Downtown Chicago Poker Rooms
Every night, there’s an off-the-books poker room operating somewhere in Chicago. It’s been going on since before Nelson Algren wrote The Man With the Golden Arm, a novel about a junkie. Chicago This poker variant, also known as High Chicago, is a seven card stud game in which the pot is split between the highest hand and the highest spade in the hole. Face up spades do not count, so for example if the ace of spades is dealt face up, the king of spades in the hole is sure to win half the pot.
There are 13 poker rooms in the Chicago & Hammond area, and we at PokerAtlas provide complete and up-to-date information about every room in every location including Chicagoland West, Hammond, Joliet, Michigan City, and Peoria. Click on any of the poker room listings below for more information including poker tournament schedules, cash games, player reviews, contact information, amenities, promotions and more.
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Chicago, get ready for a new way to host a party! Chicago Casino Rentals is Chicagoland’s premier full-service casino event provider. With casino grade tables and equipment, energetic and personable casino dealers, we provide everything you need to host a unique and memorable casino event.
We offer a large variety of casino games, including Poker, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Pai Gow, Let It Ride, Money Wheels, Slot Machines and more. From corporate events, charity fundraisers, and conventions, to birthday parties, weddings, bachelor parties and more, Chicago Casino Rentals is your best bet for a unique and exciting casino party.
History of Gambling & Casinos in Chicago
Gambling has been a huge part of the entire world’s history for centuries. The earliest record of anyone competing for the “luck of the draw” goes back to ancient China. There were ceramic tiles found that dated all the way back to 2300BC, along with text that suggested these tiles were being used for a lottery-style game. There’s even evidence that suggests these funds from this form of gambling were even used to build the Great Wall of China!
Fast forward a few thousand years, you’ll find when gambling made its way into Illinois. Gambling in the state actually started with horse racing, which back in the early 1800’s isn’t that surprising. Around the same time casino riverboats were also introduced. However, neither form of gambling was legal. Many argued that keeping it illegal only opened doors for people to operate against the law and profit for themselves, as opposed to the state being able to profit and fund public works with the taxes.
It wasn’t until 1927 horse racing was regulated, which helped expand tourism and revenue. The races became a place to see and be seen, dress up, and of course place wagers. Thus began the skyrocketing popularity of gambling. After regulating horse racing, Illinois became the first state to legislate a state lottery in 1974. It wasn’t until nearly 70 years after horse racing became regulated, that the Riverboat Gambling Act went into effect. This allowed casinos to operate on the water, in fact it was mandatory for the boat to leave the dock every 2 hours. This law changed in 1999, allowing riverboats to remain docked and be more of a “traditional” casino.
The demand for gambling, even before becoming legal, shows the love people have for it. There can be many reasons people have taken such a liking to gambling. Some just love the risk taking aspect of it. It’s human nature to feel a rush when taking a risk. The anticipation of “will I win?” creates the natural high that so many of us yearn for. Another reason, glamour. This can mostly be blamed on the media and pop culture. In so many movies and tv shows you see characters dressed to the nines and enjoying a night at the casino, or a day at the races. They make it seem like you’ll be apart of high society if you’re seen at either establishment, which is just a common misconception among us today. Lastly, some are just looking for an escape from their everyday life. Whether it be an actual casino, or online gambling people are searching for new people, new sounds something to stimulate their senses and take them away, even for a short amount of time. Luckily our casino rentals are just for fun, so you can experience all of these reasons, without the high-risk low-yield return, call today to find out how!