History of Gambling
Gambling is a favourite pastime activity for millions and millions of people. Today, this is one of the fastest-growing industries in the world. But did you know that the history of gambling dates back as far as the Prehistoric Era and, in particular, the Stone Age? Yes, you read that right!
Since times unknown, the concept of gambling has been a part of human lives in one form or another. Many loved and despised it, prohibited and then allowed it again, but one thing has never changed – the extreme interest it evokes in us and its limitless entertainment potential. Read this article to learn more fascinating details and find a variety of articles on gambling history.
History of Gambling in the World
The Britannica dictionary defines gambling as the betting or staking of something of value, with the consciousness of risk and hope of gain. And when you really think about it, these are not difficult conditions to be met. Perhaps that is one of the reasons why the history of gambling goes back millions of years.
While archeologists and historians have uncovered multiple artifacts evident to the existence of gambling since the dawn of humankind, it is not easy to pinpoint its exact beginning. Therefore, we are going to provide you with a chronology of the known events in the history of gambling, such as the appearance of dice and card games, the first casino, and more. Have a look at the information below:
- 🎲 2600 – 2400 BC – The first confirmed dice were found in Iraq, Asia. According to the records, they were used for playing a board game called The Royal Game of Ur. The dice are available to the public at an exhibition in the British Museum in London, UK. Early forms of dice were also found in excavations in Egypt, Italy, and China. According to the ancient Greek tragedian Sophocles, dice were invented by Palamedes during the siege of Troy around 1188 BC.
- 🎱 2300 BC – Tiles from Ancient China were unearthed and believed to date back to 2300 BC. They suggest rudimentary forms of gambling and, more specifically, keno and lotteries.
- ♦️ 11th Century – The first card games are reported to have appeared in Ancient China. They reached Europe in the 13th and 14th centuries and are believed to have been brought from Egypt. This is widely a subject of debate. The standard 52-card deck we know today was created by Charles Goodall and Son in the 1830s.
- ✔️ 14th Century – The first baccarat game originated in Italy and later migrated to France. The game underwent various updates before evolving into the standard baccarat we play at online and offline casinos today.
- 2️⃣1️⃣ 16th Century – Blackjack appeared and is believed to have originated from the French game “vingt-et-un”, meaning 21. The game was later introduced to the US by French settlers.
- 🏛️ 17th Century – That century marks another important event in the history of gambling – the establishment of the first official casino in 1638. This is the Ridotto in Venice, Italy.
- ⭐ 18th Century – The early form of roulette was devised in the 18th century in France. It was based on two similar games from the 17th century – “Roly Poly” and “Even-Odd”.
- ⚽ 18th Century – Sports betting is believed to be related to Greece and Ancient Rome. The first-ever bookmaker, however, appeared in 1795. Harry Ogden was laying odds and taking bets on horse racing at Newmarket, England. Read more in our dedicated Gambling in Sports History article.
- ♠️ 19th Century – According to Joseph Crowell, a famous English actor, an early form of poker was played in 1829 in New Orleans. The game started gaining popularity with the appearance of poker tournaments in 1970. Today poker is even considered a profession.
- 🎰 19th Century – The first slot machine with an automated payout was invented. Also referred to as the “one-armed bandit”, this is the prototype of the modern slot machine.
- 🌐 20th Century – Online gambling was introduced to the wide public in 1994 and quickly started gaining popularity worldwide.
- 📱 21st Century – Mobile gambling appeared, and punters could now play at any time and from any location.
As you can see, the history of gambling in the world is extraordinarily rich and complex. It encompasses a huge period of time and multiple ancient cultures. In fact, we recommend you read our article on ancient gambling for more details on the topic. This is an interesting subject, bound to shed light on gambling history in general.
Throughout gambling history, the games we have come to know and love today, have gone through a range of metamorphoses. These changes, for example, have given us the games we play at the best roulette sites in the UK and the most popular brick-and-mortar casinos. They have shaped the future of modern-day gambling in the world.
The First Casino in Gambling History
The 17th century marks one of the significant events in the history of gambling – the establishment of the first official casino in 1638. This is the Ridotto in Venice, Italy. Before opening the casino, the Italian authorities tried to ban dice and card games altogether but quickly realised that this would not stop gamblers from wagering illegally.
Therefore, they opened the casino in an attempt to regulate gambling in the country. It turned out, however, that due to its high stakes and formal attire requirements, Ridotto was accessible only to nobles. The two most popular games played at the casino were Biribi and Basetta.
Some believe that roulette was at least partially based on Biribi, which was played by gamblers placing bets on one of 70 possible outcomes. The dealer then would draw a number from a bag, and those who guessed the numbers would win. Basetta, on the other hand, was a combination of poker, blackjack, and gin rummy.
The Ridotto closed down in 1774 via a motion submitted by the Venetian reformer Giorgio Pisani and accepted by the majority of voters in the country. At that point, the casino was considered detrimental to the morality and ethics of Italian citizens, and many were opposed to its existence.
As you can imagine, the closing down of the Ridotto did little in terms of eliminating gambling activities in the country. On the contrary, it led to the establishment of a variety of private gambling venues called “casini” (from the Italian word for “house”). This is also where the term casino originated from.
History of Online Gambling
With the popularisation of the Internet, it was only a matter of time before gambling moved online. This is believed to have happened in 1994, and the pioneer in the online gambling industry is none other than Microgaming. To this day, the company is one of the leading casino software providers in the world.
The first major event in online gambling history was the implementation of the Antigua and Barbuda Free Trade and Processing Act in 1994. This made it possible for the country to grant online casino licences. Enter Microgaming, and soon people had access to the first online casino – The Gaming Club. Another huge step in the history of online gambling was the launching of InterCasino by CryptoLogic. This was the first operator allowing players to place real money bets.
The online gambling industry took off faster than anyone could have expected. It was worth over a billion USD within the first five years. Today, this is a multibillion-dollar industry. Playtech created the first live casino games in 2003, which marked another pivotal point in the online gambling history. They combined the thrill of the real live casino experience and the convenience of online gambling.
The latest tendency we have witnessed in recent gambling history is the switch to mobile devices. Increasingly more players prefer to play on the go via their smartphone or tablet. This is expected to remain unchanged and even escalate in the years to come. With virtual reality becoming more and more significant, we cannot wait to see what future events will go down in the gambling industry history. Maybe soon, we will not have to leave our homes to play at the best casinos in the world.
Licensing and Regulations in the Gambling Industry
Since 2600 BC, gambling has evolved into the tremendous global industry it is today. The global gambling industry is estimated to cost more than 50 billion USD and is expected to at least double in the years to come. There are thousands of casinos worldwide and hundreds if not thousands of online operators, and the numbers are growing.
Gambling is now largely allowed and regulated. But this was not always the case. Organising and regulating gambling by governments and other authorities began in the 15th century in China. Gambling houses started being legalized around the 17th century. Another particularly crucial aspect of the history of gambling happened during the 1980s and 1990s. This is when medical authorities in many countries recognised pathological gambling as a cognitive disorder.
| ⚖️ First Gambling Commission | The Kahnawake Gaming Commission Established in 1996 |
| ❓ First Responsible Gambling Organisation | BeGambleAware Established in 2002 |
| ✅ First Online Testing Agency | eCOGRA Established in 2001 |
| 🧱 First Brick-and-Mortar Casino | Ridotto Established in Italy in 1638 |
| 🌐 First Real Money Online Casino | InterCasino Established in 1996 |
It was concluded that this afflicts slightly more than one percent of the population. Various treatment and therapy programmes were developed with the purpose of dealing with the problem. Today all trustworthy operators are fully committed to protecting their players by following the responsible gambling practices and regulations. Visit our dedicated responsible gambling page to learn more about the most popular organisations, helpful practices and other interesting topics related to safe and responsible online gaming.
Interesting Facts in Gambling History
We will finish our article on gambling history by presenting you with a few quite interesting facts. Did you know that gambling was once considered a divine intervention? A sign from the Gods? And who were the Gods of gambling anyway? Do you know who was one of the most notorious American gambling icons and a career criminal? Read below to find out the answers to these questions and more:
Final Words and Conclusion
The history of gambling goes back to the dawn of humanity. From the Stone Age, Ancient China, Egypt, and the Roman Empire, to the present day, gambling has been an irreplaceable part of human lives. It started gaining popularity in the 14th – 15th centuries in Europe.
Today, there are millions and millions of gambling aficionados, making this one of the biggest and fastest-growing industries in the world. Constant innovations and development have us sitting at the edge of our seats, waiting to see what comes next. Stay tuned to find out how the history of gambling in the world will unfold.
Frequently Asked Questions
This is the end of our article on the history of gambling, but in a way, it is only the beginning of exploring this incredibly interesting topic. We will present to you a number of blog posts regarding various aspects of the global gambling industry history. If you have any questions whatsoever, please have a look at our helpful FAQ section below:
