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History of the first casinos in Europe
Introduction: When the game went "public"
Gambling in Europe has existed since the Middle Ages - in taverns, at fairs and in private clubs. But a casino in the modern sense is already a public, regulated space with a dress code, cash register, tables, schedule and host duties to the authorities and guests. Its history begins in Venice in the 17th century and culminates in the spa culture of the 19th century.
1) Venice, 1638: the first official "house of the game"
Il Ridotto ("Redutto") at the Church of San Moise is considered the first state-sanctioned casino. The authorities of the Venetian Republic legalized the game in the carnival season, concentrating it under control: admission is paid, masks are allowed, but strict rules of conduct and clothing apply.
Games: Bassetta, biribi, dice and card variations.
The goal of the state is to channel the inevitable excitement, collect income and reduce street clutter.
In 1774, Ridotto was closed under the slogans of morality and economy, but the model of the "official site" has already taken root throughout Europe.
2) XVIII century: resorts and the first "redoubts"
Spa (Belgium). By the middle of the 18th century, the balneological resort was overgrown with halls for dancing, music and playing; Redoute de Spa becomes the prototype of a secular gaming salon for European nobility traveling "on the waters."
Germanic lands and France. Courhouses appear around mineral springs - meeting houses with music, readings, dinners and... playrooms. In Paris - then prohibitions, then tolerance for "houses of the game" and private salons at the palace quarters.
3) London and "gentleman's clubs": a semi-public alternative
In England, early casinos as open establishments are met with stiff resistance: Gaming Acts restrict gambling houses.
Private clubs (White's, Brooks's, Crockford's) become centers of gambling life, where they play faro, basset, and later whist. This is not a "casino" in the public sense, but an important brick of tradition: discipline, betting, a code of conduct.
4) The turn of the XVIII-XIX centuries: from the "houses of the game" to the industry
City officials and monarchs are beginning to see the benefits in controlled play in resorts: taxes, tourism, "high society."
Concessions are formed: the entrepreneur is allowed to maintain the hall, subject to service, security and contributions to the treasury.
The "menu" expands: from old card excitement to thirty and forty (trente et quarante), early forms of roulette and black and red (rouge et noir).
5) German resorts: the age of kurhaus (xix)
Baden-Baden, Wiesbaden, Homburg, Wissemburg and others are the icon cities of the "European season."
In the 1840s, in Bad Homburg, the Blanc brothers experimented with roulette rules (a guideline is to facilitate the advantage of the establishment and increase attractiveness for guests). One of the brothers, François Blanc, would later become the architect of Monte Carlo's success.
Kurhaus is an orchestra, library, ball, restaurant and halls: the game is built into the ritual of an educated traveler's day.
In the second half of the century, political decisions (for example, general imperial bans on gambling houses in Germany in the 1870s) temporarily close part of the halls, which pushes the elite to new centers - to the Cote d'Azur.
6) France and Savoy: Seasonal lounges and entertainment culture
In France, the game maneuvers between prohibitions and "windows of tolerance," but resort cities (Aix-les-Bains, Vichy, Biarritz) receive gaming salons in conjunction with the theater and terms.
The idea of "evening as a performance" is fixed: first - a concert or opera, then - a salon, dinner and game.
7) Monaco: Monte Carlo and the European benchmark (second half of the 19th century)
The small principality turns into a magnet for resort Europe. Under the management of the concession and with the arrival of Francois Blanc, a reference complex is being created: casino + opera + gardens + hotels.
Roulette and baccarat become hallmarks of "high" excitement, and the proximity to the opera house emphasizes the cultural status of the game.
Monte Carlo standardizes service, etiquette, architecture - and exports standards across the continent.
8) The games that made the era
Bassetta/faro. Old card gambling with a fast pace are favorites of the 18th century aristocracy.
Trente et quarante (Rouge et noir). French "rhythmic" excitement of the 19th century - simple rules, high dynamics.
Roulette. Symbol of the European Hall; the evolution of the wheel and betting grid - the struggle between guest appeal and the venue's edge.
Baccarat/chemin de fer. The game of statuses and rituals: pauses, gestures, remarks - part of the "theater" of the casino.
9) Architecture and etiquette: theater of respectability
Interiors. Gold, marble, stucco, mirror galleries - Belle Époque sets the "language of luxury."
Etiquette. Dress code, silence at the tables, impeccable work of croupiers; casino = part of a social evening, not a single attraction.
Music and calendars. Ball, concert, reading room, masquerade, charity evening - the pulse of the season ties guests to the place.
10) Law and Morality: The Pendulum of Regulation
Authorities at all levels face one dilemma: moral hazard vs economic benefit.
A typical form is a concession with strict conditions (hours, admission, taxes, charitable contributions), periodic breaks and bans.
Prohibitions tend to leak demand to neighboring jurisdictions or underground; hence - the next cycles of "return to control."
11) Social scene: who came and why
European elite and bourgeoisie. The game is only part of the resort mix: water, air, dating, marriage strategies, business negotiations.
Tourists of a new type. With the development of railways and steamboats, the international public is growing: the "season" is becoming a pan-European calendar.
Women in the audience. Unlike the "men's" clubs of London, resort casinos are gradually becoming mixed spaces - with appropriate etiquette.
12) Early casino economics
Income model. Combination of mathematical advantage in games (house edge), entrance/membership fees and related services: restaurants, balls, rental boxes, shops.
Synergy with the city. The casino increases employment (musicians, culinary specialists, florists, tailors, sceno-graphs) and forms the brand of the resort.
Risks and answers. Lotteries and "easy" games were used as a valve for "little" excitement; discipline of the croupier and transparency of the cash register - as a protection of reputation.
13) Myths and Facts (short)
"Casino - Monte Carlo Invention." No: Venice (1638) before; Monte Carlo is the standard of the second half of the 19th century.
"There was no casino in England." There were almost no open ones due to legislation, but private clubs actually served as elite "houses of the game."
"Roulette was always the same." Rules and devices have evolved; the competition of resorts gave rise to options with different advantages of the institution.
14) Short timeline
1638 - Il Ridotto, Venice: the game's first official "house."
XVIII century. - Redoute in Spa; the growth of resort halls in France and German lands.
Con. XVIII - beg. XIX centuries - the transition from private salons to a concession model in resorts.
1840-1860s - take-off of German curhouses; roulette experiments; the formation of the "season" of European travel.
1860-1880s - Monte Carlo sets a single standard for luxury and service; other resorts adapt to the "theater of the evening."
1870s - a wave of bans in Germany; public flow to permitted jurisdictions (including Monaco).
Conclusion: European casino formula
Europe has turned spontaneous excitement into a cultural institution: the casino has become a place where the game = part of a secular ritual. This formula has developed on three pillars:1. Control and service (concessions, rules, table discipline), 2. Resort ecosystem (music, theater, gastronomy, gardens), 3. Status architecture (Belle Époque as a language of space).
From Venice's Ridotto to the halls of Monte Carlo, European casino history is the story of how the game was taught to work for the city, culture and brand, turning the occasion into the evening's elegant event.