Casino Games Through the Ages: A Concise History
From ancient Mesopotamian dice to cutting-edge HTML5 slots, follow the evolution of games of chance across millennia and cultures.
Chance Games: A Tradition as Old as Civilisation
The urge to test fate is woven deep into the human story. Archaeological finds suggest games of chance stretch back at least 5,000 years, placing them among humanity's oldest entertainment traditions.
Roots in Antiquity
Dice (3000 BCE) — The earliest known dice were fashioned from animal bones in Mesopotamia. Over in ancient Egypt, players enjoyed Senet — a board game with elements of chance — more than five millennia ago.
Playing Cards (9th Century) — First appearing during China's Tang Dynasty, playing cards passed through Persian, Mamluk, and European hands before arriving at their familiar modern design.
Casinos Take Shape
17th-Century Venice — The Ridotto, opened in 1638, is widely recognised as the first state-sanctioned casino. It provided a regulated venue for gambling during the Venetian carnival season.
18th-Century France — Roulette and blackjack trace their roots to French gaming establishments. The rules of vingt-et-un (twenty-one) are strikingly close to today's blackjack.
The American Chapter
19th-Century Frontier — Poker coalesced from various European card games aboard Mississippi riverboats. Mechanical slot machines arrived in 1895, when Charles Fey built the Liberty Bell in San Francisco.
20th-Century Las Vegas — Nevada's legalisation of gambling in 1931 sparked the rise of the Las Vegas Strip, converting a stretch of desert into the world's premier casino destination.
The Digital Transformation
1990s — The first online casinos launched, bringing casino games to home computers. Early offerings were basic digital translations of their physical originals.
2000s — Flash-based titles elevated visual quality significantly. Mobile gaming took off as smartphones gained processing muscle.
2010s–Present — HTML5 technology ushered in sophisticated, device-agnostic experiences. Social casinos emerged as a standalone category, decoupling entertainment from gambling. Today, billions of people across the globe enjoy social casino games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dice games are most likely the oldest, with archaeological evidence reaching back over 5,000 years. The first recognisable casino card game resembling modern blackjack appeared in 17th-century France.
