Origins of Gambling (from land-based to online)

The origins of gambling can be traced back 40,000 years. There have been many studies and archeological evidence giving credence to the fact that several forms of gambling did take place in ancient civilizations. From the Chinese invention of tiles, to the Roman dice, also called Astragali, used by the soldiers to gamble away Christ’s robes, to ancient cave drawings – it is clear that gambling can be traced back to all civilizations from Greek mythology to the Middle Ages. While the origins of gambling are undisputed, the question is how did we get from there to here – from modern day land-based casinos to online casinos? In basically began in Las Vegas in the year l931, when the state of Nevada legalized gambling after it had been banned for several years. The result was the first land-based casino called El Rancho Vegas built by Tommy Hull in 1941. His vision was to create a resort complex in the middle of a desert. The result was a western-themed style family resort on 66 acres now called the Las Vegas Strip. Unfortunately, a fire destroyed the hotel in 1960. Fast forward 34 years to 1994, when the Free Trade and Processing Zone Act was enacted into law in Antigua and Barbuda. This act enabled casinos to obtain licenses to operate online. It was also the year a new software provider called Microgaming was founded. A year later, Cryptologic developed software for online payment transactions. Although there seems to be some dispute as to who was the first online casino, it appears that the Gaming Club by Microgaming was actually the first to go live in 1995. It is also reported that Microgaming was the first company to launch Cash Splash, the first progressive online slot. In 1996, InterCasino went live and in this same year, the Kahanawake Gaming Commission was formed in Canada, whose purpose was to issue licenses to online gambling operators. Although the origins of gambling can be traced back further than anyone had dreamed, gambling today comes in many forms, as it did back then. Whether it’s betting on horse races (chariot races in Roman times) sports, lotteries, arbitrage gambling, fixed-odds gambling, street hustling, stock markets, or gambling as mundane as coin tossing; every one has engaged in some form of gambling in their lifetime. As a way of introducing gambling as it pertains to online casinos, Sunshine Slots is providing a series of articles that we trust you will find useful. These articles will include:

We will focus on registration and deposit methods, best casino percentages, and best promotions as well. At Sunshine Slots, we are your definitive guide in finding the best casino that meets your needs and expectations. Our recommended casino list for US players is growing as is our slot and casino game reviews. We invite you to peruse our new “gambling” section where we believe you can increase your knowledge about online casinos and all they have to offer. Bookmark Sunshine Slots and visit us often.