Today is the golden age of gambling, which for many has become an integral part of their lives. There are casinos in every big city and lottery tickets can be bought in every supermarket. However, since the invention of the Internet, one form of gambling has taken over: virtual iGaming. In so-called online casinos, millions of players from all corners of the world play every day.
This is how the online gaming library has managed to become one of the cornerstones of the modern entertainment industry. Today it is not uncommon for millions of people in India to sit on the side of the road and play for real money on Indian casino sites or compare bonus offers at the bus stop.
This raises the question of how gambling became so popular and what influence it has on the modern entertainment industry. Believe us, the topic is extremely interesting, we will prove it to you shortly.
The History of Gambling
Gambling has been around for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. In the Middle Ages it was customary to play cards with each other and bet real money. However, this was not so well received by the European church, which is why many people only gambled secretly.
In the 17th century, the first legal gambling hall opened its doors, with great success. Such casinos spread rapidly across Europe, with gambling largely reserved for the upper class. However, over the years the gambling game has gained popularity among all social classes and has been played quite widely despite official bans and restrictions.
In the early 20th century, gambling took off thanks to the invention of slot machines, as slot machines gave more people access to easy cash games. In addition, many casinos were opened in America, which gained loyal followers thanks to their general popularity. This is how some of the great gambling cities we know today, such as Las Vegas, came into being.
However, since there was no lack of criminal energy here either, some of these casinos were controlled by Mafias and alienated for illegal purposes. Headlines abounded with casino robberies and mafia scuffles, so it’s no wonder directors became fascinated with arcades and happily used them in their films.
The next big gambling revolution came with the internet and the opening of online casinos. With them came the biggest popularity wave of gambling so far, which of course also had an enormous effect on the entertainment industry. The web is teeming with gambling articles, from bonus guides to sites that simply explain online casinos with starting credit. What are the biggest influences on modern entertainment?
Gambling and movies
Surely you have seen many a thriller or gangster film on TV or in the cinema, where the setting is a casino. From Ocean’s 11 to The Gambler, there are literally hundreds if not thousands of gambling movies and series out there. That alone is proof that gambling has had a major impact on the entertainment industry.
Conversely, however, it is also true that such films in turn boost the popularity of casino games. Who doesn’t get the urge to play poker watching James Bond 007: Casino Royale on the big screen? In addition, TV series are often broadcast in which gambling is in the foreground. Two of the most popular of these are Las Vegas and The Casino, both of which have been crowned masterpieces with extremely high ratings.
Gambling and music
When you think of gambling, music certainly doesn’t come to mind. After all, pop songs and online casinos have nothing in common, right? In fact, there are many famous musicians who have sung about this theme. Lady Gaga’s ‘Poker Face’ is one of the most popular gambling songs of all time. Billy Joel wrote the hit song ‘Easy Money’ which describes the different types of gambling with a great vocal performance.
The Rolling Stones wrote ‘Casino Boogie’, also a big hit in its day and still an absolute catchy tune today. There are endless examples. ‘Viva Las Vegas’ by Elvis Presley, ‘Rambling, Gambling Willie’ by Bob Dylan, ‘The Jack’ by AC/DC, the list goes on. Apparently, the issue of gambling had made a big impression on these great musicians and thus on the entertainment industry as a whole.
Gambling and video games
Gambling and video games have gone hand in hand for decades. Some of the first Pokémon games had slots that allowed you to unlock special moves for your monsters. Back then, such gambling sequences were more of an exception in video games than they are today.
Many of the most popular open world games have arcades where you can meet interesting characters and sometimes even win virtual money.
Fallout: New Vegas, Red Dead Redemption 2 and The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are just three popular games that have something to do with gambling. Since this is mainly the case with newer games, it can be concluded that the spread of online casinos is also responsible for this. Really fascinating how the gambling world has evolved!
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