Unravelling the history of popular casino games
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Traces of gambling have been recorded in various locations throughout history, from ancient Mesopotamia to feudal Japan and Elizabethan Britain. However, it wasn’t until the 17 century that the world’s first casino opened its gates in Venice. Many more gambling halls would follow suit, from the prestigious Baden-Baden Casino to the neon-clad casinos of Las Vegas. Nowadays, most gambling venues across the globe feature similar casino classics. But what’s the story behind the most popular casino games around? Let’s find out.
Poker
Poker is a casino staple that has seen a resurgence in interest in past decades. Arguably, poker shows and televised tournaments have played their part in reigniting the spark for that iconic card game. Historians believe it originated in the United States in the 1800s, deriving from the game of poque brought to New Orleans by French sailors and merchants. In its earliest form, poker also takes after the Persian game of As-Nas.
With gambling parlours flourishing nationwide, poker quickly expanded beyond the Mississippi River region, ultimately spreading to the West during the gold rush. Incidentally, this high-stakes game of bluff is now intrinsic to the frontier pioneer mindset, as illustrated by countless Hollywood blockbusters and video games conjuring up the Old West atmosphere, such as Rockstar’s Red Dead Redemption. While saloons are long extinct, poker is now as popular as ever in brick-and-mortar and online casinos alike.
Roulette
Roulette boasts a rich and surprising history. The original roulette wheel was the work of French physicist, mathematician, and inventor Blaise Pascal. A prominent Catholic writer and philosopher of religion, this 17-century visionary was in no way trying to invent a game of chance – no less a game whose sum of all numbers is 666, a symbol associated with the Antichrist. In an attempt to defy the laws of physics, what Pascal had in mind was a perpetual motion machine.
Fast-forward a century, however, and the iconic spinning wheel had already taken the French nobility by storm. An early description of that soon-to-be casino classic appears in the 1796 novel aptly called La Roulette. In 1842, the Blanc brothers put their own twist on the game by designing a single-zero wheel. European roulette became in fashion in every casino worth its salt, from the spa casino resort of Bad Homburg to the Casino de Monte-Carlo, before the introduction of the double-zero wheel gave birth to the American variant.
Slot machines
Slot machines are relatively latecomers to the casino party. American inventor Charles Frey designed the first reels in the late 1890s. Unfortunately for that San Francisco mechanic, the gambling ban enforced in California at the time prevented him from patenting his revolutionary device. Therefore, competitors were not shy to draw obvious inspiration from his works. That said, pokies have drastically changed since the early days of the “Liberty Bell Slot Machine”. The emergence of online casinos dedicated to machine slots even took the experience to the next level. From innovative 3D reels to intuitive mobile-friendly options, slots are one of the backbones of the iGaming industry. Some software providers also pay tribute to Frey’s early genius by playing on the retro theme.
And players willing to try their luck at fun pokies have countless online casinos to explore. They may look up websites like CasinoBonusCA to pick the most profitable platform. Industry experts have scoured the web to post the hottest casino offers around. Welcome packages granted to newcomers often include free spins, while seasoned players can grab deposit bonuses to fund their bankroll. Besides, convenient comparison tools make it easy to filter through hundreds of lofty promotions.
Blackjack
The origins of blackjack are debated among history enthusiasts. While the first blackjack game on records went down in Britain during the 1770s, a similar card game named veintiuna appears in a 17-century book penned by Spanish eminent novelist Miguel de Cervantes. Some history buffs even argue that blackjack was a Roman invention, even though no sound evidence backs up this bold claim.
Regardless of its actual historical origins, the game was widely known as vingt-un before the development of an American variant led to the adoption of the modern blackjack name. Using standard decks of 52 cards, blackjack is now the most widespread casino banking game on the planet. This comparing card game appeared in some of the must-see gambling films we listed here on Deadline News and in many James Bond movies, although the legendary British spy mostly plays baccarat.
