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History of Gambling – A Journey Through Centuries

The concept of winning has fascinated the human mind, and the concept of winning big has been on those minds forever. This is one of the few reasons why humans have been attracted to gambling throughout the ages. 

Some do it for the high of winning, some do it as a social experiment, and some do it just because they want to know what drives others to do so. But everybody, at some point in time, has stared down at a pack of cards or a couple of dice, wondering if Lady Luck will smile at them today. 

Gambling has been controversial throughout history, but some consider it to have contributed to the formation of modern society. 

Earliest Evidence of Gambling in India

In India, one of the most discussed instances of gambling’s evil is in the Mahabharata, when King Yudhisthira loses himself, his brothers, and their wife, Draupadi, in a game of dice. Historically, the events of the Mahabharata took place sometime between 3136 BCE and 3139 BCE. So, it’s safe to say gambling predates Christmas.

Earliest Evidence of Gambling in the Western World

When it comes to Rome, there’s graphical evidence in the form of a fresco depicting people playing a game of dice that dates to 1000 BCE. Interestingly, gambling is mentioned in the Bible, too. When Jesus was arrested, the Bible tells us the soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ clothes and belongings. Essentially, someone was gambling at the very cusp of the world changing.

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Also Read: Indian Gaming Reacts to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Clarion Call

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The earliest evidence of dice dates to an Egyptian tomb that dates back to 3000 BC in Egyptian tombs. Some more ancient evidence of gambling’s existence is the Chinese playing cards, which date back to around 2300 BC. There’s evidence that the very first game of cards was played in China in the 9th Century. 

If cards and dice exist, it means there were specific games with rules and regulations around that time—which is what a typical gambling game today would have, too. With playing cards existing in BC, the aspect of people milling around a fireplace to wager on anything, even in the prehistoric age, is imaginable. 

While that might still be a flight of fantasy, there’s proof that gambling on gladiators existed in Rome and Greece, which puts the concept of wagering as old as the 8th Century. And even before that, in the year 776, the first Olympics were held—and were probably wagered on. There is some evidence that wagering was a major sport in the 5th Century, 

Gambling with cards began sometime after the 8th Century. By the 14th Century, human beings had games like baccarat, blackjack, and crap to play.  By the 16th Century, one of the earliest gambling manuals was created, the ‘Liber de Ludo Aleae’ (Book on Game of Chance)

Earliest Laws Banning Gambling

By then, the authorities began to frown on gambling, with the first law making gambling illegal, the Unlawful Games Act of 1541, passed in England. These laws remained in force until the 1960 Betting and Gaming Act revised or replaced them. 

First Casino in the World

The first casino in the world was the Casino di Venezia, which opened in 1638. In 1946, Venice City bought the building, and the place opened as an official casino in 1959. The use of machines in gambling became prominent with the first casino. In 1655, Pascal invented one of the most iconic machines in gambling, the roulette wheel. 

For a long time, governments have used gambling and lottery money to fund public projects. One of the first instances was in 1775, when a lottery granted by Rhode Island made the building of the First Baptist Church of Providence possible. By the 1700s, gambling had become prominent in the US, too. Several gambling dens had roulette as a special attraction. 

In 1815, New Orleans licensed and taxed several casinos. In 1890, the US banned lotteries completely, except in the states of Delaware and Louisiana. 

Goa in India is popular for its offshore gambling ships, but that is not new. In the 1860s, with the US Government cracking down on gambling dens and casinos, casino owners began operating their casinos on ships that were offshore, which was then called riverboat gambling. But the first full-fledged gambling boat was The City of Traverse, starting its operation in 1905. 

From the 1800s to the 1900s, several machines entered the gambling world, increasing the thrill and the winning factor. In 1891, the card machine, which gamblers consider to be the predecessor of the video poker machine, was out of development and in the real world.

The first real slot machine, built by Charles Fey, was introduced into casinos between 1887 and 1894. In the early 1900s, gambling and casinos began coming to Las Vegas in large numbers. The first casino in Las Vegas, the Golden Gate Casino, opened its doors to the public in 1906. The first casino license in the state of Las Vegas was given to Mayme Stocker in 1931. In 1964, Bally Technologies launched a machine that went on to become the iconic image of the gambling and casino world – the electromechanical slot machine, Money Honey, featuring the famous lever that was to be pulled to start the game. 

The Rise and Rise of Online Gambling

With the rise of the Internet came the rise of online gambling. In 1994, Antigua and Barbuda passed The Free Trade & Processing Act, which allowed online casinos in the island country.  1994 also saw the launch of The Gaming Club, the world’s first online casino. Just two years later, in 1996, CryptoLogic brought real cash transactions online. 

The next couple of years were turbulent for the gaming industry. The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act, which banned online gambling, was tabled but didn’t pass the majority required for passage. Since 2001, several states in the US have started legalizing gambling, including New York, 

In the new millennium, big money and bigger records were made. In 2002, an online casino jackpot paid out more than $1,000,000 in a single spin. More information about which one exactly and who took the prize money home is spotty. 

In 2003, one of the biggest incidents in the gambling and poker industry took place when Chris Moneymaker won $2,500,000 at the World Series of Poker 2003. In the same year, real and virtual came together, with Playtech launching the world’s first live dealer casino.

eCommerce Online Gaming Regulation and Assurance (eCOGRA) was the first independent regulatory body for the online gaming industry, established in the UK in 2003. By 2004, gambling came to the small screens, with Microgaming developing the first mobile casino software. 

Gutshot Magazine, launched in 2010 in India, was one of the earliest poker news channels in India. Content has emerged across media, including text, video, contests, interviews, podcasts, big lottery/slots wins, and much more. Gaming/gambling news portals have also become important parts of this historical timeline.

In 2015, PokerStars held the largest online poker tournament, which, according to the Guinness Book of World Records, featured 253,692 players.

Gambling, online gambling, and poker are current industries that are bound to see several more highlights going forward. Poker, for instance, has become one of the biggest industries in Southeast Asia, with several companies setting up series that attract the best players to their felt. Today, several countries have casinos that offer an unforgettable experience and a chance for people to try their skills at the table—most notably places in LA. Gambling is truly not just a global business but a global passion as well, and the industry is sure to see many more landmarks like the ones noted above.

This page will be updated as soon as this happens.

For more updates from the poker world, keep reading GutshotMagazine.com. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter  and Telegram

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