The Earliest Forms of Casino Games

The popular mobile casino games you know today have been in existence for longer than you know it. This is understandably a fact that not many people know. Knowing this, let us check out some of the earliest forms of casino games.

Blackjack

There is no real proof to know if the Romans developed Blackjack or if it was the French or Spanish. However, all three different nations played using similar rules, and the goal was the same in these countries.

People from Spain named it “One and Thirty” because it aims to reach 31 using a minimum of 3 cards. The French called it Vingt-et-Un (21), while the Romans also likely had their name for the game.

Instead, they played using wooden blocks with numbers written on them. Out of the three choices, the ‘twenty-one' ended up being the game adopted by several cultures, mostly in Northern America.

Baccarat

This is another game with unverifiable origins.  It is thought mainly to have been developed in Italy with the term ‘baccarat,' which does mean ‘0’ in Italian. There is a general belief that an Italian man, Felix Falguierein was responsible for creating it, within the middle ages.

He played the game initially with Tarot cards. During 1490 AD, Baccarat became famous in France, and it became known there as “Chemin de fer.” As time went on, Europe accepted the game, and that was when the ‘European Baccarat’ type was developed. Now the game is available in a lot of formats.

Some of the most traditional ones include the Online Baccarat, American Baccarat, and lastly, the Mini-Baccarat. This last is a convenient variant of the game which you can play using lower table limits. The goal was to entice less financially buoyant players.

Poker

Poker is a game that many look at as a straight derivation of the game As-Nas, played by Persians. This was a game was has been in existence since the 17th century.

At first, the game was enjoyed with a pack of twenty-five cards having five different suits. It was played the same way as poker, in addition to stakes.

The significant difference was the unavailability of flushes or sequences, as there was no such thing back then.

Slots

In 1891, two inventors, Sittman and Pitt from Brooklyn, New York, had the idea of developing a betting machine. This device has five drums, all consisting fifty cards. It also had a similar gameplay with poker.

The bettor would put in a nickel, and draw the lever. Then the result of the cards will be displayed once the spinning drums stop. An award system was not available back then. So, if a royal flush was with you, for instance, your winnings would be available for payout. 

Roulette

Roulette was first called the ‘little wheel. It is believed to have been developed initially by an Inventor known as Blaise Pascal. Then, he, was making efforts to build a machine in perpetual motion.

Although his initial project did not work out, the roulette wheel was born. It rapidly became popular among punters in France. Soon, it spread to other nations where various versions came into light. This is why you can find many roulette versions in offline and online casinos today.