Italy is one of the most fascinating places on earth for a million reasons. When it comes to culture, history, and the arts, it probably is the most fascinating. The country has given birth to some of the world’s greatest artists as well as civilizations, and it continues to be a beacon to all that is beautiful in the world. One thing most people don’t know about Italy, though, is the fact that it also gave birth to modern-day casinos and is responsible for us enjoying the wonders of gambling to this very day. Here is how that happened:
Casinos in Italy
Believe it or not, the word ‘casino’ itself is from Italian origins, where the word ‘casa’ indicates a house or social club. It might also come as a surprise to you that the first European casino was established in the majestic Venice, though it is rather different than our modern-day definitions of casinos. It was founded in 1638. It was called Ridotto and it was meant to provide some form of controlled gambling for the masses, and the people loved it. Yet, the origins of casino and gambling date back way before the 1600s!
Gambling in the Roman Empire
Yes, you have read correctly. Gambling dates back to centuries ago, all the way back to the days of the Roman Empire. The most popular game back then was called Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, and that board game, later on, evolved to become backgammon. Obviously casino games have evolved considerably over the years, and now, you can play slot online as well as a host of other games, without even having to leave your home. People now play everything from poker to blackjack on online casinos, and gambling has never been easier and more accessible, but that was hardly the case back in the day. Only rich people could gamble, although admission to those archaic forms of casinos was often free.
The evolution of casinos
As we mentioned earlier, Ridotto was quite popular and it gave birth to the notion of casinos as we know it today, but it was closed down in 1774, and that played a huge role in the evolution of casinos. People wanted to keep on gambling, and why wouldn’t they? So, it was only natural that the people would start creating private gambling clubs, which were quite popular in Italy after the country’s first casino was shut down. Guess what those private clubs were called? Yes, they were called casinos.
The games
When you walk into a modern-day casino, try to have a good look around you. You will see baccarat, which originated in Italy around the 15th century. Bingo is also of Italian origin and was developed in the 1500s.
As you can see, casinos and Italy have been going hand in hand for a very long time now. The country has given birth to modern-day casinos as we know them, and the first recorded one in the area was at the heart of its beautiful Venice.
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