History

History

The Evolution of Casino – from Brick & Mortar to Online Casino

The history of the casino and the betting world is fascinating and one that dates as far back as Roman times. Below we’ll give you a quick guide to the history of gambling from the early days of bricks and mortar casinos right up to the world of gambling online

The Wild West

During the early 19th Century in the American West, many recreational buildings were built for the Army community. It was here that men could indulge in their many vices of drinking and gambling. History Net share on their website that these buildings practically sprang up overnight. However it wasn’t long before these small dwellings were replaced by large saloons that catered for those who wished to dabble in drinking and placing a bet. The reason that these primitive casinos became so popular is because of the mass influx of people who traveled to the West to seek their fame and fortune. Before the Civil War broke out, most establishments were located along the Mississippi River from St. Louis to New Orleans.

The Golden Age of Gambling

In the 1800’s individuals were able to partake in betting and playing games for money while onboard paddle steamers on the Mississippi river. An article on the library.ca.gov website states that the area of the Mississippi Valley was that of legitimate business that attracted both trawler men and business professionals. It was during the 1830’s that professional betting for money really found its mark

The Vibrant World of Las Vegas in the 1930’s

When people think of casinos they automatically think of Nevada and Las Vegas, but this wasn’t always so. During 1910 to 1931 it was illegal to gamble. It was only because of the Great Depression that those creating the laws decided to make it legal to gamble in order to increase the economy and spending. From this moment the number of casinos grew and it was Reno that was to become the gaming centre of world. It was during the prestigious 1930’s that the first bingo cub was opened in the area. It was while the world was focussing on the success of Reno that Las Vegas soon grew to prosperity in taking on the flavour and style of the Old Wild West. After the Second World War, Las Vegas become even more popular. People wanted to celebrate and let their hair down. Those neon lights were so very attractive after the bleakness of war and people just wanted to have fun.

The Gaming Industry Today

The gaming industry today is hugely respected and highly marketable. In fact the gaming world saw a dramatic growth during the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Across the world people can now enjoy the benefits of brick and mortar casinos as well as the entertaining casino online world. It would also appear that the humble origins of the betting world have come full circle as people can now enjoy a gamble on one of the many riverboats that cruise along the Mississippi today.

Casino Online

Popular facts about gambling online include:

  • August 1996 saw the launch of the first online casino and 18 games were available to play.
  • Bingo and poker were first made available online back in 1998.
  • During 2003 The World Series Of Poker was televised and as a result the playing of online poker dramatically increased.
  • In 2010 the total revenue from online poker was believed to be that of 29.3 billion.

Resources

www.historynet.com/gambling-in-the-old-west.htm
www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/03/chapt2.html