The History of Playing Cards in Gambling

Playing cards have been used extensively in gambling from earliest times and continue to be major elements in games today.

The origins of the playing cards that we currently use are still being debated upon. There seems to be a consensus, though, that the concept most probably originated in China where paper was first invented.

Written records show that playing cards were already being used in China around 750-900 A.D. in a game similar to dominoes. There is a theory that eventually the Chinese used their paper money as paper tickets, shuffling them into certain combinations in a gambling game. The same paper money being used was also what was being wagered in the game.

From China, the practice seems to have been brought to the Muslims of the Mameluke Empire. The paper tickets by then had become playing cards. The Mamelukes created four suits and court cards but did not use any human figures. They, instead, decorated the playing cards with intricate patterns and drawings such as those of cups and swords.

In the late 1300s, playing cards were imported into Europe. They were handpainted and very expensive, affordable only to the aristocrats. As playing cards entered the Meditteranean countries of Italy and Spain, male figures of nobility were drawn into the court cards.

When woodblock printing was invented, the mass production of playing cards began. The accessibility of playing cards to the masses seems to have also signalled the spread of gambling.

In 1376, naibbe - a gambling game using playing cards - was forbidden by decree in Florence, Italy. In 1382, Lille - which at that time was a part of France - outlawed several gambling games, including playing cards. In 1384, naipes (the same game called naibbe) was forbidden in Valencia, Spain.

Playing cards were also forbidden in Ulm, Germany in 1397. That same year, a law was passed in Paris that forbade working people from gambling with playing cards on workdays. Concurrently, gambling card games were outlawed in St. Gallen, Switzerland. In the meantime, records show that the nobility continued to bet high stakes as they gambled with playing cards.

In the early 1400s, the future sultan of Mamluk, Egypt was recorded to have won large sums in a card game.

In 1404, the Bishop of Langres, France forbade priests from gambling with playing cards. In 1423, St.Bernadin of Siena, Italy made a sermon against gambling, specifically against playing cards.

Between 1440 and 1450, Konrad Witz made the pack called the "Princely Hunting Cards of Ambras" which featured the Queens. The suits were falcons, herons, hounds and lures.

In 1476, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella prohibited gambling with dice and playing cards in Spain.

In the 1500s, the French made suits of diamonds, hearts, clubs and spades to accompany the Kings, Queens and Jacks. They also introduced the colors and simple shapes for each suit. This evolved into the deck of 52 cards called the French Pack in the 1600s, which was eventually adopted in England and America.

The French Pack that evolved into the present day deck of playing cards is still a favorite of gamers in gambling centers all over the world. Even online gambling games use the same playing cards. It seems that playing cards and gambling will always be part of mankind's entertainment.