The History Of Live Casino

It’s time for another journey through time, in search of interesting facts about our beloved casino games. Believe it or not, gambling has existed in some form or another for thousands of years, and is without a doubt linked to the history of modern humanity.

The first proof of basic ‘games of chance’ was found on ancient Chinese tiles. But the Chinese weren’t the only great civilisation that loved to gamble. In Egypt, the oldest known dice were unearthed by archaeologists and scenes found on Greek and Roman pottery also indicate that betting on animal fights was a common activity. Humans love to gamble and have done so at every opportunity since the beginning of known civilisation, and maybe even earlier.

Now hop in our casino time machine and let’s visit some of the most important gambling milestones in human history.

The First ‘House Margin’

As gambling became increasingly popular among high society members, it had to be more organised and regulated. Around 200 BC the ‘white pigeon ticket’ was played in China’s gambling houses only with special permission from the province governor. The administration would receive a percentage of the profits, and the winnings were usually used to fund state affairs.

Early Card Games

As we mentioned, it is believed that the first card games also first appeared in China somewhere in the 9th century. Unfortunately, the games played are still unknown, and the cards were nothing like the ones used today. Initially, the playing cards were decorated with human forms, but as games spread throughout Europe, the King and Queen symbols began to appear, making them more recognisable for the modern European player.

The Arrival Of Table Games

Games like roulette and blackjack arrived in the United States with early settlers from France. The games became very popular among wealthy farmers and traders and were often played on steamboats on the Mississippi River. A version of poker, having originated in 17th century Persia, was also being played in New Orleans venues in 1829.

The First Casinos

The first land-based casinos or gambling houses appeared in Italy in the 17th century. As Venice was the place to be for the elite at that time, the Ridotto gambling house was established to provide a controlled entertainment environment for its wealthy patrons.

Casino Goes Mainstream

Mainstream casinos started to appear throughout continental Europe and America in the 19th century. After gambling started taking place mainly in bars and on boats, it didn’t take long to become a very successful industry all over the world as soon as the first casino ‘venues’ were established. Las Vegas is the best example of how successful the industry has been. And this is where live casino’s history actually began.

The Modern Day

In the mid-90s, technology advanced quickly and the internet started to influence our day to day lives more and more. That was when the first online casinos appeared and saw a great success straight away. The popularity of online gaming has increased throughout the years, and so did the numbers of online casinos. Players immediately responded to the ease and comfort of playing online. For that reason, today online casinos are considered the number one destination for players.

As technology developed further, Live Casinos appeared. And with live streaming in place, players now had the chance to play all their favourite casino games with live dealers to interactive with, without even leaving the house.

Did You Know?

A good use…

Prestigious universities like Harvard and Yale were both initially funded using lottery money, a practice they continue to use today.

Older than you think…

Unearthed Keno slips from around 200 BC are proof that lottery proceeds were used to fund various state projects in the area. One of them is believed to be involved in the construction of the Great Wall of China.

Agent 00…17?

Number 17 is the most widely played in roulette. Some believe that the number is so popular because of its central betting position on the game’s table. Others think it’s played as often as it is because it is the favourite number of James Bond.

Windmills and card skills…

The earliest mention of blackjack dates from the late 16th to early 17th century and is found in Cervantes’ famous novel Don Quixote. The card decks weren’t exactly like the ones we have today, but they were close enough and the goal of the game was still to add up to a total of 21 without going over and going bust.

Now that you know a bit more about how table games evolved throughout history, maybe it’s time to try them out for yourself. And don’t forget about CasinoEuro’s Promotions page. Stay tuned for our next Casino Time Machine episode where we’ll go back and see how the very popular roulette game was invented.