Tampa, FL | December 19, 1953 - Tampa Jai-Alai opens. |
| Dania Beach, FL | December 23, 1953 - Dania Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1956 | |
| West Palm Beach, FL | January 12, 1956 - West Palm Beach Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1957 | |
| Tijuana, Mexico | March 21, 1957 - Fronton Palacio was completely consumed by fire. |
| 1959 | |
| Daytona Beach, FL | June 4, 1959 - Daytona Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1962 | |
| Orlando, FL | January 5, 1962 - Orlando Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1968 | |
| Mandatory use of helmets begins following a frightening head injury to Fernando Orbea, which effectively ended his career. | |
| Florida | A players strike led to blacklisting of many players, most of which returned to their homeland. Many were to return when Bridgeport Jai-Alai opened in 1976. |
| 1971 | |
| Hartford, CT | Connecticut General Assembly enacts Public Law #865, creating the Commission of Special Revenue. Its primary responsibility was the implementation of regulations governing pari-mutuel wagering as a means of obtaining funds for the support of state government. |
| Melbourne, FL | November 1, 1971 - Melbourne Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1973 | |
| Ocala, FL | June 11, 1973 - Ocala Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1974 | |
| Daytona Beach, FL | April 11, 1974 - Daytona Beach fronton destroyed by fire. A Springfield (MA) Mafia boss was later implicated in the crime. |
| Fort Pierce, FL | May 29, 1974 - Fort Pierce Jai-Alai opens. |
| Las Vegas, NV | MGM Casino fronton opens. |
| 1976 | |
| Hartford, CT | May 20, 1976 - Hartford Jai-Alai opens (part of World Jai-Alai). |
| Bridgeport, CT | June 1, 1976 - Bridgeport Jai-Alai opens. |
| Newport, RI | June 10, 1976 - Newport Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1977 | |
| Milford, CT | May 5, 1977 - Milford Jai-Alai opens. |
| 1978 | |
| Quincy, FL | January 27, 1978 - Big Bend Jai-Alai opens. |
| Reno, NV | May 3, 1978 - MGM Reno fronton opens. |
| West Palm Beach, FL | December 26, 1978 - West Palm Beach fronton destroyed by suspicious fire. Officials stated it was arson. |
| 1979 | |
| Newport, RI | August 3, 1979 - Fastest jai-alai shot (188 mph) reported by Jose Ramon Arietio at Newport Jai Alai. Although I seriously doubt this number, it is still widely reported. |
| Florida | The Seminole tribe (Florida) initiates bingo operations, and becomes the first Indian reservation gaming enterprise. |
| 1980 | |
| Reno, NV | MGM Reno fronton closes. |
| Las Vegas, NV | November 21, 1980 - MGM Grand Hotel fire. 85 died and jai-alai did not return until 1981. |
| 1981 | |
| Tulsa, OK | May 27, 1981 - Roger Wheeler murder. |
| 1982 | |
| Miami, FL | August 1, 1982 - John "Jack" Callahan murder |
| 1983 | |
| Hartford, CT | May 28 - June 30, 1983 - A labor dispute involving employees of Berenson's Hartford Jai-Alai and the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Local 217 resulted in a strike action, closing the fronton until June 30. A total of 34 performances were lost due to this action. |
| 1988 | |
| Philippines | Jai-alai games terminated following a game-fixing scandal. |
| International Jai-Alai Players Association (IJAPA) formed. | |
| April 14, 1988 - STRIKE | |
| Hartford, CT | April 26, 1988 - CT Division of Special Revenue shuts down Bridgeport and Hartford frontons, citing "danger to the public safety" |
| Tampa, FL | April 28, 1988 - Tampa closes after operating for 1-1/2 weeks with replacement players. |
| October 17, 1988 - Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). This Congressional Act affirmed the right of tribes to conduct gaming on Indian lands, but made it subject to tribal/state compact negotiations for certain types of gaming. | |
| 1990 | |
| Melbourne, FL | February 3, 1990 - Melbourne Jai-Alai closes. |
| Quincy, FL | April 11, 1990 - Big Bend Jai-Alai closes. |
| 1992 | |
| Ledyard, CT | February 15, 1992 - Opening of Foxwoods Casino by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation. |
| Daytona Beach, FL | Daytona Jai-Alai closes. |
| West Palm Beach, FL | December 30, 1994 - West Palm Beach Jai-Alai closes. |
| 1994 | |
| Philippines | An attempt to resurrect the game was blocked when the Supreme Court declared that gambling was against the national interest. |
| 1995 | |
| Bridgeport, CT | April 30, 1995 - Bridgeport Jai-Alai closes. |
| Hartford, CT | September 5, 1995 - Hartford Jai-Alai closes. |
| 1996 | |
| Mexico City | October 2, 1996 - Fronton Mexico closes. |
| Montville, CT | October 12, 1996 - Opening of Mohegan Sun casino by the Mohegan Tribal Nation. |
| 1998 | |
| Tampa, FL | July 4, 1998 - Tampa Jai-Alai closes. |
| Tijuana, Mexico | Fronton Palacio closes. |
| 2000 | |
| Miami, FL | March 24, 2000 - L. Stanley "Buddy" Berenson passes away. |
| 2001 | |
| Manila, P.I. | June 22, 2001 - Jai-alai resumes in the Philippines, absent since1986. Operated by Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation(PAGCOR). |
| Milford, CT | December 12, 2001 - Milford Jai-Alai closes. |
| 2003 | |
| Newport, RI | July 13, 2003 - Newport Jai-Alai closes. |
| 2004 | |
| Florida | Several major hurricanes cause local closings and do major damage to several frontons. |
| Florida | November 2, 2004 - Amendment 4 to the State Constitution passes, allowing slot machines at pari-mutuel venues in Broward and Miami-Dade Counties (subject to local approval). |
| 2005 | |
| Jasper, FL | September 17, 2005 - Hamilton Jai-Alai opens, first new fronton in 27 years. |
| 2010 | |
| Santa Ana, Cagayan, PI | March 10, 2010 - Jai-alai returns to the Philippines. Established by Meridien Vista Gaming Corp. (MVGC) within the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority (CEZA). |
| 2011 | |
| Santa Ana, Cagayan, PI | July 10, 2011 - As part of a crackdown against illegal off-fronton betting activity, a Philippine court issues a 60-day restraining order, temporarily stopping the games. |
| 2012 | |
| Miami, FL | January 23, 2012 - Miami Jai Alai opened its slot facility and reopened its cardroom. The cardroom had been previously established, but closed the end of March 2011 until completion of the slots facility. |
| 2014 | |
| Dania Beach, FL | February 20, 2014 - Dania Jai Alai Casino began operation with 549 slot machines, and reopened their cardroom with 26 tables. |
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