01 The origin and development of gambling
I believe that there is no normal adult who does not know the meaning of gambling - it is a behavior that can release a large amount of dopamine in the brain, and countless people are crazy about it.
The Chinese word "gambling" was first seen in the Tang and Song dynasties. In the "Tang Law Commentary" in the "Gambling for Gambling Property" section, "Gambling" and "Gambling" appeared in the same legal article, and the prototype of the word "gambling" appeared. Su Shi, one of the Eight Great Masters of Tang and Song Dynasties, wrote in his "Dongpo Collection·Memorials 14·Petition for the Surrender of the Certificate of Ordination to Repair the Dingzhou Forbidden Army Barracks": "There are more than a hundred households in the city who have opened gambling rooms (fangs), and they have posted notices to invite soldiers and civilians to gamble." In addition, the ChineseNorthern Song DynastyIn the poem "Pearl and Jade Poems·Mountain Pavilion Willow" written by the politician and writer Yan Shu, there is a description that "my home is in Western Qin, and I carry my gambling skills with me."
The appearance of "gambling" in the above-mentioned literary works marks the final formation of the term gambling.
So, when did gambling begin to appear in human society?
The history of gambling can be traced back to the early stages of civilization, almost in sync with the development of human society. As an entertainment and social activity, gambling reflects the natural interest of humans in probability, risk, reward and psychological games.
According to scientists' research, human gambling behavior first appeared in the late Paleolithic period, and prehistoric civilizations in different regions all used divination methods such as "drawing lots" to determine good or bad luck.
It is generally believed that gambling is closely related to the emergence of primitive religion. Both the gambling procedures and religious rituals are, to some extent, in compliance with the will of heaven, giving human society an order principle full of mysticism.
In primitive religions, people often use rituals, divination, and sacrifices to try to understand or control unknown forces that are believed to dominate important life events such as weather, war, disease, and harvest. Dice, bone pieces, and other objects are used as tools to reveal the will of gods or omens of the future. For example, in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, and China, people used bones, tortoise shells, dice, or other objects for divination, believing that this could provide insight into the future or understand the will of gods.
The origins of gambling are also rooted in the exploration of the unknown and randomness. The earliest forms of gambling may have originated from divination practices, where people used the random landing of dice, shells, tortoise shells, stones and other objects to determine the winner. In many cultures, these activities gradually evolved into pure entertainment and competition, separated from their religious background, and became independent gambling games.
What both of these have in common is that they involve the acceptance of uncertainty and the prediction of outcomes. Both involve an element of ritualization and respect or awe for forces beyond human control. In some cultures, gambling is even seen as a way to communicate with the gods, with participants interpreting the guidance of fate through the results of the game.
It is no exaggeration to say that gambling is a memory and behavior engraved in human genes, and it is applicable to everyone, both ancient and modern, both in China and abroad.
At the same time, this also explains an interesting phenomenon: whether in the past or now, the most popular gambling is mostly "lucky" type, such as the long-standing dice, odd and even, big and small, as well as modern lotteries with huge betting scales.
Because these "fateful" gambling behaviors embody a kind of "God's will", are authoritative and fair, and are closely related to human primitive consciousness and religious concepts.
Over time, gambling has gradually separated from religious activities and become an independent entertainment and economic activity, while religion has focused more on spiritual and moral guidance. Nevertheless, the historical connection between the two still reminds us that the human exploration of uncertainty and fate is deep and enduring.
Here are some key dates and facts that outline the historical context of the emergence and development of gambling:
Ancient Civilization
·Ancient Egypt: Archaeologists have discovered dice dating back to 3500 BC, suggesting gambling already existed in ancient Egypt.
·Ancient Rome: Gambling was very popular in the Roman Empire, and although it was legally prohibited for civilians to gamble, the activity still persisted widely.
·China: The history of gambling can be traced back to at least the Xia Dynasty. Xu Shen of the Eastern Han Dynasty recorded in "Shuowen" that "in ancient times, Wu Cao played gambling", and Wu Cao was a minister of King Jie of Xia. There were games similar to lottery in the Qin Dynasty, and mahjong was developed in the Song Dynasty.
Medieval to modern times
·Medieval Europe: Gambling became one of the entertainments for the aristocracy, including card games, dice games, etc.
·16th century: The earliest public casinos appeared in Italy, such as the casino on Lido Island in Venice.
·17th century: Roulette was invented in France and later spread throughout Europe and North America.
·19th century: During the Gold Rush period in the western United States, gambling was closely linked to bar and salon culture.
Modern
·Early 20th Century: Gambling is widely banned in the United States, but it is legalized in some areas such as Las Vegas, Nevada, and has developed into a world-renowned gambling city.
·after WWII: Macau has become the gambling capital of Asia and is famous for its casino industry. Currently, Macau accounts for 3 of the 5 largest casinos in the world.
·Internet Age：The rise of online gambling provides a more convenient way to gamble, but also brings more complex regulatory issues.
Contemporary
·21st century：With the advancement of technology, virtual reality, blockchain and cryptocurrency are changing the gambling industry, such as virtual casinos and decentralized gambling platforms, and the online gambling market is developing rapidly.
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02Online gambling has become a trend, and the prospects are optimistic
As a social and cultural phenomenon, gambling has a profound impact on human life. Gambling has different statuses in different cultures and legal systems, ranging from completely legal to strictly prohibited. Although many countries have tried to ban gambling in history, it still exists in human society in various forms. In modern society, gambling is not only a way of personal entertainment, but also closely related to many fields such as economy, law, and psychology.
PASA (www.pasa365.com), the world's largest get-rich-quick industry platform, believes that based on human nature, human gambling activities will not disappear. Where there are people, there are rivers and lakes, and where there are people, there are casinos.
Traditional physical casinos may exist permanently, but the online gambling market has rapidly developed into one of the most popular online entertainment methods today!
Online entertainment has become a trend, and with the development of society, the prospects for the online gambling industry are very optimistic!
The online gambling market, also known as the Internet gambling market, refers to various gambling activities conducted over the Internet, including but not limited to sports betting, online casinos, online poker, lotteries, and other games. Affected by factors such as technological advancement, increasing Internet penetration, and policy relaxations in more and more countries or regions, the market size of online gambling has been growing rapidly since the day it emerged. Historical data shows that the global online gambling market has a compound annual growth rate of approximately 11% between 2015 and 2019. According to data from Statista and other market research companies, the global online gambling market size will be approximately US$60 billion in 2020.
In addition, according to a report released by Emergen Research, the global online gambling market size will be US$63.53 billion in 2022, and is expected to grow rapidly at a compound annual growth rate of 11.3% during the forecast period, and the market size will reach US$184.28 billion by 2032. This growth is primarily driven by growing player demand for online gambling convenience and accessibility.
In this regard, PASA (www.pasa365.com), the world's largest get-rich-quick industry platform, believes that including the expansion of market scale, technological progress, the popularity of mobile devices, the increase in Internet penetration, changes in consumer preferences, and the gradual relaxation of the regulatory environment and other factors will promote the development of the online gambling industry.
1. Market size expansion
(1) According to different research reports, the market size of the online gambling industry continues to grow. For example, according to Technavio research, the global fantasy sports industry will have an industry size of US$16.481 billion in 2021 and is expected to grow at a rate of 6.51% in the future, reaching an industry size of US$22.591 billion in 2026.
Image source: Technavio
(2) The legalization of online gambling is gradually becoming a trend around the world, driving the further expansion of the market.
2. Technology-driven
(1) With the development of big data and Internet technology, online gambling has become more convenient, and players can easily place bets through mobile devices. The rise of mobile gambling has greatly promoted the growth of the online gambling industry, and the popularity of smartphones and tablets has enabled players to participate in gambling activities anytime and anywhere.
(2) The application of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR) and blockchain technology is also changing the gaming experience and attracting new user groups.
(3) B2B (business-to-business) merchants began to emerge to provide technical support and solutions to online gambling operators.
(4) Digital currencies and cryptocurrencies provide safe, fast, and low-cost payment methods, further promoting the growth of online gambling.
3. Relaxation of laws and regulations
The attitude of many governments towards online gambling has shifted from strict regulation to a more relaxed regulatory framework, creating more opportunities for legal operators. For example, in recent years, many states in the United States have legalized online gambling projects such as sports betting, which has brought huge growth space to the industry.
4. Economic Effect
The online gambling industry can provide tax revenue for the government and stimulate the development of related industries, such as technology suppliers, data analysis companies and advertising. This makes some governments willing to open up the market and encourage the development of the industry.
5. Consumer Preferences
Players' demand for convenience, diversity and security has driven the innovation and service quality of online gambling platforms. The younger generation prefers digital services, and online gambling is favored for its convenience and accessibility. Especially during the epidemic, more people turned to online entertainment, which accelerated this trend.
It is worth noting that during the epidemic, due to the closure of physical casinos, online gambling became an alternative option, which not only accelerated the growth of the market in the short term, but also became an incentive for many players to turn online.
6. Market competition
As the market grows, competition will inevitably intensify. Operators attract and retain customers by providing a rich product portfolio, preferential promotions and high-quality customer service. Healthy competition in the market will further promote the development of the industry.
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However, there are some differences in the growth of the online gambling market in different countries or regions.
Mature markets, such as some areas in Europe and North America, are likely to maintain a relatively stable growth rate, with an estimated annual growth rate of 5%-8%. The United States has a large online gambling market, and as states gradually open up online gambling, this area is expected to continue to grow. Europe's online gambling market is also relatively mature, but its growth space should not be underestimated, especially in those countries that are updating gambling regulations.
In emerging markets such as parts of Asia, given their huge population base and increasing Internet penetration, the online gambling industry may experience faster development, with an annual growth rate of 10%-15%. Currently, the Asia-Pacific region is regarded as one of the fastest growing regions in the online gambling market. In addition to the large population base and rising Internet usage, the relaxation of gambling regulations in some regions is also the main reason for the rapid development of the industry.
In general, the global online gambling market is expected to continue to grow, which reflects the development of technology and the times, and also means unlimited business opportunities!
