How TV and Movies Have Shaped the Gambling Industry

The entertainment industry has long been an influence over much of society. People are always looking for new forms of entertainment, leading to advancements in nearly all fields. The gambling industry is no different.

Gambling has been around for decades, even centuries. Though gambling hasn't always taken on the form that it does now, games that wagered money have been important parts of culture and society since their conception.

The kinds of gambling that we think of nowadays have been dated to just a few centuries ago. For example, the earliest predecessor to today's poker includes As Nas, a Persian card game from the 16th century and even Poque, from France in the 17th century. A domino card game played during the 10th century in China also shares some resemblance.

Slots, however, are a more recent development. The first slot machines are said to have been invented in the late 1800s. Though they were simple and didn't come in such a wide variety, the early slot machines were a hit. Their mechanical design and simple shapes and pictures were new and exciting to everyone.

But of course, novel toys and technology, no matter how fun, can get old. This is where room for innovation and advancements come to play. And this is why so many of our games today resemble ones from the past.

It's rare for brand new designs and developments to arise. Most new games come about by the evolution of previous games that had become outdated.

Take slot machines for example. The first slot machine was a standard three-reeled machine called the “Liberty Bell.” Developed by Charles Fey, the Liberty Bell had five main symbols: diamonds, spades, horseshoes, hearts, and of course, a liberty bell.

But the slot machines we often think of today, with their bright lights and loud noises that resound throughout casinos, are rarely so simple and ‘mundane.' Nowadays you can find slot machines that feature anything from Egyptian runes to Wizard of Oz or even Lord of the Rings characters.

This is one of the more obvious ways in which TVs and movies have snuck their way into the gambling industry. TV and movies have influenced gambling in other ways too.

In addition to influencing the gambling games themselves, the entertainment industry has also facilitated the development of culture around gambling. There are many stereotypes that have been reaffirmed in movies and television that have influenced how people view gambling and thus have also impacted gambling's popularity as games and as an industry.

For example, while you can find the character of James Bond in many slot machines, gambling itself is also featured in many of the Bond movies. In fact, the cross-over between gambling and cool spy action has helped certain kinds of gambling gain a certain kind of feeling of mystery and awe.

The action and intense atmosphere around these kinds of movies really captures the feelings that a lot of gamblers feel when they play. Beating a bunch of other players in poker or winning the jackpot on a slot machine gives players quite the rush. It's almost as if they'd escaped a shower of bullets or cracked the code to a safe full of money.

In a review for Mississippi Grind, the New York Times called gambling, “where the iron laws of probability collide with the human propensity for magical thinking.” It's a beautiful way to put it, and the quote really captures why there are so many movies that use gambling as a backdrop or even a plot driver.

From movies like the Bond series and other classics like The Cincinnati Kid and Mississippi Grind, poker has also become especially known for being a game of high intelligence and skill. They make it seem like a lot more than a game that can be played by just anyone.

But of course, it's not just fiction that creates these ideals around poker. Poker's highly competitive side is broadcasted on live television, such as in the World Series of Poker. Since poker's become more than just for professionals, many people have enjoyed the thrill of poker playing themselves from their very own homes. It's no wonder that poker is also such a popular game among friends and family during times of leisure and fun.

Like movies and television, the technological advancements that have facilitated the expansion from live entertainment to remote entertainment have also played a role in expanding gambling platforms. Now, you can enjoy many of your favorite games through online casinos. If this is something you're interested in, you should check out Online Casino Gems.

Another form of gambling that's become intertwined with the movie and television industry is sports betting. It's not usually the first thing that comes to mind, but it's undeniable how impactful movies and television have become on sports betting's popularity.

Modern sports betting takes place in nearly all kinds of sports, especially those that are broadcasted on television. Sports like basketball, football, and even baseball involve sports betting, and since they're broadcasted for all to see, people from nearly anywhere can participate.

In movies, a common sports betting trope involves horse racing. Though sports racing is still a common form of entertainment today, it's not as popular in modern culture as others like basketball and football. Many horse racing movies also double as period pieces, since organized racing became especially popular in America in the late 1800s.

Since horse racing first began, it has also evolved with the advancing technology that has allowed for movies and TV to really burst into today's society. Like with typical casino games, the popularity and access to horse racing have expanded since high-tech wagering was introduced.

With the endless advancement of technology and the ever-changing culture that's always coming up with innovative ways to entertain, it seems that the gambling industry will continue to evolve to catch up. The relationship between movies and TV and the gambling industry seems to go both ways, with each influencing the other.

With that in mind, if you're interested in trying to figure out where gambling will go in the future, maybe you should look to what's going on, on TV or in film. It wouldn't be surprising if they continued to shape the future of gambling as it has in the past.