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A Brief History of the Origins of Gambling


Much like the vast majority of other popular sports, hobbies and pastimes, the origins of gambling can be traced far further back in time than you may initially think.

Moreover, if you imagine gambling in a broader arena, then the history of humanity itself and the development from caveman to modern-day man has involved a great deal of bargaining, risk, and gambling, for monetary gain and more.

With that said, if you're interested in learning more about the history of gambling, then you've come to the right place!

Earliest proof of gambling activities

The earliest undisputed piece of evidence of gambling activity can be traced all the way back to ancient China, where tiles were uncovered that had been buried deep in the ground, which seemed to depict rudimentary pictures that formed a basic game of chance. Furthermore, the oft-studied Chinese Book of Songs consistently references the randomised drawing of wood, with historians coming to the conclusion that the wooden tiles came together to form a basic lottery game.

It's also interesting to note that lotteries aren't solely related to gambling, as both prestigious American universities, Yale and Harvard, were initially established using lottery funds. Today, a great many places of interest, castle ruins, and older theatres are almost entirely supported and maintained by lottery funding.

Baccarat

Most gamblers, both casual and professional, widely acknowledge that the oldest card game that's still played across the world in casinos both large and small is the two-player game of Baccarat.

Originally developed in Italy, it wasn't until the middle of the 1400s that Baccarat won the popularity that it still enjoys today, when it migrated to France, and although there have been many versions of the game, modern Baccarat is still remarkably similar to the first set of rules that were developed.

In recent years, the essence of a traditional casino experience has, at least in some part, been replicated through leading online casinos, such as the established https://www.jackpotjill.co/en/, where you can play a huge range of slot machines, as well as video poker, baccarat, and blackjack.

Blackjack

Second only to Baccarat, Blackjack is another exceedingly popular game, which can be traced back through the years to the dawn of the 1500s. Originally titled Ventiuna (translated from Spanish for 21), Americans coined the term Blackjack when the game made its way to the first incarnation of the modern-day casinos in Las Vegas, Nevada in the 1930s.

Blackjack is referenced regularly throughout history, sometimes in obscure places but more notably, the Spanish version of the game was explicitly referenced in the epic novel Don Quixote.

The world's first casinos

Las Vegas is the undisputed mecca of gambling, and even though both the Strip and Downtown Vegas have changed a lot over the years, the basic setup of gambling houses alongside a backdrop of restaurants, shops, and adult theatres still remains today.

Interestingly, although Vegas is credited for popularising in-house gambling, the first recorded gambling environment monitored by landlords and experienced gamblers was in continental Europe, specifically Italy, in the late seventeenth century.

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