China has one of the world's oldest civilizations. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise to know that gambling originated in China. Gambling history of china clearly shows many evidences that how gambling originated in China, then spreading to all over the world.
The earliest mention of gambling times in China’s gambling history was in the Xie dynasty and Shang dynasty. Keno, similar to our modern day lottery, was the oldest form of gambling game in China. The presence of Chinese elements in the gambling games today is a strong pointer to the origin of gambling.
Many ancient Chinese rulers believed that gambling would create serious social problems if it turned into an obsession. It was often associated to illegal triads or secret societies, corruption, and drugs. Hence, gambling had been under strict regulatory control and, often, ban throughout the gambling history of China.Gambling was legalized in China, mainly for the profit, as it generated revenue for the government. It war a great way to get money from the citizens voluntarily as no force has been done for them to gamble. They do it willingly. At one point, gambling was banned in China, but had to be legalized again as they realized its importance in their economy.
Mahjong, an original Chinese gambling game, was very popular in China is. It is played with tiles, and is played in social events today. The Chinese, being very fond of lottery, also played another game: Keno. Horse betting is yet another favorite gambling game widely played in China.
As people get tired of the same old gambling games and rules, new variations, rules and games are invented to satisfy the gambling needs of the people. More gambling organizations are being founded as time goes by. Today, gambling is considered an acceptable form of social activity in China. It is common to organize and play gambling games in friends or relatives' houses. While engaging in these activities, Chinese people make friends, engage in business transactions or even sign deals.
History of gambling in China has a rich story to tell. After surviving a lot, regulations, changes and bans, gambling has emerged victorious in China.