Las Vegas is a town that has been branded as a city of gambling. It is the place where the industry came to be in the United States. The history of the industry in this city is very well-known since it was depicted numerous times in pop culture.
Bugsy Siegel is the person who is credited with turning this city into what it is now. But, we must say that Las Vegas is not the only place in the world associated with the gambling industry.
Besides Las Vegas, Hong Kong and Macau are also places where this industry is ever-present. In addition to the number of online casinos in the US, Canada, and Europe, like Bonus.ca, brick-and-mortar casinos certainly have a cultural impact. We feel that his effect is not as explored as it should be. Today, we would like to talk exactly about that. Without further ado, let us begin.
History of Gambling in Europe
Since we know how gambling came to be in the United States, we want to explore how it came to be in Europe. It must be said that gambling, as a concept, originated back in the times of ancient Rome, Greece, and Egypt. You can find countless depictions of people gambling on archeological items from that time. Probably the best example of this is the Greek vase depicting Achilles and Ajax throwing dice.
Another thing archeologists and historians found out about is that gambling games were not just there for entertainment. In fact, they served as a tool for establishing political and social contacts.
Therefore, you can see just how important this concept came to be. In the Medieval Age, England was the first country to introduce a public gambling game, which was a lottery. The aim was to collect money for building churches and bridges.
Several centuries later, gambling became a favorite pastime for the upper class in France. In the centuries that followed, the same trend appeared throughout other countries like Spain, the Russian Empire, and Sweden. The industry as we know it today has its roots in the late 19th century. Numerous casinos were opened in Monaco during that time. Many of them are still open to this day.
Gambling and Architecture
One thing that many people miss is the connection between architecture and gambling. If you take a look at the oldest casinos in the world, like those in Monaco, you will see that they are literally architectural miracles.
Some would even say that they resemble the royal courts of old times. Naturally, architecture is completely different in China, where it is more a combination of the East and West.
Besides the combination of styles, they also create a combination of modern designs and those that were popular two centuries ago. When it comes to diversity, Las Vegas is the place that takes the cake, without a doubt.
You can find countless architectural designs in local casinos. Probably the best-known ones are pyramids, sphynx, and other elements that resemble the style of Ancient Egypt.
But at the same time, you can find many other styles like the latest modern ones, and those that aim to preserve the style that was featured many years ago. The architectural style in all of those is there to serve as a way to attract those who are interested in more than just gambling. Architecture is among the most important cultural elements in human civilization, and nobody can doubt they have a massive impact in this case.
Entertainment Hubs
Modern casinos do not look only towards attracting gamblers. They aim to offer a wide array of different entertainment content for everyone interested. We are not talking just about activities, but also about restaurants, luxury boutiques, and many other factors. The diversification of options they offer to the visitors is a way to guarantee that they will come back several times in the future.
In the last couple of ways, you will see many casinos organizing live concerts. They had outgrown their initial task, and they also focused on tourism, which has become quite an important industry.
You can see just how many countries out there invest millions, even billions, of US dollars only in this industry. Another important thing you should know is that the inclusion of other games besides the traditional ones is also an indicator of attracting foreign tourists.
A good example of that is Sic Bo, a traditional Chinese gambling game, which is now featured in almost every top-tier casino in the world. Naturally, this is not the only example of this inclusivity. So, you can see that the role of casinos is much greater than it used to be, and their being entertainment hubs is one of the main points modern casinos want to focus on.
Gambling in Pop Culture
The final thing we want to point out is how gambling became a part of pop culture. You will find the most popular games like blackjack, poker, and baccarat frequently featured in movies, TV shows, and songs.
Besides that, you will find it is a main subject in classic literature, like Dostoyevsky’s “The Gambler.” These games are symbols of risk, winning, excitement, and losing. While these symbols might seem contradictory, they are really one in this case.
Besides that, you will find these games in numerous advertising and product placements. Promoting the industry is a bit sensitive in many countries.
That is why many see it being featured in movies and TV shows as a way of promotion. As you probably know, there are no limitations when it comes to promotion in movies or TV shows, and that is the ultimate reason why you will see it here, but not in commercials.
Summary
As you can see, the role of casinos is much bigger than it was decades ago. In this insight of ours, we’ve named all the most important cultural impacts this industry as a whole has in modern human civilization. We are sure you will find it interesting.