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Take the term “social gambling” and the key word is “social”. The term describes people gambling, either online or offline, but not playing with actual cash or for real money. Online, this can be on a social media platform or social network, playing with virtual money, paid for or free, which can’t be converted into real money.

But this isn’t new. Nor is gambling in general, and gambling history goes back to very early days, from people gambling in old taverns through to gambling online in the comfort of their own homes. People were less concerned about winning cash and more about spending time in good company and sharing an experience.

Below is a look at the history of social gambling, including how it has entered the realm of modern casino gaming, and how people have scrutinized it and passed their opinion on it, good or bad, but social gambling has fought on to survive into the present day.

The history of social gambling

Gambling and gaming date as far back as 3000 BCE, when board games were found in ancient Mesopotamian tombs. Ancient China has also left behind evidence of gambling and gaming. The games were games of chance; most probably dice games, the dice themselves being made from ivory.

The die didn’t stay in ancient Mesopotamia and China, however, and during Roman antiquity, different social classes began playing dice games, despite the risk of harsh penalties.

Dice games continued being a popular source of collective entertainment throughout the Middle Ages. Games went on in inns and taverns, although betting was frowned upon and more of a working-class habit, but it spread through society eventually.

Passe-dix is one of the oldest games; so old, in fact, that there’s even mention of it in the Gospel of St Matthew as one of the games the Roman guards played during Christ’s crucifixion. Hazard, a precursor to craps, is another old dice game and was especially popular during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The arrival of card games

But soon, dice games made way for card games as the most popular form of collective entertainment in the 15th century. They spread from Asia, the Middle East and Arabia to Europe and throughout it to the end of the 16th century. Although only the nobility could play card games legally, all social classes got in on the action.

And card games would remain popular for the rest of their days. People who couldn’t gather to play them face to face can head online and either play against other players or against a computer, all thanks to the arrival of the internet and the innovators who introduced the world to online casinos such as the one at https://casino.draftkings.com/.

At online casinos, players don’t have to play for money. They can play demo games and free games, and if they feel confident enough, then they play cash games. Online casinos have also incorporated gamification and social features into gaming, like DraftKings, which is creating a sense of community and social competition. Leaderboards and multiplayer challenges are two examples. Chat rooms, which allow players to communicate with each other, are another.

From archery to darts

Back to the chronological progression of social gambling! Never mind getting together with friends for a few beers and casual card games down at the local taverns; how about meeting at an archery range or field and firing some weapons together, instead? In the Middle Ages, people would fire arrows or other small missiles, or even small axes or knives. As technology advanced, the game developed into the much safer darts.

Enter Dungeons and Dragons, MMORPGs, and social media

Today, the world thinks of “Dungeons and Dragons” as being the birth of social gaming, and with the rapid growth of technology, combined with restrictions on casino gaming, this style of gaming has exploded.

Think of massive multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORGs), including World of Warcraft, where players compete against each other, or work together against other players or against the environment in a virtual world to complete challenges, collect items and more. Games such as “Call of Duty” and “Halo” have made use of microphones and voice chat to build verbal communities.

However, social gaming has had detractors. Some say there was a time when multiplayer gaming killed social gaming by only allowing text message communication between players. Physical connection and humour disappeared, and many players played without any verbal communication. Thankfully, MMORPGs and experience-enhancing tech products put the “social” back into social gaming.

Gambling has long been a form of getting people together and socializing over a game, and it’s been around since incredibly early days. Social gambling’s beauty is that outcomes aren’t massively important. Players compete for bragging rights, not cash. Now, they can even visit online casinos online and enjoy gaming without spending any money, which allows them to soak up the casino experience all it offers.

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