Discover how far back mankind’s history goes with gambling. Explore a rough timeline of major developments in togel online casino gaming history.
From Prehistoric Dice to Video Slots: The Rough History of Casino Games
It seems that we humans have had a taste for gambling for about as long as we’ve been walking upright. Throughout history, even before casinos existed, casino-type games have been played.
While by no means exhaustive, the following timeline should give you a good idea of how far our love of togel Singapore casino games goes… and how we got to where we are today.
Prehistoric – 3000 BC, Mesopotamia: Hexahedral dice
The oldest pair of dice discovered is more than 5000 years old. They were discovered by archaeologists in Iraq and date back to 3000 BC when the area was still known as Mesopotamia.
But the origins of death go back much further. As it turns out, these Mesopotamian dies were based on designs from the Late Paleolithic, which ended about 11,000 years ago.
2300 BC, Ancient China: Lotteries and simple games of chance
There is much evidence to suggest that gambling was a popular pastime in ancient China. This includes tiles that were later discovered by archaeologists, suggesting the existence of a rough game of gambling. Additionally, the reference to “wood drawing” in the Chinese Songbook may refer to a type of lottery.
Ancient Greece and Rome: Mythical Dice and Tokens of Circumventing the Law
In ancient Rome, founded in 753 BC, gambling was extremely popular. So popular, in fact, that the city of Rome banned all forms of gambling for a time. Illegal players attempted to circumvent the law, which carried a fine of four times the stake, by developing gambling chips.
Later, around 500 BC, the writings of the Greek poet Sophocles attributed the invention of the dice to a mythical hero and the siege of Troy. Whether you buy the fantastic theory or not, Sophocles’ writing shows that the ancient Greeks used to die.
Circa 800 AD, China: From Card Games to Ken
The general consensus among historians is that playing cards originated in 9th century China, although theories about their use vary. Some suggest these cards were used somewhat like modern baseball trading cards, while others believe they were like paper dominoes.
Additionally, keno slips from around 200 BC suggest the existence of a lottery of sorts to finance Chinese state projects, which may have included the construction of the Great Wall of China.
1400, Italy and France: Origins of Baccarat
The earliest historical mention of baccarat, one of the oldest card games still played today, was in the 15th century. This was at the point when the game moved from Italy to France.
Over the following centuries, this early incarnation of baccarat continued to evolve and migrate. The version we know today originated in Cuba before spreading to the UK and then the US.
Early 1500s – 1930s Spain, France and USA: Blackjack is born
There is some disagreement among historians about the origins of blackjack. The main contenders are the French quinze (early 16th century), the Spanish trente-un (1570) and the Spanish ventiuna (1601). However, the 17th century French game of vingt-et-un is widely recognized as the direct predecessor of modern blackjack.
It is noteworthy that the name “blackjack” did not appear until the 1930s in America as part of a marketing tactic used by Nevada casinos.
1638, Italy: Origin of playhouses
The first gambling facilities comparable to modern casinos were created in Italy in the 17th century. The most famous of these, the Ridotto, was established in Venice in 1638 as a controlled environment for gambling during the Carnival season.
1600 – 1829, Persia, France and the USA: The Origins of Poker
The organic evolution of poker makes its exact origins almost impossible to determine. Possible ancestors include the 17th century Persian game and the 18th century French game Poque. In any case, a familiar version of the game was played in New Orleans in 1829.
Of course, it wasn’t until the 1970s with the introduction of televised world tournaments that poker really came into its own.
1796, France: The Little Paris Wheel
Double zero roulette in its modern form was invented in Paris in the late 19th century. Half a century later, European roulette was developed with only one red number instead of two plus a green zero. Today, Double Zero Roulette is referred to as American Roulette and is the most popular variation.
1894 – 1976, USA: Birth of the Liberty Bell and Poker Machines
In 1894, Charles Fey invented the Liberty Bell, the world’s first slot machine with drum bells. Around the same time, New Yorkers Sittman and Pitt developed a kind of poker machine with cards represented on reels. Nowadays, almost everyone loves to play slots.
1910 – 1930s, USA: From Prohibition to the Great Depression
By the middle of the 19th century, as casinos became commonplace throughout continental Europe, casual gambling was gaining popularity in the US. That is, until prohibition was announced in 1910.
At this time, the government gave in to Puritan pressure and introduced a nationwide ban on gambling. Of course, this ban was almost impossible to enforce. Instead, the practice simply moved to illegal gambling dens. Steamboats on the Mississippi River were popular locations for such devices, an ideal environment for circumventing the law.
In 1929, however, everything changed. With the Wall Street Crash and subsequent Great Depression came crippling poverty. As a partial remedy, several US states re-legalized gambling. The opulent Las Vegas Strip is thus an indirect product of the Great Depression.
1976–Present, US and Worldwide: Continued Technological and Regulatory Developments
In 1976, the world’s first video slot was introduced to the world. Gambling entered the digital age and expanded into the online realm in the mid-1990s.
Basically, casino games haven’t changed much over the past few decades. The major changes in the world of online gambling today are either technological advancements or regulatory changes. As technology continues to improve, casino entertainment will become more and more immersive.
