Gambling history in Canada: brief overview
Gambling in Canada predates the famous John Cabot voyage to the region. It is quoted by various historians that the game was very popular among the natives of the region before John arrived. The games which Canadian casinos offer are a variety of European and American standards.
The fact is that the Canadian natives used sticks in place of cards to ensure that the game moves on. This is very long before the first deck of cards was designed. The Klondike Gold Rush saw the Americans putting efforts to transform the Canadian gambling industry. The modern casino games were developed and the gamblers were lured in by promising returns. The Faro was the first variation which was played by the Canadian gamblers before the regular gaming was introduced. The oldest trace of Faro can be found in 1400 which means that the regional gambling at that time was on high.
The first law
The Canadian law followed the English one in the 1800s and therefore it is important to note that there was an impact on casino industry as well. The betters were strictly prohibited to take all earnings home. The law stated that the loser gets a portion of its share back so that he/she gets another chance. If this was not the case then a portion of winning amount should go to charitable institutes. Fairs at that time were held throughout the region. The law also permitted some games on such occasions. The only difference was that the winnings from these events were not donated. Instead, such winnings were used to reform land and agriculture and it was also incumbent upon the players. Well, two hundred years has passed and United Kingdom still influence on a Canada and world gambling. Will see if Canadian authorities will do something new about online casinos revenue at a time when UK government says to ban credit cards for online gambling as Valley Games informing.
1970 changes
This can be regarded as opening the doors of casinos for Canadians. The best part of this law was the autonomy that was given to the provinces. This allowed the territories to regulate the game and grant licenses on their own. Though there were some issues in this regard the fact of the matter is that the law swept the entire English Common that was implemented before. Major changes were made and the people were also happy to see the game thriving. Such changes have an instantaneous effect and the world saw one of the largest casino industries being established.
First commercial casino
The law was not followed by the provinces until 1989. The first commercial casino was established in the region of Winnipeg. Montreal was the second province to follow the law and a casino was established there in 1989. Video lottery was introduced as a result and the traditional slot machines were almost abolished. These terminals provided the betters with receipt to get it redeemed in form of cash from the main counters.
Present era
The gambling is a social game which is discussed openly in Canada. It is all because of the tolerance of the state towards the outcomes. It is no longer an undesirable activity and therefore a multibillion-dollar industry. The future is bright and it is important to note that several reforms to make gambling a lucrative business are coming to the casinos of Canada.