Evolution of Gambling: The Complete Casino Games Timeline

Although certain kinds of gambling have certainly existed since the beginnings of civilization history, the oldest confirmation comes from Ancient China, when tiles were discovered that seemed to have been used for a basic game of chance. The Chinese ‘Book of Songs’ mentions “the drawing of wood,” implying that perhaps the tiles were part of a jackpot or lottery.

Researchers have proof in the shape of keno cards, which were often used as a lotto in around 200bc to pay governmental works, potentially such as the building of the Great Wall of China. Over a certain period of history, lotteries have been utilized for civic reasons. Harvard and Yale, for example, were both founded using lottery funding.

 The Early Version of Craps

Before it was brought to the casinos, Craps was a popular street game. And, myths have it that the game was invented by a hero who took part in the siege of Troy. We are not sure on how far this is true but, others decided to roll with the story. But, the proper documentation of a dice game is dated back to 500 BC.

But, based on the uncovering of the tomb in Egypt, dice games could have existed from as back as 3000 BC.  At first, playing the game in the streets for money was not allowed even up to date. But, to get away with it, the Romans brought about Chips. Therefore, players would be playing for chips and would not get into trouble in the event of a raid.

The First Casino

It is safe to say that a “gambling house” could just be regarded as a casino. Even though the games and concept were different, the first regulated gambling space can be dated back to 1638. The first house was called Ridotto, which was located in Venice, Italy. The gambling house was meant to help with the hustle and bustle that came with the carnival season.

 After that, casino establishments hit the streets later in the 19th century in Europe. At that time, the Americans were still going to illegal gambling houses. But, the country has surpassed the UK and is now one of the biggest gambling countries in the world. So much for late bloomers!

The Invention of One of the Biggest Casino Games

There is no doubt that poker is the biggest gambling game in the world right now. The game even has its own tournament (The World Series of Poker).  There are no specifications on how the actual poker game started. But, there are records of what seemed to be lighter versions of the game that were picked on earlier.

Certain researchers say that the game has similarities to a popular Persian game. Others think the game came from Poque, a game that was popular in France. But, a much elaborate variation of the game is dated back to 1829 in New Orleans. The first world poker tournaments were held in the 1970s and this is when the game started gaining popularity. And, once the world was introduced to online poker, everyone would try out their luck and see whether or not they could possibly be the next Chris Moneymaker.

The Coming of Online Casino Gaming

Online gambling is by far the best thing that ever happened to the gambling industry. Most of the credit goes to what is now the biggest gaming software developer, Microgaming. The idea came into light back in 1994. By, then, not everyone could have easy access to mobile phones, computers or laptops that could easily connect to the internet like today. In 2003, Playtech, another of the gaming software gurus, brought about the software for live dealer gaming.

Now millions of people get to play casino games, and billions are spent in the industry annually. Since the advent of COVID, the online casino business has bloomed. It is currently one of the fastest growing industries in the world.

Mobile Casino Gaming

Online gambling is still illegal in some countries around the world. But, a large majority of the world’s population is legalized and can get access to the games on their mobile devices as well. Most casinos have been optimized. For some, you do not have to download the app, you can get instant play on the internet. While other casinos limit the number of games that mobile casinos get to play, others are giving their players the full experience. There are many advantages that come with mobile gaming, but, our favourite is that you can win money from any part of the world.

Final Thoughts

 There are no limits when to what the future holds for the gambling industry. They are full of surprises and you will only have to wait to find out what is next. So far, the promising features are crypto currency gaming and Virtual Reality gaming.