Commemorating China's Dominance over Casinos during the Lunar Year of Snake
Celebrate the Year of the Snake with a Look Back at China's Impact on Gambling
Get ready to ring in the new year, as we welcome the Year of the Snake! While we do that, let’s not forget the significant role China has played in shaping the world of gambling. Sure, the massive nation may not be a gambling hotspot now, with a ban on gambling everywhere except Macau, but don't forget – it's the birthplace of many casino traditions we still use today.
Want to take a trip down memory lane? Here's a quick rundown of how China's history books tell the story of gambling's evolution, from ancient times to modern day casino games.
Casino Gambling: A Journey Through Time
Gambling has been a part of China's culture for over 3,000 years, yet it's often seen in a negative light. Dynasties throughout history have tried to ban it, but it eventually trickled down to the masses, just like in bustling casino markets today.
Primeval Mind Games
The first recorded gambling game in Chinese history was called Luibo, a cognitive, mind game played by the nobility. Although there was usually a monetary reward, it wasn't the primary purpose of the game, unlike in casino gambling today.
As time went on, quicker games that were better suited to wagering took the spotlight. For instance, during the Ming and Qing Dynasties, popular games included Pitch Pot and an earlier version of Mahjong, known as Ma Diu. Winning these games meant taking on a considerable amount of monetary risk.
Modern-day Casino Heaven: Macau
These days, China’s casino gambling happens exclusively in Macau, the Asian version of Las Vegas. And guess what? Macau not only rivals but actually surpasses its American counterpart in terms of revenue! Although Las Vegas got the upper hand in gross gaming revenue due to COVID restrictions in 2022, Macau reclaimed its crown in 2023, earning an impressive profit of $6.8bn more than Vegas. Preliminary figures suggest that gap widened even further in 2024.
Sports Betting: The Early Beginnings
Gambling simply wouldn't be complete without sports betting, and China was a pioneer in this arena too. It all started in 770BCE to 221 BCE when the rich began betting on horse racing. By the Han Dynasty (202BCE to 220AD), soldiers were even betting on a type of soccer called Kickball.
Meanwhile, in rural communities, gambling on animals, including dog races, was common. The darkest example of these games? Cock fighting, which continues to exist in some regions of China and Asia.
During China's Tang Dynasty, cricket fighting supposedly came into vogue. Some rulers became so infatuated with the pastime that they earned humorous nicknames, such as the "Cricket Prime Minister" and the "Cricket Emperor."
Gambling Tales from the Past
If the cricket tales have piqued your curiosity, brace yourself – there’s more where that came from! China’s past is full of interesting stories about gambling, from backstabbing birds to illicit games that led to power struggles.
A highlighted instance of cheating comes from eighth to fifth-century BCE China, where two high-ranking men, Ji Pingzi and Hou Zhaobo, resorted to sneaky tactics in a cockfight after placing a bet. Ji smeared mustard on the wings of his bird to blind its opponent, while Hou attached a sharp metal hook to his bird's feet. Hou won, sowing bitter hatred between the two and eventually leading to a coup.
Rivalries heated over many other gambling activities too. For instance, during a game of Liubo, the military general proceeded to kill Lord Min with the game board after a childish argument. Games also occasionally resulted in people losing big – take, for example, Eastern Jin Dynasty military general Wen Jiao, who played Chupu against local merchants and lost substantial amounts of money. Eventually, his friend had to buy him out of slavery to cover his debts.
Fun Fact: A narrative history of events from the eighth to fifth centuries BCE in China tells of a notable instance of cheating in cock fighting. Two high-ranking officials, Ji Pingzi and Hou Zhaobo, both applied some sneaky tactics after betting on a cocksfight. Ji applied mustard to the wings of his bird to blind its opponent, while Hou attached a sharp metal hook to his bird's feet. Hou won, and their contest sowed a deep hatred between the pair that would eventually lead to a coup.
Sources: [1], [2], [3], [4]
Enrichment Data:
Overall:
China has had a profound impact on the development of gambling, particularly in casino gambling, sports betting, and traditional games.
Historical and Traditional Influence:
Fan-tan:One of the oldest gambling games of Chinese origin is Fan-tan, dating back at least 2,000 years. It was introduced to the western United States by Chinese immigrant workers in the late 19th century. Fan-tan is a bank gambling game where players bet on numbers 1 to 4 based on the remainder of a count of small objects like coins or buttons after repeatedly removing groups of four. It remains popular in East Asian casinos and Chinese communities worldwide, and has a unique house edge due to its payoff structure[1].
Casino Gambling:
Chinese-themed Slot Machines and Macau:Chinese culture has heavily influenced casino game themes, especially slot machines. Despite the slot machine's invention in the United States in the 1890s, many slot titles are Chinese-themed because of the massive Chinese gambling market, especially in Macau — the world’s largest and most profitable gambling region. The immense gambling activity in Macau reflects how Chinese culture and demand shape casino gambling globally. Slot machines are especially popular among Asian gamblers, and this popularity fuels the proliferation of Chinese cultural themes in casino gaming[4].
Sports Betting:
Although the provided search results do not detail China’s specific contributions to the modern structure of sports betting, China has historically had a vibrant gambling culture, and contemporary Chinese gaming companies are significant players in global gaming markets, focusing on video and electronic gaming rather than traditional sports betting at home. The domestic market in China is very restrictive regarding gambling, but Chinese tech giants like Tencent are influential in gaming worldwide, including games that blend elements of chance and skill, indicating an indirect influence on global gaming culture, which may also impact sports betting technology and platforms[2][3].
Summary:
- Traditional Chinese gambling games like Fan-tan have been known for millennia and influence gambling practices both in China and abroad [1].
- Macau’s rise as the premier gambling hub on Earth exemplifies China’s significant impact on casino gambling, with Chinese themes dominating slot machines globally due to the size and influence of the Chinese gambling market [4].
- Chinese tech companies, though not directly linked to traditional sports betting, shape the broader gaming industry with substantial overseas revenue growth, contributing to the evolution of gaming culture and technology worldwide [2][3].
Thus, China’s influence stretches from ancient gambling games to modern casino themes and the global gaming industry's commercial dynamics.
Embrace the spirit of the Year of the Snake as we delve into China's rich history of gambling and its numerous contributions to casino culture, casino games, and sports betting. While ancient Chinese games such as Luibo were primarily mind games without a primary focus on monetary rewards, modern-day casino games in Macau, the epicenter of Asia's gambling industry, have a clear emphasis on winning money. Furthermore, China's historical foray into sports betting through horse racing, soccer, and even cricket fighting has paved the way for the development of contemporary sports betting platforms throughout the world.
