Gambling has been around since the dawn of time. However, casinos in their current form have only existed for less than a century. The gambling establishments that first carried this name and from whom modern gaming venues derive from first appeared in Venice, in 17th-century Italy.
That said, they did not feature most of the gaming picks we now associate with online casinos.
Though virtually all casino-style products have roots that go back centuries, millennia even, their current-day expressions are relatively novel. Moreover, due to many regions considering any form of betting somewhat taboo, most of the world has not had a chance to sample land-based casinos or online casino games. That became a possibility in most territories only in the past few decades.
Naturally, residents of different territories around the globe have specific gambling preferences shaped by distinct cultures. These dictate which casino products they pick. Below, we rattle off a few popular gaming options and countries whose citizens most love them.
Australia, Slots
A 3-reeled pokies machine.
It is widely known that Australians are some of the most betting-crazed people on the planet, as 39% of the country’s population gambles regularly.
Slots get called pokies in Australia, and they have a storied history in the land down under. In the 1990s, multiple Australian States approved pubs to feature poker machines. That is what set this country’s slot infatuation in motion.
Their slang term for online slots (pokies) originates from pubs advertising these machines as such, even though most of them incorporated slot-like mechanics.
Nevertheless, a unique bit of trivia is that the original slot invented in 1891 in Brooklyn, New York, utilized a poker hand-ranking system to produce prizes.
USA, Blackjack
Blackjack is by far the most popular player vs. dealer table game. That is so because it has a simple-to-grasp ruleset and a super low-house edge of 0.5% for those that choose to implement a strategy chart. All veteran players have memorized lists of moves and their winning probabilities in distinct scenarios on twenty-one tables.
Unlike other casino products, the genesis of blackjack is a bit muddy. But, the French card historian Thierry Depaulis did figure out that this game got its current name during the Klondike Gold Rush, in the late-19th century, after a term that refers to the mineral zincblende. There is no US-based Class III casino that does not offer blackjack. It is most Americans’ number one gambling choice.
France, Roulette
Roulette means the ‘little wheel’ in French, and this game is the accidental product of Frenchman Blaise Pascal’s desire to create a perpetual motion machine. It also mixes in rules from the Italian board game Biribi.
Roulette, in its present form, first appeared in late-1970s Paris. By the 19th century, it spread throughout the Old Continent and the US. Nonetheless, roulette never attained the same level of popularity as in France.
It is undoubtedly the primary choice of visitors of both Monte Carlo casinos.
A Reverend helps players with bingo cards.
Italy, Bingo
While most believe that bingo’s history ties into its rise in Britain, that is inaccurate. It got birthed in 16th-century Italy with the initial forms of organized lottery-style competitions. You may be thinking – how is bingo a casino game? Well, dozens of Vegas casinos host live draws and even have dedicated bingo parlors. It is them, as the organizer going against their players.
Bingo is still super popular in Italy, as Sicily alone has 28 halls that focus on this game, and Campania has 27. Only a few of the country’s 35 casinos offer it, but Italians love playing it online — and so do US players at some of the best bingo online for money sites.
Macau/China, Baccarat
Macau is not a country. It is an Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. Macau is a vital spot for the global gambling industry because it rakes in more gambling-related profits than any other place on Earth. In 2006, it overtook Las Vegas in this department.
James Bond’s favorite game accounts for a stunning 87.6% of Macau’s gross gaming revenues. It is the preferred betting option for China’s high-rollers.
India, Andar Bahar
In general, casino gaming is illegal in most Indian states. The exceptions are Sikkim, Goa, and Daman, where riverboats provide games of chance. Due to strict land-based regulations, most Indians indulge in casino fun online, where interactive platforms supply traditional Indian card games in the RNG and live dealer format.
Streaming table providers like Evolution, Ezugi, Pragmatic Play Live, and others offer Andar Bahar or Teen Patti live tables. The first is the more established option of the two. Its simplicity and low house edge of 2.15% is the reason why.
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