Though gambling was always a mainstay at Casino di Venezia, it was originally known as the Theatre Saint Moses, where a casino, then called Ca’ Vendramin Calergi, was in full swing during performance intermissions. How do guests arrive? By a free boat shuttle service, or on foot. As casino locations go, they don’t get much more romantic than this one, which is set on Venice’s Grand Canals. The word casino originated in Italy, as did the world’s oldest casino- Casino di Venezia. Based on their reputation and impact, here are 10 that made an indelible mark, listed by opening date. OLBG looked at the history behind the world’s most famous casinos. And this is not merely true in the United States- IBIS World estimates that the global casino and online gambling industry has a market size of $231 billion and employs just north of 1 million people across the world. The following year, however, the industry rebounded, hitting a new record high of $53.03 billion, proving that gambling, like construction and medicine, is an evergreen industry.

Whereas the AGA’s 2022 report stated that 2019 ushered in a record $43.63 billion in gaming revenues, 2020 brought in less than $30 billion.

In 2020, the gambling world was hit hard by COVID-19. alone, there are 466 commercial casinos and 515 tribal casinos as of December 2021, per the American Gaming Association. Today, thousands of casinos exist worldwide. Italy had the honor of the world’s first gambling house, or casino, which was sanctioned by government decree in 1638 as a means of controlling people’s propensity for gambling. It wasn’t until the 1400s that the first game still held at many modern-day casinos-baccarat-first rose to prominence, and it was followed quickly (relative to the timeline of human history) in the very early 1600s by what would, in the 20th century, become known as blackjack. Dice showed up in Rome around 500 BC and playing cards hit the scene in 800 AD.

Evidence dates back to 2300 BC China, after archeologists’ discovery of wooden blocks used in games of chance. Gambling in all its many forms, from the casual with a bookie to the most complex of table games, has been a part of human civilization for millennia. Venice, Monaco, Singapore … pair exotic destinations like these with casinos, and unforgettable experiences are promised.

World's first casino