Gambling in Italy
Gambling in Italy has existed for centuries and has taken on many forms. Its dates back to the days of the Roman Empire, when the predecessor of the modern game of backgammon, Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum, became popular among Roman legionnaires. It is also due to them that the game came to other European countries.
The first gambling house, "Ridotto", was opened in Venice in 1638. It was sanctioned by the government aiming to control gambling activity of the citizens. Although admission to the gambling house was free, only rich people could afford to play there, because the stakes were high. The games played were biribi, resembling a modern lottery, and bassetta. Both games had a very high house edge. In 1774, "Ridotto" was closed, resulting in the growth of popularity of the closed gambling clubs. These clubs were called 'casinos', and the word casino itself is of Italian origin.
Baccarat originated in Italy in the 15th century, and bingo is also of Italian origin. In the 1530s, Italians played a game called 'Lo Giuoco del Lotto D’Italia', which resembled bingo.