The history of gambling
The casino industry has always been massive, however, in recent years, the industry has propelled and become one of the most popular and lucrative industries in the world. The growth of the commercial casino industry came as a result of the ongoing legalization as well as gambling-related activities. Licensed casinos within this industry have managed to rake in record-breaking revenue figures as well as expand to new markets. Online casinos are a division within the casino industry that has also grown significantly in popularity, especially during the pandemic. Online casinos are a popular choice because they allow you to gamble anywhere and anytime, and there are even websites out there that help you select them, such as Japan-101, where you can find a review of almost any popular online casino. Gambling is one of the oldest forms of entertainment that can be traced back to many ancient societies around the world. There is a unique timeline on how it has evolved and this article will explore that timeline in more detail.
Ancient history
As previously mentioned, gambling can be traced back to ancient societies from around the world and there is evidence of gambling games in Ancient China in 2300 BC, Ancient Greece around 500 BC, Ancient Egypt around 3000 BC as well as Ancient Rome. Since ancient recorded history, humans have been placing bets on sports and games for a very long time and sports betting as well as racing, dates back thousands of years. In ancient times, gambling was very popular amongst the upper-class members of society including emperors. There is even evidence that keno slips used in 200 BC were used as a form of lottery to fund many state projects and efforts which suggests that there were large monetary prizes involved.
Blackjack and Poker
Blackjack and poker are two of the most recognizable and popular poker games. Blackjack is believed to have originated in French casinos around 1700 and poker was brought to New Orleans by French settlers in 1829. Every casino has these two games available to players and even movies often portray these games. It is widely believed that the game of poker originated from the Persian card game titled “As Nas” and Persian sailors taught French settlers in New Orleans how to play the game. Eventually, the game spread to the west, and a full 52 card deck was used instead of the original 20 cards. As time progressed, more variations of poker developed including Texas Hold ‘Em which is considered the most popular today. Blackjack is also played everywhere in both online and physical casinos. In 1985, 77% of all casino activities were covered by blackjack; however, by 2018 that number dropped to 49.15%.
Viva Las Vegas
Gambling and Las Vegas belong together in the same sentence. Whenever you think of casinos, you think of Las Vegas which is the hub. This desert city is so important to the gambling culture and was founded in 1905. Las Vegas is popular for its gambling and quick marriages with no waiting periods. Physical casinos are not as popular anymore now that people are opting to gamble online; however, physical casinos are very popular and have a reputation for luxury. Many casinos are actually resorts that come fully equipped with hotels, bars, restaurants, spas and even shopping boutiques and stores. Many people, especially in the past, would flock to casinos and spend days at casino resorts.
Online casinos
Technology has advanced and continues to advance at a rapid pace. This has resulted in casinos joining the tech world which allows players to gamble anywhere for any duration of time. Online casinos are very appealing for their convenience as well as the many bonuses they offer as a way to lure in players. Apart from the convenience and the bonuses, there are also a wider variety of games at online casinos as opposed to physical casinos which is great for people who want a variety. More games also equal more entertainment and everyone is catered to. The best part is that you will find many free games at online casinos.
The casino industry has been revolutionized because of technology. We live in a digital world now and the casino industry has had to adopt. They have done so very successfully and have managed to evolve with the times over thousands of years.
