Lila Thorn | December 13, 2018 | Updated on: December 12th, 2023
The history of gambling is closely linked with the history of humanity. It’s no secret that people love to gamble. When tracking the origins of gambling you will find that we have always been interested in the games of chance. However, back then compared to now the difference is in what is used as a bet and what can be won.
This gambling happens on a slot machine, roulette, or the lottery. Many adults enjoy spending a bit of money on gambling. But, how exactly did our love of games of chance come to be? How far back does the history of gambling go?
River Nile Casino has put together a brief history of gambling as a guide to know where it all started. However, the exact details about the very beginnings of gambling are unknown, and the subject as a whole could take many pages to cover. Hence, we put together a brief history of gambling overview as we understand it today.
Gambling Sites with Great History
The casinos listed below offer gambling services to American players and in some way form part of the gambling history. However, they are accessible online with a multitude of gambling services available for real money.
It is highly unlikely that we will ever know exactly when, how, and were the first gambling started. It is entirely likely that it happened between some of our oldest ancestors wagering on who would collect the most berries, or hunt the largest animal that day. But when it comes to the history of gambling, the earliest recordings of gambling happened in Ancient Egypt and China. Egypt had a game, which was similar to Backgammon, known as Senet.
Interestingly, this game is still played today. As for the Chinese, they played games like Keno and are known to have used gambling to help fund state projects and wars. One of these projects just so happens to be the Great Wall of China.
When looking at the records of gambling history, playing card games was discovered in the 9th century in China. However, it is not clear what kind of card games they were. What is known is that the card game show little resemblance to the card games played today.
Gambling eventually evolved and spread through the world and it became regulated and organized. The first gambling houses emerged in the 17th century in Italy.
History of Online Gambling
Online gambling is obviously the newest in terms of the history of gambling. When looking through the history of online gambling, you will find that Antigua and Barbuda approved the Free Tarde & Processing Act in 1994. This act allowed the issuing of licenses for those who had an interest in opening an online casino.
Microgaming was the first to develop gambling software that was functional; however, this happened way before online casinos were introduced. Working together CryptoLogic, an online security software company, safe transactions were made possible which let to the first online casino being launched in 1994.
With the history of gambling in the US, the Internet Gambling Prohibition Act was initiated in 1999. The act was going to prohibit any company to offer their online gambling services to Americans.
In 2003 Playtech, a software developing company introduced the first live dealer casinos on the internet. These live casinos combine the playing environment of land-based casinos with virtual gaming.
Once people started to gamble online, more and more casino sites opened up. The most challenging aspects about the beginning of online casinos were convincing people that they were fair and genuine. This is something that still seems to be difficult today, as many people do not trust online casino sites. However, organizations such as e-Commerce and Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance Agency (eCOGRA) are working to ensure that they are fair.
Common Gambling Games
While China and Egypt may have the earliest records of gambling, most of the common gambling games we all associate with casinos today started in Europe. Roulette, for example, was invented by a French physicist in the late 1700s. Craps can be traced back to England and a game called Hazard. This common gambling game became popular during the Crusades and was quite a bit more complex than Craps. It was the French who brought the game to America and simplified it into the game we know today.
Blackjack and Baccarat also came from Europe and appeared around the same time. Baccarat is thought to have come from Italy, while the history of Blackjack is a bit more complicated and debated. Some think it comes from France, while others believe its true origins lie in Spain. As for slots, they were invented in the 1890s by an American named Charles Fey.
Mobile Gambling History
Technology has become a tool to advance industries to higher heights. The same can be said about gambling. Gambling history was made when there was the introduction of mobile gambling. There is evidence that shows that mobile gambling has become far more appealing compared to gambling on desktops.
As a result, many online gambling websites are jumping on this trend to keep up with players. They are developing their software to be compatible with mobile gambling. It is also clear to understand why players are interested in accessing the sites on their mobile devices. They offer the convenience of immediate access from anywhere.
The Future of Gambling
At the moment Blockchain technology has opened another error gambling creating another part of gambling history in the world. Blockchain technology has introduced the use of cryptocurrencies which has disrupted the world of gambling. More and more players are starting to use cryptocurrencies to take part in gambling on the internet. It is used as a payment method and offers transparency and low transaction costs. What’s more, players are anonymous when using cryptocurrencies with no need to submit documents with the casino.
However, the next level of Blockchain technology is where crypto platforms will host projects that will be created where holders will get dividends from profits to make in the platform. In the future, there will be a Blockchain gaming ecosystem where casino operators will develop gambling applications that will have zero house edge. What’s more, there will be almost zero fees on transactions.
The history of gambling is closely linked with the history of humanity. It’s no secret that people love to gamble. When tracking the origins of gambling you will find that we have always been interested in the games of chance. However, back then compared to now the difference is in what is used as a bet and what can be won.
