The Untold Story of Online Gambling

By Giuseppe Faraone

Online gambling. Perhaps the biggest invention after the internet. The new-age bunch of you might take this for granted. It's simply because the industry has already passed a few decades of evolution.

In the meantime, gambling laws worldwide are becoming more user-friendly. The age-old fog of taboo around gambling finally seems to be clearing.

Believes this is the perfect time to tell you the untold story of online gambling, as raw as it can get. Surely, you can find plenty of resources online already on different aspects of the industry. It's highly unlikely that you'll find a single source where the entire timeline is explained.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Oct 6, 2022
• ISBN: 9781471034725

Book preview

The Untold Story of Online Gambling

Online gambling. Perhaps the biggest invention after the internet. The new-age bunch of you might take this for granted. It's simply because the industry has already passed a few decades of evolution.

In the meantime, gambling laws worldwide are becoming more user-friendly. The age-old fog of taboo around gambling finally seems to be clearing.

Believes this is the perfect time to tell you the untold story of online gambling, as raw as it can get. Surely, you can find plenty of resources online already on different aspects of the industry. It's highly unlikely that you'll find a single source where the entire timeline is explained.

The writer from Valencia, Spain, has made the impossible possible. This is your ultimate journey through the online gambling verse, from 1800s mechanical slots to next-gen metaverse casinos.

If you're wondering what makes you qualified to take on such a sensitive duty, it's the experience. With over ten years of industry experience, he has learned things. Some in the hard way. Some came easy. And you're about to witness it all.

1891 and the First Slot Machine

When you think of gambling, what pops into your mind? The very first picture?

It's safe to assume that it's a slot machine. It could be Roulette or Blackjack, too, if you're into those. Slots are technically the predecessor of all casino games as we know them, although table games existed centuries before.

There is room for debate on who invented the very first slot machine. Some believe it's Sittman and Pitt from New York. And others believe it's Charles Fey from California. Thankfully, the debate can end right now. It's simply because the layout and purpose of both machines were fundamentally different.

The Sittman and Pitt Machine

Let's start with the Sittman and Pitt Machine. It was invented in 1891, widely considered the birth year of slot machines. The invention had five drums that held ten cards each from a standard deck. That means the machine could hold 50 cards. As for the rules, they were inspired by Poker.

It was a video poker machine, a component of casino games you can still find across land-based and online establishments!

Once the machine was ready, it was placed across bars in Brooklyn. Due to the complex combination of cards, the machine couldn't pay out money. Instead, different winning

combinations resulted in free drinks, cigars, complimentary food, and whatnot. You could win some through the machine, whatever amenities the host establishment would offer.

The tumbler soon became extremely popular, and recreational places from all over Brooklyn had it installed.

This card tumbler also had a house edge like the modern slot machines! How, you ask? The creators removed two cards from the deck, so it would be harder for players to land a winning combination. Restaurant or bar owners sometimes rearrange the drums to manipulate the chances of winning.

Thankfully, modern slot machines are manipulated in such a way. They still have a house edge, but it's mathematically calculated and approved by the licensing body.

Not familiar with licenses? Worry not because that's coming up in one of the sections. Keep reading!

Charles August Fey

The exact timeline of when Mr Fey created his machine is somewhat debated. It's believed to