The Casino de Venezia is situated on the gorgeous waterway of the city’s grand canal
The casino lifestyle is a fascinating one full of adventure, entertainment, fun, and undoubtedly some level of skill. For hundreds of years people from all over the world have been visiting these glamorous facilities in order to watch or engage in thrilling games.
However, how much do you really know about casinos? From old history to curious facts, here are some intriguing morsels of info that make for great trivia questions on your next RV road trip!
The First Casino Ever Built Still Stands Today
The world’s very first casino establishment opened all the way back in 1683 in Venice, Italy. The Casino de Venezia was originally constructed as a theatre where locals and tourists could watch plays, but various rooms were designed as centers for gaming as well.
Even in 2021, it still sits on the “Canal Grande”, one of the city’s top attractions, and visitors come from all over to have a tour of the interior, admiring the ancient, quaint décor. If they are interested, people can even play classic games like slots and craps, as well as local favorites like European Roulette and Chemin de Fer.
Casinos Didn’t Always Have Sportsbooks
Some casino fans may be surprised to learn that not all gaming facilities contained sportsbooks back in the day. Anyone that has ever visited the sparkling lights of Vegas casino complexes will find this hard to believe as many of the most popular ones on the Strip, such as the Venetian and Caesar’s Palace, are also the homes of leading sportsbooks.
Professional bettor and casino business exec Frank Rosenthal is the one to thank for opening the first modern sportsbook inside of Sin City’s Stardust Resort and Casino back in 1976. Today, it is not uncommon to see people wager on their favorite sports teams after playing a round of blackjack.
Since that big business move back in the 70s, U.S. sportsbooks have evolved much more, entering into the digital environment thanks to the internet age and the passage of legislation which regulates the activity online. Nowadays, dozens of sportsbooks providers have an active presence on the web, offering free bets and other discounted services to fans participating remotely.
Most Casinos Don’t Have Clocks
If you have already been inside a handful of casinos, by now you may have noticed that it is normal for there to be an absence of clocks hanging from the walls or set upon the tables. This is because these time tracking devices have the potential to throw players off their game or distract them from the activity at hand.
Casinos want to aid their customers in their pursuit of gaming as much as possible, helping them to remain focused on the games they are engaged in. In addition to having little or no clocks, it’s common for casinos to have very few windows for the exact same reason.
It is common practice for many casinos not to hang clocks on the gaming floor
The World’s Largest Casino is in Oklahoma
That’s right, you read correctly. Thackerville, Oklahoma is the proud home of the biggest casino establishment in the entire world, the WinStar World Casino. Ironically enough, the town is also one of the state’s smallest communities, with a population of only 528.
However, people still come from different parts of the country, specifically residents of North Texas, to step onto the 600,000 square feet of gaming space inside the WinStar. The casino also doubles as a resort which boasts 395 rooms spread out among 12 stories. With over 8,000 gaming machines and dozens of tables, there’s no doubt you want this one high on your casino bucket list.
The Casino de Monte-Carlo Forbids Gaming for Monaco Residents
Traveling back across the Atlantic Ocean, we have another European-based casino that is also one of the oldest of all time, the Casino de Monte-Carlo. It was first opened back in 1863 but still today is seen as one of the microstate’s most important landmarks.
However, one curious fact is that citizens of Monaco are actually not allowed to game inside the casino. Visiting tourists on the other hand are permitted to engage in a variety of activities inside and therefore should brush up on their casino etiquette concerning things like dress code and tipping in order to be well-prepared for the gaming floor.