Have you ever thought about how gambling became such a popular form of entertainment? Today we are able to access all our favourite gambling games with a click of a button, no matter where we are in the world. This was not the case for our ancestors, who sometimes had to go to extreme lengths to place a bet or two on their game of choice. Let's take a trip down memory lane to find out how gambling managed to evolve and keep up with modern times.

Humble gambling beginnings

The earliest documented gambling game was recorded in China around 2300 BCE. This is the first evidence that we have of it recorded in writing, in a Chinese book called 'Book of Songs.' However, historians believe that gambling began centuries before that. There is evidence that even the cavemen used to gamble by throwing a dice that had been carved out of stone. In China, the game is thought to have been a form of lottery which was won by drawing tiles.

Fast forward to 500 BCE and we again have a written record of gambling - this time in Greece. Interestingly, it appears that the ancient Greeks were fond of throwing dice as well. Next came card games, which were recorded in China during the 9^th century. Apparently, our ancestors were not great at record keeping, so there are big gaps in the timeline. After that, Baccarat appeared in Italy and France in the 1400s, followed by Blackjack.

The first official casino was established in Italy in 1638. Back then they called them 'gambling houses' and they didn't resemble the deposit casinos we know today. These gambling houses continued growing in popularity and the increased demand for gaming led to more games been developed. Roulette and Poker were introduced first, and eventually the one-armed bandit was invented in 1891. The slot excited people so much that it became a staple in most bars and casinos.

Modern day gambling

In 1976 the first video slot was introduced, much to the delight of regular and novice gamblers alike. The machines were more colourful, offered more features, and gave slots players more variety at the casino. Even table players began dabbling in video slots. Then, with the invention of the internet, developers began creating virtual casinos - which would change the face of gambling forever. To give us an idea of how quickly online gambling gained traction, consider the following: in 1996 there were 15 online gambling sites. Only one year later in 1997 there were 200 sites.

The number of sites increased each year exponentially. This was before smartphones were invented, so you can imagine how the online gambling market has exploded since. Gone are the days where people have to track across cities and spend hundreds of dollars to place a few bets. Today, we can log onto any device and select a $10 AUD deposit online casino that will let us make deposits as low as $10, and place bets as low as 1c. We can do it from the comfort of a couch, or while we are travelling. And, we can read casino reviews before depositing at a reputable online casino.

What could be next?

While it's incredible to think about how far we have come, it is even more amazing to think about what comes next. Developers have already released virtual reality games, and many online casinos are incorporating them. The future of gambling seems geared to be even more exciting than the past.