Every single one of us has at least dabbled in the world of gambling. While many people immediately think of Las Vegas when they hear the word “gambling,” others prefer to try their luck from the comfort of home via television or the phone. It doesn’t matter which option you go with because they’re both equally widespread. The gambling industry, in fact, ranks among the world’s most lucrative. In reality, it’s just an addiction.
It’s possible that you’ve been putting your money where your mouth is by taking part in a number of games, but have you ever given any thought to the origins of these activities? Whence comes the custom of betting? When did these times occur, and what was it like? To respond to this enquiry, we will use only one sentence. Gambling has existed in one form or another since the beginning of time. Because it is intrinsic to the human condition, gambling will always find a home wherever there are humans. It’s something that people do for fun. Have no idea! True enough. The detailed timeline that follows shows
by showing that gambling’s prominence today can be traced back to a time before the modern era. In fact, its popularity predates the advent of currency. Isn’t it incredible?
China Around 2300 B.C
If archaeologists can be believed, China has the longest history of gambling and is where the earliest artefacts of the practise were found. The Rudimentary is a traditional Chinese game of chance, but archaeologists have uncovered tiles that are too fragile to be used. The Book of Songs, an ancient Chinese literary classic, also mentions these tiles. This set of tiles may have once been part of a lottery. No matter what they did, it was clear that they cared deeply about gambling and wanted to achieve success at any cost. This much can’t be denied.
In the Year 3000 B.C. The First Dice Were Discovered in Egypt
Did you know the earliest known dice are from a tomb in Egypt? Because the ancient Egyptians buried all their possessions with the expectation of using them in the afterlife, we know a lot about the culture and intellect of the time. That they came up with dice at all is, in light of what we know now, hardly a mystery. Perhaps it was a form of gambling, though I have no idea what they did with the dice.
Athens and Rome, 500 B.C
Ancient Romans enjoyed a wide variety of pastimes, and gambling was just one of them. Sophocles, a poet from ancient Greece, wrote that a mythical hero from Greek mythology invented dice. The Romans may not have been the first to gamble with dice, but they clearly enjoyed it as much as their Egyptian counterparts. Gambling was supposedly so prevalent among ancient Romans that it was eventually banned from Rome itself. The game was outlawed, and offenders faced severe penalties. Just wondering if the punishment served to deter people from gambling.
About 800 A.D. Was When Cards First Appeared
Gambling houses quickly embraced card games. The Chinese are often credited as the first to create playing cards. Unfortunately, we know surprisingly little about their historical applications.
A.D. 1400, in France
In the 1400s, researchers discovered the earliest known card game for gambling purposes. The card game known as baccarat is still widely played in casinos all over the world. It is also possible that the game was brought to France by Italians who emigrated to that country.
In the Year 1600, the First Casino Opened, Marking the Beginning of the Era of Black Jack
The year 1600 is notable in the annals of gambling history. For one thing, the game of blackjack didn’t appear until the 20th century. It is believed that the Spanish card game ventiuna served as the inspiration for this variation. Most modern casino games can trace their lineage back to this game, and it is widely considered to be the true origin of the casino gaming industry as a whole. It’s also important to remember that the term “blackjack” refers to the game only in the United States. Even though it was brought to the US by French emigrants, it was Americans who came up with the name.
Another major turning point in gambling history occurred in the 1600s. The first-ever casino opened its doors in the Italian city of Turin in 1638. It was a concoction invented in the city of Venice, and its name was the Ridotto. It was a good place to gamble during the annual funfair season. Over time, casinos exploded across the rest of the continent. For this reason, it quickly gained in popularity.
The iconic “Little Wheel” Invented in 1796
It’s no secret that roulette is a huge hit at the tables these days. Once known as the “little wheel,” Paris is credited as the birthplace of this game. Paris may have been where the game was perfected, but they deserve the credit for coming up with the idea. While the Americanized version of the game has evolved in significant ways from its European roots, credit is due to the Europeans for their efforts to refine the game over time.
1829 – Poker
The emergence of poker as a popular game is murky. There are those, however, who attribute its inception to the country of Persia. However, there are those who make comparisons to the French card game Poque. However, it was in New Orleans in 1829 that the modern game of poker is said to have been played for the first time.
It Was in the Year 1891 That One-armed Bandits First Appeared
The year 1891 was a pivotal one for many industries, including the gambling market. The first slot machine-like device was invented in 1891 in San Francisco. Previous iterations gave away items like chewing gum and cigars instead of cash.
The Internet Arrived in 1994
Casino gambling was popular in many different parts of the world. But it wasn’t until 1994 that the gambling industry really embraced the benefits of the internet. As soon as the first gambling website went live, people figured out how to have fun with it while staying at home in their pyjamas.
