2. PREDECESSORS OF POKER
 The name is thought to have descended from Phochen, Poca or
Poque.
 Although the rules (at least the concept of bluffing) is likely down to
Brag, which comes from Brelen. The concept was in other games as
well, but these were the most popular.
 Some modern theories (notably A World of Chance: Betting on Religion, Games, Wall Street, Cambridge
University Press) would suggest this is not the case and it was simply made based
on basic card play principles.

3. THE BIRTH OF POKER
 There are two schools of thought, one which suggests it developed over time from
the games made on the previous slide, and the version of events which suggests it was
invented on its own.
 The later suggests poker was invented in the mid 18th century and spread around the
Mississippi river region.
 It was played in a variety of forms including straight, stud and even 20 card poker.
 The development of poker is linked to the historical movement that also saw the
invention of commercial gambling. (David G. Schwartz, Roll the Bones: The History of Gambling, Gotham)
 English actor Joseph Crowell reported that the game was played in New Orleans in
1829, with a deck of 20 cards

4. RULES THAT CAME LATER
 During the American Civil War, many additions were made
including 5 card stud and the straight.
 The Flush wasn’t introduced till the 1850s and full 52 card decks
were being used.
 Community card games like Texas Hold’em weren’t invented till
1925

5. COMME RCIAL GAMBL ING IN THE USA:
TIME L INE
 1931 Nevada legalizes casino gaming
 1947 The Flamingo, operated by mobster Bugsy Siegel, opens in Las Vegas
 1950 The Senate Committee to Investigate Organized Crime in Interstate Commerce.
 1955 Nevada passes legislation creating the Gaming Control Division
 1959 Nevada passes legislation creating a State Gaming Commission
 1961 Wire Act forbids interstate betting
 1966-1970 Howard Hughes purchases numerous casino properties in Nevada. This symbolises gambling being a legitimate business.
 1973 Harrah’s Entertainment becomes the first “pure casino” company to be traded on the New York Stock Exchange
 1976 New Jersey becomes the second state to legalize casino gaming
 1989 The Mirage Hotel & Casino Resort opens in Las Vegas, ushering in the era of the destination casino resort
 1989 South Dakota and Iowa legalize gaming
 1995 The commercial casino industry creates the American Gaming Association (AGA)
 2006 UIGEA launched making online gaming illegal
 2011 Black Friday, the state takes legal action against online gambling brands in the states
 2011 The Wire act applies only to sports betting
 2013 Online gambling made legal Nevada
 2013 More states follow suit

6. ONLINE POKER
 Planet Poker was the 1st real money online poker room
and launched in 1998
 Chris Moneymaker won a 2003 tournament on
Pokerstars allowing him into the WSOP which he won)
which legitimised online poker.
 Pokerstars bought Full Tilt after Black Friday, making
them by far the largest poker network in the world. (source:
Pokerscout)

7. CHRIS MONEYMAKER
Chris’s 2003 win is said to have "revolutionized poker" because he
was the "first person to become a world champion by qualifying" at
an online poker site since then the popularity of poker surged.
This has been referred to as the “moneymaker effect”.

8. WSOP
 The World Series of Poker (WSOP) is a series of poker tournaments
held annually in Las Vegas. Launching officially in 2005.
 It has it’s origins in 1970 where the best poker players in the world
would gather in the Horseshoe Casino for a single tournament.
 Over the years, the tournament has grown in both the number of
events and in the number of participants.
 The victor receives a multi-million dollar cash prize and a bracelet.
 The winner is considered to be the world champion