The first slot machine was invented around 1887 by Charles Fey in California and it changed the way you bet. Known as the “fruit machines” in the UK, slot machines are now considered a quintessential casino game and they take up 70 percent of floor space in many casinos.
The history of slot games encompasses cultures and civilizations from around the world, from ancient Egypt to medieval Italy and online casino. Sometimes gambling can influence the story. In the 11th century, for example, a land dispute between Norway and Sweden was settled by rolling the dice. Earlier still, games of chance (the predecessors of Keno) were created in China to bring money into the army’s coffers. In the 1700s, lotteries were created to bail out the new British colonies. Later (and still today) Americans used state-wide lotteries to fund educational infrastructure.
The History of Slot Machines
Here are some important milestones in the history of casino gambling and casinos.
In 1387, the French invented playing cards.
In 1726, the Netherlands formed what is today the oldest lottery still in operation.
It is estimated that the first legal casino was opened in Baden, Switzerland, in 1765. The word “casino” is of Italian origin and means “little house”. Today, the casino gaming industry has grown into one of the largest in the world.
In 1941, El Rancho Vegas Hotel-Casino was built on what would become the Las Vegas Strip.
Around 1995, the first sports betting sites and online casinos were launched. Since then, the Internet gaming business has grown considerably and today there are a few thousand virtual casinos.
Dice, such an integral part of gambling, originate from the ancient game of rolling bones. Dice are probably the oldest form of gambling, predating playing cards by hundreds of years. Originally a form of clairvoyance in ancient Egypt, slowly rolling bones evolved into a game of chance.
Back in the day, the dice were made from animal bones and teeth; in the form we know them today, they originate from Korea, where they were used in a Buddhist game called Promotion. Dice are used today in modern casino games like Craps and Sic Bo.
The history of card games
Cards were also an early form of gambling. The first decks of cards found date back to the 11th century and come from Chinese Turkestan. But the French are known to have introduced the type of playing cards we have become accustomed to today, including the recognizable figures: spades, clubs, diamonds and hearts. Other countries have used different types of cards. India, for example, had round chips and the Chinese, of course, had the domino game.
First there were cards and then there were card games. Baccarat originated in 15th century Italy and Blackjack – 18th century in France. Poker was first played in New Orleans in the early 19th century.
