A Look Back at the History of Gambling

At first glance, gambling is simply a collection of games of chance--drawing people from all walks of life for serious or recreational gaming. But a deeper look reveals that the history of gambling is a rich one, filled with interesting tidbits of trivia and cultural references that reflect the time period where it originated.

For example, did you know that the four Kings in your standard card deck are actually kings in real life history? The 15th century French designer of the standard deck of cards wanted to use not just real people, but real kings as a basis for his cards; subsequently, the King of Diamonds represents Julius Caesar, Charlemagne is the King of Hearts, the Bible's King David is the King of Spades, while Alexander the great is symbolized by the King of Clubs. What's more, the card suites also stand for the culture of each king, so diamonds is the Roman Empire, the Holy Roman Empire is for hearts, the Middle East is for spades while clubs stand for Grecian culture.

But the history of gambling may even predate ancient Grecian, Middle Eastern and Roman cultures, as even all records of older civilizations - those that had the capacity to record history, the history of gambling included - show examples of money and chance games. It is unknown, however, if the history of gambling precedes even writing civilizations.

Foreign origins

It is a common misconception that gambling originated in the United States when in fact, many of the standard games in casinos are derived from foreign and ancient forms of gambling.

That being said, it is no surprise that the Chinese, one of the earliest civilizations have had a heavy influence on the history of gambling and the present form used in casinos today. Lottery, for example, finds its origins in a game called Keno.

Another case in point is Pai Gow Poker, a globally popular game played in many casinos. Few know that this is only a simplified and Westernized version of the original Chinese Pai Gow, with elements of poker mixed in. However, some gambling purists shun the modern version, calling the original a "beautiful and complex game".

The history of gambling also finds roots in Europe, where games like blackjack, Baccarat, Craps, and Roulette originated from.

At present, online gambling is the newest rage among gamblers, many of whom prefer a more relaxed, private, and homey atmosphere when placing their bets. All of the popular and traditional games can be found on gambling websites, plus a few other features for players who are looking for a more exotic gaming experience.