Did People Gamble 300 Years Ago? A Brief Overview

People used to gamble even before the money was created. Livestock, clothes, tools and weapons – everything was eligible to “deposit”. The methodology has changed, but the main point hasn’t because the essence of gambling is the feeling of excitement.

That exact feeling is the reason we gamble to this day. Centuries ago, people didn’t have iGaming platforms like https://leagueofslots.com/en/, but that didn’t stop them from getting together and pursuing excitement.

Below, we’ll discuss how much people gamble back in the day, and why they did it. Also, we’ll cover some of the similarities and differences compared to the modern gambling era.

The History of Gambling                                                        

There was a study done on monkeys that proved that they’re not only prone to taking higher risks for bigger rewards but also enjoy it, which shows how deep and primal gambling might be ingrained in our DNA as well.

When our basic needs are taken care of, boredom becomes one of the biggest problems because everything around us is predictable. The sense of anticipation is what makes us feel alive, which is why gambling remained popular for millennia. 

Centuries Ago in the USA                                          

Even before the first European ships landed on the American shores, many sources are showing that Native Americans used to participate in all kinds of gambling activities. The most important ceremonies and festivals in their culture involved gambling as a tool gifted by the gods to help them predict the future. 

As the Western part of the world developed, gambling became a much more frequent part of daily life. Although unregulated, it was commonly practised even by authority figures like county sheriffs. People would bet their land, horses, goods like guns, belts, bullets, and of course, money.

Centuries Ago in Europe

When it comes to Europe, Italy is considered to be the cradle of regulated gambling. After hiding from the government in all kinds of facilities, the 17th century brought a much-needed practical change – the gambling licences.

Once the governments realized how lucrative their decision was, gambling regulations started spreading all across Europe, and as we can see, hasn’t stopped to this day. With the progression of gambling, lotteries were involved as games of chance least frowned upon by the public.

Their popularity extended so far that they were used to raise funds for many European armies, and later on, some of the most famous colleges in the world like Harvard and Yale were started exactly by using the funds raised via lottery.

Popular Games in Ancient Times                         

Although gambling has changed a lot in terms of how we play, the essence of the games is very close to how it’s been centuries ago.

There were no computers and screen back then, so there were no slots and instant games like there are today. Even roulette was considered a miracle of technology once it was introduced.

Due to the technical limitations, table card games were the biggest hit at the time, but what’s epic is that they’ve kept that status even in the present day.

Some of the most popular card games were:

• Poker
• Black Jack
• Baccarat
• Texas Hold’em

Some nuances and rules might have been altered, but the games kept their core and managed to survive for so many years because of their ability to deliver so much fun while simultaneously being utterly simple.

The reason why games like Poker, Black Jack, and Baccarat did not suffer many changes is one of the oldest unwritten rules of mankind – if it works, you don’t mess with it. 

The Link Between Eras                                                    

Many things are separating the different eras of gambling, but what stayed the same are the motives for playing.

The reason why we gather together, whether that’s in a brick-and-mortar or online casino, is the same – we want to feel the joy and excitement while the dice are in the air, the ball is rolling, or while the cards are getting revealed.

Taking a look at gambling’s history, we can easily predict its future, and judging by how long it remained one of our favorite ways of having fun, it’s fair to say its upcoming days are more than bright. So yes – people did gamble 300 years ago, and probably, they’re still going to do so in the future. Analyzing today’s state of gambling, and how it evolved and mutated, we can only imagine how it will look 300 years from now. Some complex and trendy technologies are already being implemented, which seems like a miracle for some gamblers.

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