Casino 101: A quick trip down memory lane to its history
Today, many people visit land-based casinos or online casino platforms to enjoy the most popular games in the industry. But did you know that there was a time when these mediums simply didn’t exist?
The concept of gambling is not new even in ancient times nor is it dubious in older generations as well. Gambling is a concept that predates even the oldest casino facilities, and its principles are even vaguer than you’ll imagine.
Before online casino sites and Bitcasino games, there were only very few establishments and platforms for people to go to when they felt lucky on a given day.
Early years
Gambling existed back in ancient times that was proved by the discoveries of archaeologists. In fact, there are prototypes of dice found that are rumoured to have been made thousands of years before Christ.
Initially, these objects were believed to be used for astrological purposes like fortune-telling and psychic businesses. They were also regarded as objects of magic rituals and witchcraft. Some even point out its alchemy roots where ancient alchemists use dice to convert any material into gold.
However, these relics became objects of interest to the history of casinos as they became more prominent in the 6th century throughout the prosperity of ancient Rome.
The time of Julius Caesar and the rise of the Roman empire was also the era where gambling became a culture among people who are both wealthy and impoverished.
The first casino
While gambling is no strange subject to ancient times, casinos are certainly a new concept to the eras that preceded the birth of Christ. Not until 1638, the very first gambling facility was built legally in Venice where it was called the Il Ridotto.
The term ‘casino’ was first formed out of an Italian etymological term that means ‘a small house’. The more interesting origin of this term was first explained as a fact that before legalising the business of casinos, it was first organised in private small houses.
Alongside the games, players are often entertained by dances and songs that were done by the best performers at that time. Usually, court jesters were the most common entertainers who lure players into playing in these ‘small houses’.
Furthermore, the norm of casinos offering food and beverages to players today was actually a common activity in the past to allow players to stay longer. Thus, gambling more.
While it sounds very flamboyant and out of control, Il Ridotto casinos are actually for the more privileged citizens at that time which means there are certain rules to follow when playing:
- Players are asked to wear modest clothing to exhibit poise and a stoic environment.
- Certain behaviours are not allowed like being obscene and harassing other people.
- Food was to be ordered in specific menus as not to confuse cooks and caretakers of the home.
As you can see, the first casino ever built felt like a home where visitors get to visit unlike what is perceived today as purely a business. Furthermore, the establishment of the Il Ridotto was very advantageous to the state in which the house had to pay taxes which contributed to the prosperity of the government as a whole.
Casinos’ biggest obstacles
Even today, casinos have always been regarded as a form of vices where it was considered ‘sinful’ by the church when players gamble their belongings. Its sinful nature has caused so many debates from the late 17th century to the early 18th century where the threat of banishing these casino facilities ran rampant.
In 1765, the trend of casinos reached France, Italy’s neighbouring country. The first-ever casino established in France was in its capital city, Paris. The possibility of having a casino in the capital of France was all thanks to Cardinal Mazarin who hoped to capitalise on the taxes that will replenish the city’s state treasury.
In France, a novelty game that was never seen before but in current days is a staple is the roulette game. This quickly gained traction in its early strides as a casino game. The state of Paris has never experienced so much wealth due to taxes being collected from the casino’s income.
In the earlier years of the 18th century, the first casino establishments were opened in other adjacent European countries.
Because of the number of interested players willing to wager their wealth, the prize pool for most of the games in casinos has grown larger. It was carried over to the 19th and 20th century and soon turned a meagre industry into a force to be reckoned with.
Modern-day casinos
The heyday of the casino business was during the 19th century when the interiors of said establishments are getting prettier and more luxurious by the year.
What used to be a humble gathering that’s located in small homes have now become a social centrepiece for people who want to be recognised as one of the aristocrats in their areas.
The European casino trend, unfortunately, had to die down in part of the many legislations banning gambling facilities from operating. There were many amendments of vices in these times as the Catholic church was still prominent in this era.
The only casino to stay prominent during these times was Monte Carlo. Fortunately for enthusiasts, there are no bans and restrictions on casino gaming in their region.
By the end of the 19th century, casino gaming had evolved into something so spectacular that common ground was established for all players to gather.
Known as America’s playground, the capital of casino gaming called Las Vegas was established in the early 20th century as a means for people to escape and spend a few dollars to hopefully earn a return.
The continuous success of casinos has also contributed to the Great Depression in the 30s by keeping the economy afloat for decades. This allowed the casino business to flourish until the early 2000s when technology became prominent in the lives of a lot of people.
Today, online casinos that sport Bitcasino games have now sprung into the scene as modern-day catalysts of casino gaming. Unlike land-based casinos, people can now enjoy their casino games at the comfort of their homes without having to drive by a land-based casino.
