5 Interesting Facts About the History of Casinos
The word ‘casino’ brings up images of shimmering lights, lavish food, and the various games of gambling parlours. We also associate casinos with glamorous hosts and sounds of slot machines.
But were casinos always as glamorous as they are now? Yes, modern gambling houses had exciting origins. Continue reading this article to know how the modern casino has changed over time.
The first Casino appeared in Italy in the 17th century
You’d be amazed to know the first betting house – Casino di Venezia – opened in Venice in 1638. It still entertains thousands of gamblers today, with its assorted games.
Primarily a theatre, this place had separate gambling areas for patrons to use during intervals. Over time, this innovation became a talking point in Venice, and this is how more casinos appeared in that city and elsewhere.
The term “Casino” comes from an Italian word
The word casino’s root is casa, which translated from Italian means a social club, house, or villa.
In the 19th century, the word “casino” started including pleasurable activities also, such as gambling, dancing, listening to music and sports.
However, in modern Italian, casino stands for a mess or noisy environment. On the other hand, Italians refer to a gambling house as casinò, which is a slight variation of the original word.
Roulette was the most popular Casino Game in Europe in the 19th Century
Roulette has been one of the most popular casino games since the 19th century. Many believe Blaise Pascal was the man behind this table game.
This isn’t surprising, because only a top mathematician, like Pascal, could have invented this table game, which tests your maths skills.
Roulette became popular for many reasons. One, the Roulette wheel seemed attractive to gamblers. Second, this game had bets which offered different odds and payouts. Thanks to this feature, Roulette spread like wildfire among gambling novices.
The first Gambling Machine was developed by Sittman and Pitt
In the late 19th century, Sittman and Pitt developed a contraption, which would later revolutionize online gambling. It had five drums which carried fifty cards; this game seemed like poker.
Players had to insert a nickel into this machine, pull a lever, and then wait for the outcome. In those days, there were no cash prizes, so players would get cigars and other gifts from the parlours, based on the outcomes.
Soon this gambling machine became a smash hit, with many casinos stocking it. Our modern slots have come from this machine only.
Live Dealer Casinos appeared in 2003
The first attempts to build live dealer casinos had started in the mid-1990s. However, game makers weren’t successful because the right technology wasn’t in place. The thought behind it was to bring a land-based casino experience to people who were playing casino games online.
Things became exciting in 2003 when Playtech introduced the first live dealer games to the world. Now, players could interact with live dealers with their devices while playing Blackjack and other games. Live dealer casino games are very popular among gamblers today. Platin casino online also offers live casino games where you can enjoy your favourite casino games and communicate with real dealers.
Conclusion
Historians believe the ancient Chinese and Egyptians indulged in games of chance. Gambling became more organized in the 17th century, when the world’s first casino came up. The development of Roulette, slot machines and live dealer games has made casinos more interesting. Over the years the world saw a shift from land-based casinos to online casinos due to digital innovations. Even though land-based casinos are still quite popular, online casinos are still in the process of gaining popularity.