Gambling History
The beginning of gambling development can be denoted by the introduction of craps and first card games. According to the investigations, gambling has existed for ages because many archeological evidences state that gambling and most casino games have got the history of several centuries and even more. Numerous artifacts discovered on the territory of ancient Egypt, China, Rome and India are the evidence that games existed in those cultures since 2300 B.C. or earlier. Among the basic signs of gambling existing are the playing dice discovered in Thebes and dated back 1500 B.C.
It is believed that the idea of traditional card games, for example poker and blackjack, occurred in China from the common practice of shuffling paper money. In 900 A.D. this practice turned into the tradition to play card games. At first all the cards didn't contain any human pictures and were designed like the fabulous Muslim carpets. When the playing cards came to Italy and Spain, the card-makers decided to decorate them with the royal ranks and drew the respected persons who had power at those times. The so-called female cards (with Queens) were made later, when the tradition to play cards reached France. The new deck of cards containing Queens was called the "French Pack" according to the blackjack teaching.
Roulette originated from France. As the legend say, the first roulette wheel was made by the talented mathematician Blaise Pascal. Though according to other sources, the wheel was designed in China and soon it came to Europe. Still, the gaming instructions and the wheel itself were modernized by the Frenchmen, Francois and Louis Blanc, who created the single zero roulette in 1842. After the game reached the United States, it saw a new change - the double zero roulette was designed. Today most European casinos have the singe zero roulette which got the name "European" roulette, while American casinos offer the players to try their luck at the double zero or "American" roulette game. Nevertheless, both games may be met at most of the casinos all around the globe. It is not worth mentioning the popularity of roulette game because it is really massive and today roulette is the emblem of every casino and gambling.
Original slot games were based on poker game, had three reels and used chewing gums as the payouts. Later they started offering real money prizes and progressive jackpots. Today you can play classic three-reel online slots as well as try the skills at more complex online slot machines with five reels, different paylines and betting limits.
Dice have been known for 2,000 years. Initially they were used by the shamans to predict the future, decide the argues and find the answers on the questions of the locals. Soon the practice of throwing dice turned into the craps game which first got the name "Hazard". This game was the favorite entertainment of the English elite and was played only at the closed gambling halls. Then the game appeared in France where it got the name the game of "Craps". When it at last reached the shores of the United States, it was much simplified and became the favorite gambling game of people of different classes.
Thus, gambling made a long way to the modern gambling halls. Usually gambling was used by countries to earn funds for the government and underwent many modifications and bans. In the United States, gambling activities were prohibited in Nevada in 1850-1910, however, gambling was recovered in 1931 and since that time Las Vegas has been considered to be the greatest gambling centre over the world. Today gambling is among the most popular entertainments for Internet users.