Where the craze began — a brief history of the land-based casino
The land-based casino has a rich history — and one that you may be completely unaware of. Casino games are exciting, filled with thrills and spills, and it turns out that the history of the casino itself also proves to be pretty turbulent.
From its romantic beginnings in 17th century Venice, to the gun-slinging streets of the Wild West, the world has long been graced with the presence of these iconic gaming venues, and they still remain popular today. Of course, the popularity of the land-based casino led to the emergence of online casino sites, where you can play traditional table games alongside some exciting new variants.
So, with that in mind, let’s take a look back to where it all began, by embarking on a journey through the history of the land-based casino.
The world’s first casino
It turns out that the exact origins of casino games themselves are hard to pin-point, as evidence would suggest that both ancient Greek and Roman civilisations were partial to a spot of gambling. What we can tell you however, is that the world’s first land-based casino was the Il Ridotto, located in Venice. The establishment first opened its doors to the public in 1638 and housed a variety of different games, which were played during Italy’s carnival seasons.
The two main games that the Il Ridotto offered its visitors were Basetta and Biribi. Basetta is a card game that has high stakes and resembles traditional games like Blackjack and Poker. Biribi is similar to the lottery, with the aim of the game to successfully bet on a number that the banker pulls out of the bag. Unfortunately, the casino closed its doors to the public almost 100 years after opening, but it is still heralded as the catalyst for the emergence of some of the world’s most iconic land-based casinos.
The rise of the gambling capital of the world
Casino games first emerged in Las Vegas in 1905 and little did the players know, that this would become the most iconic gambling city in the world. Casino games were first introduced in Las Vegas by rail workers, who were constructing the track that would connect Nevada to the Pacific coastline. They played cards to wind down during their breaks, however, because gambling was considered a corrupting pastime, it was soon outlawed. As a result, fans of the game would congregate in underground venues and illicit casinos. But because of gambling’s popularity, it eventually was legalised once more.
The first land-based casino to open in Sin City, was the Golden Gate, which was a game-changing resort! It not only hosted the hottest games at the time, but also had multiple swimming pools and areas to relax. This was the beginning of a gaming revolution that led to the rise of a casino-tourist industry.
Online casinos today
Today, the most popular way to play casino games is online, as you don’t even have to leave the comfort of your own home to do so. Sometimes there’s nothing quite like getting your glad rags on and heading out to a land-based casino to test your hand at some of their games, but on other occasions, the convenience of online platforms prevails.
You can play the newest themes and variations online and what’s more, since you can play on mobile devices, you’ll be able to drop in and out of your favourite games whenever you fancy.