What are the oldest gambling games in history? Do you know when dice or card games emerge? Here is a list of gambling activities with ancient roots that are still played in casinos across the world.
Gambling has a much longer history than you might have thought. The first forms of gambling as we know it today emerged thousands of years ago. According to some sources, it emerged in the Paleolithic period – even before written history!
The most famous examples of modern-like gambling are dice dating back to 3000 BC as well as betting on winners of different competitions. Follow the latest online casino news to find bets on today’s competitions. Meanwhile, we will take a look at the three oldest gambling games in history.
Various dice games belong to the most ancient casino games in the world
As we have just mentioned, the first six-sided dice emerged circa 3000 BC. That’s why dice games are considered the most ancient form of gambling that is close to our times.
Everybody knows how to play dice. One has to simply roll it either from the hand or from a special dice cup and let it fall at random. Usually, the bigger number on a dice determines the winner.
Nowadays, there are quite a lot of dice games at online casinos. The most popular is obviously Craps. Then, Sic Bo and some poker variations started to use dice. Also, you can find many simple dice games of chance at 22Bet, 1xBet, and other gambling sites.
First card games in their simplest forms emerged around the 9th century
In 2024, you can check an online poker guide for beginners and learn how to play the most popular card games. Back in the 9th century, you had to learn it by heart to be able to play the simplest games. While ancient card games may not resemble contemporary picks, their legacy is hard tooverestimate. They laid the foundation for modern gambling games like poker and blackjack, shaping the rich tapestry of casino culture.
Despite the differences in gameplay and card designs across centuries, the essence of strategic gaming and chance has endured, making cards one of the oldest gambling games in history that survived to this day.
Roulette has been played since the 17th century
In the 17th century, physicist Blaise Pascal had a brilliant idea that sparked the evolution of roulette, though not in the way he initially intended. While grappling with the concept of perpetual motion, he inadvertently laid the groundwork for the iconic roulette wheel we know today.
Fast forward to the 1720s, and a game dubbed ‘roly poly’ emerged in Britain, showcasing an early iteration of what would become roulette. However, its popularity was short-lived, facing a ban by 1739.
As time rolled on into the late 18th century, the familiar roulette wheel took its definitive form, gracing establishments across France. Interestingly, the wheel’s numbers drew inspiration from the French lotto game Biribi, adding a touch of history to the spinning sensation we enjoy today.
The lottery is among the oldest gambling games in history
The last most ancient form of gambling is the lottery. The first recorded signs of it are Chinese keno slips dated between 205 and 187 BC. At first, lottery games existed to help to raise various funds and finance governmental projects if the latter had no money for them.
Nowadays, the lottery is people’s favorite game of chance that can make them rich in the blink of an eye. Powerball and Mega Millions are the most popular lotteries in the world in 2024. Check online casino guides for beginners to learn how and where to play lotto for real cash.
