Roulette has been, since its introduction in the 18th century, a popular table game with royalty and the general public.
From its inception in the late 18th century, casino Roulette has been a popular and fascinating game for gamblers. It gained momentum in its popularity in the 1800s throughout Europe and the United States. With the German government’s abolishment of gambling in 1860, the last remaining European casino was housed in Monte Carlo, where Roulette became “King of the Casino”. The premier table game in the Monte Carlo casino scene was the European single zero Roulette wheel. In America, Roulette also gained popularity through a move from New Orleans and the South up through the country via the Mississippi River gambling establishments. Though the sophistication of European Roulette dominated the casinos for many years, the American style of Roulette, which evolved into fast-paced betting and a simplified table layout, came to dominate the worldwide casinos today.
The development of the American style of Roulette progressed from the European version, which was introduced in the South, across the Western United States with the land and gold rushes of the 1800s. Because of the rampant popularity of the game with cowboys and courtesans alike, there was the attendant cheating on the part of the table operators and the gamblers. The wheel itself was eventually relocated to the top of the table, to help prevent cheating, and the layout of the table was simplified for faster betting and table play. This kept the game highly popular in all gambling halls and casinos in the United States.
Throughout the first part of the 20th century, the only legal casino locations that were notable were Monte Carlo and Las Vegas. Between the 1970s and present day, several hundred gambling locations around the world have flourished and attracted gamblers from all over the globe. Most predominant in casinos in the United States, South America and the Caribbean Islands is the American double zero/single zero version of Roulette play. The remaining casino locations around the globe utilize the traditional European version of the game with the single zero space.