Gambling in Europe came first in Greece and Rome. Most games of chance can be traced back to this period. But Europe also did much to revolutionize gambling. It was here where most modern games of chance were developed. The first casino was opened here, as was the first city to be synonymous with gambling.

Royal Influence

European royalty enjoyed gambling as much as anyone. They also saw the potential of gambling to increase their country’s coffers. The Prince Bishop of the province of Liege in Belgium, for example, saw the financial potential of opening a casino in the town of Spa. People from across the continent came to Spa to partake of the natural mineral waters. The Prince Bishop built the casino as another attraction for the flock of visitors to his town.

The royalty who truly used gambling to his benefit was Prince Charles III of Monaco. In 1861, Monaco had relinquished half of its territory to France. In return, Monaco received independence and cash. But most of the country’s natural resources were lost to France. Prince Charles needed to come up with a way to make his principality fiscally solvent. He decided the best way to do this was with tourism. As the rest of Europe was beginning to crack down on gambling, Prince Charles decided that gambling was the way to attract visitors to his country.

He convinced Louis Blanc, who revolutionized the roulette wheel, to bring his game to Monaco. He ordered the construction of hotels and casinos in Monte Carlo. In 1863, Prince Charles established the Societe des Bains de Mer, which oversaw the tourism business. Before long, Monte Carlo was the gambling capital of the world.

Present Day Europe

Today, European countries have relaxed many of its gambling laws. Casino gambling is a major tourist attraction for towns in Germany, France, England, Italy, Switzerland, and Spain, among others.

One of the oldest casinos in operation in Europe is the casino in Baden Baden, Germany. It was opened in 1748 by Edouard Benazet. The casino was not continuously open over all these years, but it is the original building that is in operation today.

The newest gambling center on the continent is Eastern Europe, which has found itself the destination for Israeli gambling junkets.

The area that could arguably be called the birthplace of gambling continues to grow and flourish.

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