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The History of Gambling

Our human history is no stranger to gambling. There is evidence that wagering existed even in the BC era. What was gambling like in the ancient times and history and how has it evolved across time to what it is today, will be briefly described below. But first, let us remind you that all of us living in the 21st century can play online casino games. Go to Borgata casino to check out their latest offers.

Our earliest evidence of gambling was discovered in Ancient China in the form of tiles which appeared to have been used for a lottery type of gambling. From around 200 BC, there are ancient versions of keno slips as a form of lottery to fund various works.

Oldest dice are dated to be from 3000 BC, and they were found in an Egyptian tomb. However, the first time the dice were mentioned in the history of gambling was in the writings of Sophocles from 500 BC. Gambling was forbidden in the ancient city of Rome and the people who were caught playing were punished by having to pay four times the amount wagered. Because of this, Romans invented the first gambling chips, pretending to the authority to be playing only for the chips.

The first playing cards appeared in the 9th century in China, but the rules and the games aren’t known, unfortunately. Most sources believe that these playing cards aren’t much like the playing cards we use today.

The earliest games that are being played in casino today are baccarat and blackjack that have evolved very much in time, to the games we know today. Baccarat comes from Cuba via Britain to the United States, and in 1400s it migrated from Italy to France. Blackjack has evolved from a Spanish game called Ventiuna (twenty one) described in a book written by Miguel de Cervantes in 1601. Popular across the European continent, the early settlers from France brought the game to the US. The name blackjack comes from an American promotion in Nevada casinos from the 1930s, where players were paid 10 to 1 odds if they won with a hand of a Jack and an Ace both of Spades.

The history of poker is a bit uncertain. Some sources state that the game comes from 17th century Persia, some from a French game called Poque. Poker became more popular in the 1970s when tournaments started in Vegas.

First casinos appeared in 17th century in Italy and started to spread all over the continent in 19th century. First slot machines were invented around 1891 in the United States. The Liberty Bell was precisely regulated and when the slot machines were upgraded to dispense money instead of chewing gum and cigars, theybecame extremely popular in bars and casinos around the world. The way to online gambling was opened when the first video slot game was invented in 1976.

Gambling has gone online since 1994, when the first online casino was created, and today there are over a thousand virtual casinos. Since 2011, thanks to the advancement of technology and the legalization of online gambling, people are able to play their favorite games online on their mobile gadgets.