Casinos are a huge industry and have not stopped growing since they were first introduced in 1638 in Venice. From allowing people to gamble during intermissions of shows to the widespread availability of live casino games, it’s clear that casinos are only evolving and show no sign of slowing down. Today, we will be taking a look at the history behind some of the most popular casino games.
Blackjack
Blackjack is the current number 1 most popular casino game worldwide as of 2025. The general rule of the game is to have a hand closest to the value of 21 between the player and the dealer. Each player is given two cards, with the dealer also receiving two, one face down and one face up. Players are given the opportunity to hit and receive another card, adding to the 2 they already have or stand and play with the cards they have. The person closest to the sum of 21 wins. If the player or dealer exceeds 21, the person closest to the number will win.
But where does this game originate? It is believed that blackjack originated in French casinos around the 1700s. “The game was originally referred to as ‘Vingt et un’ in a novel, which directly translates to ‘21’. While the exact origins of the name ‘Blackjack’ remain unclear, it is commonly believed to have been linked to a popular bet in which players aimed to get a Jack of Spades or Clubs paired with an Ace, making a total of 21. It is believed that in France, the royal family enjoyed the game frequently, with Napolean Bonaparte also being a big fan of the card game despite banning his soldiers from playing it. It spread to North America as a result of colonisation and set up legal places for people to gamble and play a variety of different casino games at the time, with the most popular being blackjack.
Nowadays, the game is played online and in casinos with a variety of different types of blackjack. With new technology comes new ways to play. Live streaming has enabled games to be played remotely with real interaction from real dealers. It also has introduced new versions of blackjack, including mega fire blaze blackjack or even speed blackjack.
It’s fascinating how a game created in the 1700s has spread across the globe, maintaining the same rules and format, and continues to be the most popular casino game more than 200 years later.
Roulette
Roulette takes the number 2 spot in terms of the most popular casino games globally. The game of luck is a very simple one to play and has become infamous for casinos worldwide. Players can bet a variety of different outcomes when a ball is dropped into a 36-pocket wheel coloured in alternating red and black with a singular green pocket, and all numbered 0-36. A ball is dropped into the spinning wheel after bets are placed. These bets can include:
- The colour it lands on
- The exact number it lands on
- If it lands on an odd or even number
- A street bet
- A corner bet
Each bet varies in returns as a result of lower odds.
Similar to blackjack, roulette was also invented in France, but earlier in the 1600s, it was invented by Blaise Pascal by accident while trying to invent a motion machine, which soon turned into a wheel that would be used for gambling. His experiment of trying to defy the laws of physics with his motion machine failed; however, he managed to produce the roulette wheel we use today. It wasn’t until 1842 that we saw our first change to the roulette wheel when Lois Blanc added a 0 to the wheel to create more pockets, elevating the game’s popularity even more. The final change to the wheel also came in the 1800s in America, where they added a 00, meaning the wheel had 38 pockets, which was 1 extra compared to every other wheel globally.
Poker
The aim of poker is to build the strongest hand from 5 community cards and 2 cards for each player. As the game progresses, players can bet on the strongest hand or fold, exiting the game at any time. The betting stages occur at intervals until the game ends with the player with the strongest hand winning.
The origins of poker are unknown, as many historians have presented different ideas coming from different places in different time periods. It is believed to have been a mix of different gambling games from a variety of different countries and cultures, such as China, France, Peru and Spain. The year in which poker was invented is still unknown to this day. The 19th century, however, was the first time modern poker was seen and was known as ‘The Cheating Game’. The 3 cards came into play, altering from what previous rules were, and from this point onwards, poker only grew in popularity. In the modern day, we have developed new variations of poker with different rules and strategies depending on the game. More recently, Texas Hold Em has become a large favourite variation of the game due to its simple nature and faster-paced game style.
Summary of History of Casino Classics
Popular poker games have developed a lot over the years, from once being only available to the wealthy to now being available online. In the long term, there is no sign of the growth of these casino games slowing down, with many more variations that could come in the future.