Gambling, in many forms, has been a popular pastime for thousands of years, however, the concept has faced many trials and tribulations in order to become as accessible as it is today, across many countries. In the modern day, both land-based and online casino games in Canada, America, and the United Kingdom all offer a huge variety of virtual games available for you to explore, right at the tip of your fingers – but it hasn’t always been this way.
Join us as we discover a brief history of the long journey gambling games have taken in order to become so accessible to us today.
Canada
Let’s start in Canada, where in the modern day, gambling is one of the largest branches of entertainment, attracting millions of players across the country each and every year. The Lottery, in particular, is a favorite amongst Canadians, with some of the earliest examples of games of chance dating back as far back as 1497.
However, in 1892, the Canadian Criminal Code prohibited all types of gambling activities, as the games were deemed inappropriate by the government. However, the ban didn’t last long, as in 1900, games of Bingo, raffles, and even Lotteries returned in order to raise money for charities and communities, supporting the building of bridges and roads. In 1910, betting on horse racing was allowed, and in 1974, a Lottery was held to gather funds for the Olympics. From then on, Lotteries would be used to fund projects, and even to this day – the funds raised from the games in Canada are donated to charities.
Whilst each province has its individual set of laws for gambling, Canada has now become one of the most productive gaming markets in the world, and generates billions of dollars each year.
America
The history of gambling in America is heavily influenced by the history of gambling itself. Games of chance first landed on American soil alongside the very first settlers. During the 18th and early 19th century, Lotteries were used to build or improve many universities and schools. Despite the different opinions on the games, no large-scale restrictions on the games were in place until 1769, when the British crown placed a restriction on Lotteries, spurring one of the many issues that fuelled tensions between the colonies and England in the lead-up to the American Revolution.
As America grew, gambling games spread. The lower Mississippi River valley became a gaming hotspot. Despite this, in the mid-19th century, the games began to face backlash, so popular gaming spots moved West, into younger, less well-regulated territories, as well as onto the famous Mississippi River Boats. State Lotteries came to an end, and it wasn’t until after the Civil War that Lottery games made their return – albeit brief. The beginning of the 20th century then saw gambling games become outlawed once again.
The Great Depression then saw games like Bingo appear in some cities, churches, and other groups in order to raise revenue, but most gambling remained illegal. Gangsters became wealthy from underground casinos, and in 1929, the building of the Hoover Dam bought about the rise of gambling in Nevada. In the 1960s, the casino industry in Nevada boomed, with legalized gaming bringing about the birth of the one and only Las Vegas Strip.
United Kingdom
In the United Kingdom, gambling games prior to 1960 were subject to heavy restrictions. In fact, the first law governing gambling in the UK was put in place as early as 1190 by King Richard I, in an attempt to control who could gamble and how much they could wager. Despite King Henry VIII banning all forms of gaming in 1506, by 1569, the UK saw the first state Lottery, with £5,000 as the jackpot, in celebration of Queen Elizabeth’s coronation.
In 1760, betting on horses had become a popular pastime amongst the aristocracy, despite still being against the law. This was only enforced amongst the lower classes, however, and the government turned a blind eye to the wealthy gamblers.
On September 1st, 1960 an Act of Parliament came into force, legalizing betting. Despite this, gambling still faced many restrictions, with bet sizes being kept to a minimum and remaining illegal for those under the age of 18. This law still stands today.
In 2005, The Gambling Act was passed, and the UK saw the introduction of the UK Gambling Commission. This meant that all land-based and online casino games were mandated, licensed, and regulated, and the first ‘super casinos’ were built.
It’s clear that gambling is a popular pastime around the world, and despite having a rich history, the games have survived for many generations – making their way onto our screens in the form of online casinos. Casino games have never been so easy to access, and with unique laws governing gambling around the world, designed to help keep players safe, the worldwide casino scene has never flourished quite as much as it is now!