For most of human history, people have enjoyed participating in some form of gambling, and the fact that casinos are so popular is proof of this. The way people gamble today is different from the way people would gamble historically. It is crazy to think that now, you can log onto a casino site or gambling platform and play with people thousands of miles away.
Many people use the internet to approach every aspect of gambling, from checking out the latest Rizk casino review and seeing what games they have to offer, through to researching table game techniques and of course the act of logging in to play slot games and casino games.
A brief history of casinos
It is only in recent years and decades that the world of casino gaming has totally changed. The fact that we can access casinos online has revolutionized the way we gamble, but the idea of a casino dates back hundreds of years.
The oldest casino in the world is actually based in Venice, sitting in an impressive spot alongside the Grand Canal. It was originally a theater that had a wing for gambling, and was built in the 1400s, but functioned as a casino since 1638.
Venice can be seen as a sort of forefather of gambling, and the craze in the city led to over 100 different casinos springing up over the next 100 years following the first casino, The Ridotto.
At around the same time in the US, laws were being put in place to prevent people from gambling. There was no denying that card games and other forms of gambling were played at this time and popularized by sailors, but they were not as big as they are today.
The 1800s also resulted in a lot of growth for gambling in the US, though not always legal. The rivers of Mississippi were not regulated and didn’t have any laws that technically applied, so there would be boat races that involved gambling.
It was when The Golden Gate Casino in Las Vegas opened that things would undeniably change in the industry. Las Vegas has long been the home of gambling and the reason why the Vegas Strip has become an absolutely huge phenomenon is that there has been so much tourism based around gambling, sports and events. In 1931, Governor Fred Balzar signed Assembly Bill 98 into Nevada law, and this paved the way for huge growth in the only location where Americans would safely be able to gamble.
Laws vary a great deal around the world. In some countries, there are strict laws to prohibit casinos from operating, while in other countries the laws allow gambling. In the UK, for instance, gambling is very much allowed and there are numerous casinos around the country.
The migration online
It should be said that in-person casinos are still extremely popular, and they probably always will be. People still love to visit them, stay in the plush hotel rooms and enjoy their weekend of gambling.
This infographic shows that as computers and software started to grow in power, especially for personal use, there was a big boom in online casino sites, some of which launched in the late 1990s. The first casino sites have been dated to 1996.
It didn’t take long for slot games to follow, and now, we have a huge variety of gaming options available to us.
Going to an online casino app is not quite the same as walking in the front door of the MGM Grand, but it does provide people with a chance to bet on their favorite games and get involved with slots and table games.
Thanks to today’s faster internet connections, people can even enjoy live dealer games and video slots that give more of an immersive feeling to the gaming experience.
Not wanting to get left behind in the online gaming revolution, plenty of in-person casinos have also created their own brands that offer online gambling too. Some even allow you to use one account to gamble both in person and use their apps and website.
Summary
Casinos have a long history, and the origins of gambling can be dated thousands of years. Recently, casino games have been growing consistently, with new slot games and table games released virtually every single week.
Casinos will probably always remain in-person, but there are also a lot of ways in which people can enjoy the experience online when they can’t make it to Vegas!
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