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History tells us that the urge to wager, to bet something valuable in the expectation of a result, has always been a human trait. While institutionalized forms of gambling came much later, there's no denying that the activity has a long history.

Quite notably, the ancient Chinese were among the first civilizations to show evidence of formal gambling. According to an antique document, the 'Book of Songs,' there were keno-type slips that functioned as a lottery. House winnings from the games are said to have funded the building of the Great Wall of China.

Over 4000 years later, gambling is still very much with us. But this time, it is more refined, and more rewarding. In this article, we trace the evolution of casinos, starting with ancient civilizations, moving through developments in Europe, and ultimately reaching the emergence of mobile casinos.

Ancient civilizations and their role in the development of gambling

Three major prehistoric societies have been credited with the rise of gambling activity: the Egyptians, the Chinese, and the Romans. Ancient Egypt was the first site where a pair of dice was discovered, but the connection to formalized gambling is debated among historians and anthropologists.

However, there are adequate records to show that the Romans did gamble on dice. In fact, because gambling became banned in ancient Rome, plebeians of that period developed chips that were used to substitute for cash. That way, if caught by soldiers, they could claim they were merely involved in social games, sort of what happens today with sweepstakes casinos.

Later, the Asians would extensively develop playing cards around 800 AD. The Chinese used these cards to wager on games of chance, and there's no doubt that they set the template for the card games we have today.

The rise of table games in European nations

An inevitable part of the casino experience today is table games. But not too many people know that these games trace their roots to Italy and France. Circa 1400 AD, there were already mentions of a two-player card game known by the name of Baccarat.

Some 200 years later, the French game of vingt-et-un set the pace for the modern variation of blackjack. Interestingly, some historians believe that blackjack drew its origins from 'ventiuna,' a Spanish banking game where players aim to reach 21 points.

Remarkably, the first ever casino in the world emerged in similar form. Known more appropriately as a public gambling house, the Casino di Venezia in Ridotto was established in 1638 and sited in Venice. Later, the game of roulette would emerge in Paris and from there spread to the rest of the world.

How casinos made an entry into the United States and North America

From the time of their development in Europe, it wouldn't take long until casinos and table games found their way into North America. The colonial era saw more French, Spanish, and British explorers make their way into the US, bringing gambling traditions with them.

Casino gaming developed even further in the 19th century with the El Monte Casino that was established in California. In 1891, the first slot machine was developed in New York by Messrs. Sittman and Pitt. Not too long after, one Charles Fey invented the Liberty Bell machine in San Francisco.

Despite these advancements, it would take another 50 years for the first modern-style casino to be established in Las Vegas. Over the next century, Sin City would cement its place as the world's gambling capital.

Looking back from the future: mobile casinos and the gambling revolution

Today, the bulk of gambling activity takes place online. From the comfort of your PC, smartphone or tablet, you can access online casinos real money with advanced games. In addition, there are bonuses that help elevate your experience at these online casinos.

The history of casinos is far from being over. With artificial intelligence and machine learning revolutionizing different aspects of gaming, there's bound to be additional advancements in the gambling industry.

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