History of Poker

Poker is the name of a card game whose origins remain largely unknown. Some historians believe that poker may have come from another game called ‘As Nas’, which was played in Persia during the 16th century. Alternatively, it is also argued that poker may have been created in China as far back as 900 A.D. However, everyone seems to be in agreement that poker is a gambling game that seems to have been around forever.

Poker has a history of being played in America’s first casino that was located in New Orleans in 1822. From the very first game, poker was played with a lot of bluffing and gambling, and the game was often rife with cheating. Accordingly, poker has become synonymous with legends from the ‘Wild West’ where gambling didn’t take place until you had your gun at the ready and your back to the wall!

During its early days poker was played with only 20 cards. The game increased to a 52-card pack during the 1830s. It is believed that this addition was to encourage more gambling players, extend the ‘flush’ and have enough cards left over for the ‘draw’. During 1875 the ‘wild’ card appeared and along with it came the recognition of the different poker variations including Jack Pots, Stud and Draw.

By the 20th century, poker was a gambling game played throughout the world. However, it wasn’t until the United States first legalized gambling in 1931, that the casino became an official part of the gambling landscape.