Throughout history, practically every civilization has had some type of gambling. Views and attitudes to gambling have also varied greatly – with some people (and cultures) believing it to be innocuous and others considering it to be dangerous. The legality of gambling activities has also changed through time and is dependent on norms, morality, and the environment. It is difficult to trace the origins of gambling because it extends back long before recorded history. But let’s dive deep and try to shed some light on this topic so that you get an idea of how it all started before you browse the online casinos in Australia .
The Ancient Times
Gambling first emerged in ancient times. From ancient China, where rudimentary luck-based games were discovered on tiles, to Egypt, where the oldest known dice were excavated, humans have always loved to gamble and do so at every opportunity. Archaeologists discovered prototype dice made several thousand years before Christ. It is claimed that these artifacts were originally used for fortune-telling and magical ceremonies before being associated with gambling.
Antiquity saw the birth of a vast gaming culture. In the sixth century BC, ancient Rome established the Circus, a public gathering area where people could play craps and put money wagers. Besides that, the scenes on ancient Greek and Roman pottery indicate that betting on animal fights was common and animals would be bred for that sole purpose.
The First Casino Ever
The actual casino’s history lays down its roots in 1638 when the first legal gaming facility in Europe opened in Venice. Il Ridotto was the name of the very first casino, and it was derived from the Italian phrase standing for “little home.” The genesis of this term can be explained by the fact that before the establishment of the first legal casino, gambling was conducted in private homes. Along with gambling, the audience was frequently delighted with the dance and music there. Meals and beverages were also supplied to the public. The Il Ridotto casino is thought to have been built to keep people entertained with gambling during the famous Venetian carnival.
The gaming institution was only accessible to the wealthy. The stakes were enormous, and far from everyone could afford to take part in the game. Apart from that, there were always some ground rules to follow:
Casino visitors had to stick to a dress code;
There were behavior patterns to adhere to;
Casino visitors were to order specific dishes from the menu.
Il Ridotto’s existence benefited the state since it had to pay significant taxes on its operations. However, the church’s aversion to this type of leisure compelled the government to declare gambling illegal. Due to these restrictions, the world’s first legitimate casino, Il Ridotto, was forced to close.
Casinos Were Impossible to Conquer
Despite countless church lectures condemning “the sinful nature of gambling,” as well as government prohibitions, casinos began to grow swiftly outside of Italy. The casino craze reached Italy’s neighbor, France, in 1765. Of course, the first casino to operate in this country was in its capital, Paris. This was made feasible by Cardinal Mazarin, who planned to refill the public coffers with gambling-related taxes. This casino had a hitherto unseen novelty: the roulette game, which immediately became popular among a huge number of players.
Other European countries opened their first casinos around the beginning of the 18th century. The reward amounts were rather substantial because there were a significant number of players who enjoyed gambling entertainment to the fullest. The chance to make some good money attracted many to take part in gambling games. This way, the casino’s popularity was facilitated, and the most beautiful casinos were opened around the globe.
Closer to Our Days…
The nineteenth century was the heyday of European casinos. Casino interiors were getting more and more luxurious, and the service reached unparalleled levels of luxury. Every self-respecting person was to appear at a casino, which has also become a forum for heated political debate.
Despite the overwhelming enthusiasm for casinos among rich residents, most casinos in Europe had been forced to close owing to changes in gambling regulations by the end of the nineteenth century. The only casino that remained open was Monte Carlo, which had no gambling limitations. Also, beginning towards the close of the nineteenth century, the little principality of Monaco gained popularity. After some time, the gaming industry expanded greatly to Las Vegas, the world’s acknowledged gambling capital.
As we move further to our days, playing casino games has become even more comfortable and restriction-free. Nowadays, you are free to play your favorite gambling games at the most trusted Aussie casinos from the BestAuCasinosOnline. And there is no need to leave your home or take off your pajamas.