History of Gambling: From 2,300 BC to Today

By Jane Shaw Senior Editor Updated: 04/20/2023

Jane Shaw Senior Editor See Full Bio

We count on Jane to inform our readers about the latest slot games in the US market. With her passion for video games and a degree in engineering, she’s our gambling tech expert. Jane’s also active in our blog section, where she tackles the curiosities and changes in the industry.

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History of Gambling

• A Brief History of Gambling
• The Origins of Gambling
• 2300 BC: Early Evidence of Gambling
• 500 BC: Gambling in Ancient Rome
• 800 AD: Chinese Card Games
• 1638: The First Casinos
• 1891: The First Slot Machine
• 1994: The Birth of Online Gambling
• Frequently Asked Questions

The history of gambling is a very interesting topic. While historians are unable to pinpoint exact dates a lot of the time, archaeological discoveries have uncovered evidence that gambling’s been around for thousands of years. Find out all about the history of gambling, and how it evolved, on this page.

A Brief History of Gambling

Gambling has been a popular pastime for centuries, with its origins dating back to ancient civilizations many thousands of years ago. From rolling dice in ancient Egypt to placing bets on chariot races in ancient Rome, gambling has been a major part of human culture for as long as humans have traded with one another.

Over time, it has evolved into various forms, including card games, slot machines, and online betting. In this blog, we will explore the fascinating history of gambling, tracing its development from ancient times to the present day.

The Origins of Gambling

The origins of gambling can be traced back thousands of years. Ancient Chinese texts discuss a game of chance played with tiles as early as 2,300 BC, while the Greeks and Romans were known to gamble on sports events and games of chance.

In medieval Europe, gambling was often associated with the carnival and became popular among the nobility in the Renaissance period. Let’s kick things off by looking at some of the notable milestones in the evolution of gambling.

2300 BC: Early Evidence of Gambling

Ancient gambling is believed to have taken place, pretty much, from the dawn of human civilization. However, the first real evidence comes from ancient China. Researchers discovered tiles that appear to have been used for a very basic game of chance.

The infamous Chinese Book of Songs actually makes reference to “the drawing of wood”, suggesting that the tiles found by researchers may have been used in some type of lottery game. Interestingly, researchers also uncovered keno slips that were used around 200 BC. It’s believed that these slips were sold to citizens by the government to help fund the building of the Great Wall of China.

500 BC: Gambling in Ancient Rome

Gambling in ancient Rome can be traced back to around 500 BC. Games of chance, such as dice and knucklebones, were popular among all levels of society, and were often played in taverns and on the streets. However, all forms of gambling were outlawed within the ancient city of Rome. Those caught gambling faced a fine which was set at four times the amount of money being wagered.

In addition to dice and knucklebone gambling, betting on chariot racing was also popular. Apparently, there were even professional bookmakers, called tabularii, who took bets and paid out winnings.

Despite the risks, gambling on chariot races remained popular throughout the Roman Empire and beyond. The sport and its associated gambling culture continued to thrive even after the fall of the Roman Empire, with chariot racing becoming a staple of medieval and Renaissance festivals.

800 AD: Chinese Card Games

In the 9th century, China is believed to have been the birthplace of playing cards. Although the rules of the original games are lost to history, most scholars agree that the cards were used for various gambling games.

Some sources suggest that the cards were used both as the game and the stake, like modern-day trading card games, while others believe that the first cards were paper forms of Chinese dominoes. The earliest cards bore little resemblance to the standard 52-card decks we know today.

One popular Chinese card game from this period was “Gong Zhu,” which involved matching different cards. Other games, such as “Tien Gow” and “Tien Len,” were also based on matching and forming specific combinations and “sets” of cards.

The cards used in ancient China were decorated with intricate designs and symbols. Today, the legacy of these early Chinese card games can be seen in modern games such as poker and online trading card games.

1638: The First Casinos

The history of the casino dates back to 17th century Venice, Italy, where gambling houses began to emerge. These establishments were initially private clubs that offered a range of games of chance, including Basset and Biribi. Over time, they evolved into public establishments that were open to all.

In the early 18th century, the Ridotto di San Moisè was opened in Venice, becoming the first public casino in the world. It offered a variety of games, including the game of roulette, faro, and bassetta, and quickly became a popular destination for the wealthy and elite.

The success of the San Moisè casino led to the opening of similar establishments across Europe, including in France, Germany, and England. These early casinos were often associated with the upper classes, with membership fees and dress codes ensuring exclusivity.

In the United States, the first casino was established in New Orleans in the early 19th century. The gambling industry quickly spread across the country, with casinos opening in cities such as Chicago, St. Louis, and San Francisco.

1891: The First Slot Machine

The history of casino games should be becoming a bit clearer by now. However, what about slot machines? When were they first made available to gamblers? As it turns out, the first “slot machine” (we use that term loosely) was developed by a company in New York called Messrs Sittman and Pitt. It was a mechanical machine, using 52 physical playing cards on drum reels.

Interestingly, around the same time, the Liberty Bell machine was also invented in San Francisco by Charles Fey. Fey’s creation proved a lot more successful than Pitt’s, as it allowed winnings to be precisely calculated and paid out. Most gambling experts today credit Fey’s machine as the first real slot machine.

In the early days, slot machines awarded small prizes like cigars and gum to winners. However, once these machines made their way into bars and land-based casinos around the US they soon started offering monetary prizes, and the first video slot was developed in 1976.

1994: The Birth of Online Gambling

The origins of gambling aren’t always clear, but there’s an exception to this: online gambling. The birth of online gambling can be traced back to the mid-1990s, when the first online casinos and sports betting sites began to emerge. One of the earliest and most well-known online casinos, InterCasino, was launched in 1996, and quickly became a popular destination for gamblers. These days, there are many top online casino sites for you to choose from.

Microgaming was the primary software pioneer responsible for developing online gambling platforms, and while they faced numerous legal challenges, with many countries actively banning them, such as in the US. The industry saw rapid growth and was worth more than $1 billion within five years. There are now dozens of software providers across the globe.

The advent of mobile technology in the 2000s further accelerated the growth of online gambling. This allowed players to access their favorite games from anywhere, at any time. There are no shortages of online casino apps from the biggest names in the casino industry for to choose from.

There have been a vast number of developments and advancements since the birth of online gambling, and we’ll look at a few of the most notable ones below.