The history of gambling is confused and obscured. Although, this is a somewhat depressing comparison, but it really goes back to antiquity. Because in the annals there is no clear mention of such entertainments, but there are legends, conjectures and versions of scientists who claim that the concept of excitement has existed for more than one thousand years. True, according to only one legend, it is difficult to build a clear chronology of the evolution of gambling. But the findings of archaeologists suggest that the oldest entertainment was bones.
Why bones? It is believed that previously they had sacred meaning, used in magical rites. And only after a while became an attribute of gambling leisure. Scientists found symbolic images in ancient English churches, in Egyptian tombs, on the walls and roofs of temples in Ancient Tibet. Even the well-known ancient Greek myths describe the moment when the gods Zeus and Aphrodite determined the fate of heroes by throwing bones.
In the Indian epics written several centuries before the birth of Christ, there are references to bones, directly as a gamble, and not an object for casting lots. A lot of such examples can be given, since information about the first gambling is contained in the legends of various cultures of the world.
The appearance of the first gambling houses in Europe
As civilizations expanded and large cities emerged, gambling found a place in noisy market squares and inns. People quickly became addicted to entertainment, and the most agile realized that good fun could be derived from such fun. And all because they were always ready to pay with gold and jewelry for the pleasure of checking their own luck.
Historians call 557 BC a landmark for the gambling industry, since it was then that the so-called entertainment center, called the Great Circus, was erected by King Priscus in Ancient Rome. The public did not decrease there - people crowded, bewitched by a thirst for spectacles, amusements, dice and tote games. Actually, in Italy the history of casinos is tied up. Even the word "casino" is translated from Italian - a house. This is where the steady expression came from - the gambling house. The legalization of entertainment in Europe first occurred in Venice in 1626. Thus, secular authorities joined the spread of gambling and soon taxed all existing casinos at that time.
Continuation of the history of gambling in France and Monaco
The first gambling house, similar to modern casinos, was opened at the request of the French Minister Mazarin in 1756 in Paris. This was done to replenish the deserted treasury of the reign of Louis XIV. By that time, the range of entertainment was replenished with various types of card games and roulette. On the whole, that century added an extraordinary gloss and image to the realm of excitement. Turning the game into an indicator of status and a kind of fashionable hobby.
The first casino in Monaco, bordering France, opened in 1963 in order to improve the financial situation of the principality. This gambling house called Monte Carlo has gained worldwide fame and has been successfully operating to date.
Gambling in Asia, America and Russia
Around the same time, in the 18th-19th centuries, gambling in the modern sense began to appear on other continents. In Asia, its centers became the cities of Macau and Saigon, famous for the innovation in the form of private halls for large rates. In Russia, then roulette and the wheel of fortune became widespread. And in America, gambling dens concentrated mainly on the territory of the Wild West.
Since then, the gaming industry has undergone significant changes. And even fashionable establishments are gradually passing the baton to the online clubs that emerged as a result of the development of technology. That's it - from primitive dice gambling has evolved to immense virtual portals, providing visitors with unlimited opportunities for entertainment and winnings.
Author: Bob Gilbert
