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The human race has been enjoying gambling and the games that go with it for centuries (there is evidence that dice were being played in around 100AD), but casinos themselves have been a relatively recent invention when you look at how long the games have existed that now take place within them – play at King Casino.
Changes have been a staple part of the casino industry across the years; read on to find a little more about what has happened during that time.
The First Casinos
What do you think of when the word ‘casino’ is said? Is it the bright lights of Vegas, or the sophisticated gambling scene of Monte Carlo? Is it online casino sites? It could be any or all of these things, but it probably wouldn’t be the Casino di Venezia in Venice, Italy. This, though, was the very first casino, built by the Italian government to make some extra money during the famous carnival. This casino is still there today, and you can visit it.
The Casino di Venezia opened in 1638, and actually started life as a theatre with a wing for gambling in during the interval. The gambling became so popular, however, that the theatre was soon removed to make more room for games. Others followed suit, and by 1744 there were over 120 casinos in Venice.
The 18th Century
Casinos may have been popular in Venice for a while, but it took some time for the rest of Europe to catch up. By the 18th century, however, more casinos were being built in glamorous areas of the world including Baden-Baden, Weisbaden, and of course Monte Carlo. Mainland Europe was becoming the destination for those who liked to gamble in a more sophisticated setting.
The buildings that were being created and made into casinos at this time were stunning. The planning and design that went into them was impressive, and it was no wonder that people flocked to them.
The 1940s
Although other casinos were, of course, built between the 18th and 20th centuries, it wasn’t until the 1940s that there was a big building boom, and it occurred in – no surprise – Las Vegas. Although there was just one casino to begin with; this was El Rancho Vegas. It was not as glamorous as the city would later become, but it was a start, and it signalled a change from the illegal gambling and speakeasies that had been in place before then.
El Rancho was like nothing that had been seen before. Not only were there casino games to play, but there was horse riding and swimming pool as well.
The 1990s
For around 50 years not a lot changed. More and more casinos were built, but they were all fairly similar. However, in the 1990s, another change happened and this was a big one. At this time, online casinos were created.
Online casinos meant that everyone, no matter where they lived, could now enjoy playing casino games and, what’s more, they could do so from the comfort of their own homes. This was a revolution and a revelation, and it prompted a boom in casino playing across the world.
