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Poker In the Old West: New Orleans

  The origin of poker in America goes back to New Orleans. This is where the game was originally popular. The game traveled to the Big Easy with French settlers who acquired a taste for the game back in Europe.

  New Orleans became the original “Vegas” when America’s first casino opened there in 1822. The clubs owner, John Davis, kept the gaming establishment open twenty four hours a day. This casino soon grew into two and before anyone knew it, New Orleans was America’s first gambling city. Riverboat men and plantation owners flocked there in droves to pursue this new hobby. Reportedly can-can girls were the first to whisper the words “What happens here stays here”, but nobody can verify that.

  Dozens of establishments popped up. With the growth in casinos came folks who started playing cards for a living. With the professional poker player though, came the professional cheat. Gamblers and cheats alike would gather in a waterfront area referred to as “the swamp”. This was a dangerous place where being caught cheating, or even winning to much could be a death sentence. The underbelly of gaming society thrived here. The police avoided entering this area and let jungle rule take care of it.

  As business increased in the city, New Orleans began to inadvertently export the game. Poker traveled up through the country, using the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to bring the game to the north and east.

  The game also caught the eye of legislators. Gambling was outlawed throughout the entire Louisiana Purchase territory in 1911. The law was not enforced though and New Orleans casino’s continued to bring prosperity to the city. Today, New Orleans, with its gambling roots going deep into the Louisiana soil, is still a popular destination for professional gamblers and amateurs alike.

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