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Bruno Mars surprised fans with a playful nod to swirling rumours about his alleged gambling debt following a guest performance at BLACKPINK's DEADLINE World Tour in Los Angeles on July 13. He appeared alongside Rosé to perform their collaboration "APT.,"
Sharing a video of himself running onstage amid confetti, Mars captioned the post, "Almost out of debt BehhhhhBehhhhh!!! Preciate You ROSAAAAYYYYYY!!!! 🥳." The post referenced unverified reports from earlier this year, which claimed Mars owed over $50 million to MGM Resorts due to gambling losses during his Las Vegas residency at Park MGM.
In March, a NewsNation report quoted a source saying that MGM "basically owned" Mars due to the supposed debt. However, MGM Resorts International swiftly denied the allegations, stating, "Bruno has no debt with MGM." They praised their ongoing partnership, noting, "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."
Mars has consistently chosen humour over confrontation when addressing the rumours. Back in January, after becoming the first artist in Spotify history to reach 150 million monthly listeners, he posted, "Keep streaming! I'll be out of debt in no time!"
The surprise appearance at BLACKPINK's concert marked another light-hearted moment in the saga. Rosé, who performed several solo tracks during the tour stop, was joined by Mars onstage wearing coordinated jackets, echoing their music video for "APT." After the performance, Mars shouted, "I love you, L.A.!" before running offstage. He later shared a clip of his exit set to the theme from Rocky, continuing the comedic tone.
While Mars has not publicly confirmed or denied the debt rumours, he acknowledged them with amusement in a past interview with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, saying, "Absolutely not! I love the lore that I am a Las Vegas lounge singer in debt to the mob. I can work with that."
Mars is scheduled to resume his residency at Dolby Live at Park MGM in August and September 2025.
