Throughout history, there have been some things that humans have always loved to do. Along with playing sports and fortune telling, games of chance are just one of these constants. As with most of the other things that have endured to modern times, it relies on the fact that it is fun and takes you away from your normal life for a while. The added bonus with games of chance is that it might also make you some money!!
From backing a certain chariot to win a race in ancient Rome to playing a game of dice in the streets of the Ottoman Empire, people have always loved to gamble.
The birth of the first casino
As above, playing some kind of card or dice game for money has always taken place. From ancient China in the years 2300 BC to the ancient Egyptians after them, it is something that has been enjoyed for many, many years.
However, the casino wasn’t always in existence. While there were informal halls where you could meet up with friends to play, the first proper casino did not come into play until 1638. This saw the Casino di Venezia in Venice, Italy established to give players a secure building in which to play their favorite games. It is thought that the main aim of the local council that allowed it was to stop the trouble that more informal, unregulated gambling brought in the carnival season there.
Casinos begin to spread globally
After the first casino in Venice, others began to be set up globally during the 18th and 19th centuries. As in Venice, countries in mainland Europe began to see the advantages they brought and the problems with unregulated gambling they could solve. Many of these early casinos were luxurious and found in places such as glamorous Monte Carlo.
What of the US? It may surprise you to know that while gambling was popular there, much of it took place in old-school saloon bars rather than in proper, purpose-built casinos. However, this all changed when Las Vegas began to really make its mark.
While the early Vegas casinos were not like the ones we know today, they began to get bigger and more glamorous over time. They soon made Vegas the popular resort that we know today for anyone who likes casino games. The modern casinos that you can now experience in Vegas are huge with many games and slot machines along with a truly decadent feel. These new “mega-resorts” often have different themes from around the globe to make them even more memorable.
Online casinos make their mark
In terms of casino evolution, after the modern style of casino and mega-resorts in Vegas had come into effect, nothing changed for many years. This all ended when the internet was invented, and online casinos took to the fore.
For anyone who doesn’t know, an online casino is as it says on the tin! They give players a purely online place to play their favorite casino games or slot machines without having to go to a casino physically. Naturally, this was a huge change for casinos and one that has proved very popular.
Why use an online casino?
Although, land casinos still exist many people will choose to play at an online casino. There are many reasons for this change from land-based to online. The real secret is that they offer a different experience from going to a traditional one, and they make casino games more accessible to people. Not only that, but they are also more convenient with no need to leave your house or get dressed up to play there. When you add in the fact that they are always open, have superb promotional offers and a wide choice of games, it is easy to see why they have become the next stage in the evolution of casinos.
Mobile casinos continue this trend
Following on from online casinos to play from your desktop, PC, or mobile casinos became the cutting edge of what a casino can be. These work in the same way as a normal online casino but are designed to work on your mobile device. In order to play at mobile casinos players can either download or play online. This means that you always have the casino with you in your pocket, ready to play when you are.
When it comes to choosing a mobile casino, players usually only have one concern. That concern is if mobile casinos are as good as online casinos? That answer is yes. Most mobile casinos operate nearly identically to their online counterpart. Meaning that players still have plenty of game choice, banking options, and support.
Will casinos continue to evolve?
When you look back on how much casinos have evolved from the first one in Venice to the latest mobile casinos, the change is obvious. It seems now that technology will be the driving force behind what casinos offer from virtual reality to augmented reality experiences.
Of course, land-based casinos will continue to exist and update their offering to keep pace with the online sector. Home-based tournaments are also set to redefine what a casino even is, with people organizing get-togethers with friends at home to play casino games.