Best Casino Games from Asia and How to Play Them

Asians are so passionate about gambling that you can even see young players gambling with their older relatives like aunts, uncles, and even grandparents at home. This is rooted in Asians, especially Chinese people’s strong belief in luck, chance, and fate. 

Asian people’s dominance in the gambling industry is fortified by the history of some popular casino games the world enjoys. Let’s explore some of the best casino games originating in Asia and learn how to play them!

Casino Games and Their Origins

If you play online casino games, you may try different casino games with diverse rules and difficulty levels. The most popular ones available in trusted casino platforms include FanDuel Casino roulette, slots, and baccarat, among many others.  

Roulette was first played in 18th century France, while Poker was invented in 1894 in San Francisco. Baccarat is derived from China’s Pai Gow. In the following sections, let’s look at the other casino games originating from the East besides baccarat. 

The Rise of Asian Casino Games

Gambling has been enjoyed in many parts of Asia, particularly in China. In fact, a dice-like artifact that can be dated back to 3000 BC was found in the country. Board games were also mentioned in many historical records from 2100 BC. People in China have been gambling on the results of animal fights, lotteries, and many others. 

Meanwhile, Japan is another prominent country in the East regarding gambling. Based on history,  Emperor Temmu played sugo-roku, making it the first act of gambling dated abc 635 AD. Gambling almost became obsolete when his daughter replaced him as a reigning monarch. However, the Japanese continued experimenting with betting, soon applying it to cockfights, dice games, tile games, and horseraces. 

Top Asian Casino Games

Let’s explore some of the most popular casino games from the East and how they are played!

Baccarat

Most Asians are firm believers in fate and destiny, so casino games like baccarat are well-liked in the East. Bacarrat is primarily a game of chance, so many Asians are drawn to this game. You don’t have to master a strategy to gain a gaming advantage. The only way to not lose is not to play the game.

Here’s how to play baccarat:

1. There are two hands in the baccarat table: the banker’s and the player’s. You have to bet on either of these hands. Two cards will be dealt on each part of the table.
2. Calculate the points. Face cards and Tens will be counted as zero while Ace is counted as 1 point. The rest of the cards are at their face value. Only count the second digit if the card value is a two-digit number.
3. When the first two cards are equal to 8 or 9, it’s called a “natural win.” In this case, the hand’s owner wins, and the game is over. 
4. If the game has no natural win, the player with 0-5 points may choose to draw one more card. If the player declines to pull an extra card, the banker can draw one if their hand totals 0-5.
5. The banker’s third card rule:

• Banker’s total of 2 or less: Always get a third card, no matter what the player’s third card is.
• Banker’s total of 3: Get a third card, unless the player’s third card is 8.
• Banker’s total of 4: Get a third card, except when the player’s third card is 0, 8, 1, or 9.
• Banker’s total of 5: Get a third card, unless the player’s third card is 0, 2, 3, 8, 1, or 9.
• Banker’s total of 6: Get a third card if the player’s third card is 6 or 7.
• Banker’s total of 7: No third card is drawn, and they stand.

Sic Bo

For millennia, Sic Bo has been part of the Chinese culture. While it is available globally, it’s most popular in Asian casinos. The game may appear intimidating and complicated initially, but it’s one of the simplest fast-paced casino games you can play!

Here’s how to play Sic Bo:

1. Set your budget.
2. Buy chips.
3. Place your chips on the squares on the table. You will see combinations of block dots like what you see on the sides of a dice. Bet on the combination you think will appear on the dice.
4. By pushing the button on the table, the dice shaker gets activated. 
5. Check if your bets have matched the dice results and claim your payout.

Mahjong

Instead of cards, the game uses dominoes. It’s probably one of the most popular Asian casino games in the United States. There are different online versions of the game that are widely played by Americans. 

Here’s how to play Mahjong:

1. The first step is to shuffle the tiles facing down.
2. Then, roll the dice to determine the dealer. The one with the highest roll becomes the dealer, while the person to their right goes first.
3. Each player selects 36 tiles and organizes them into two sets of 18, forming a wall.
4. Push the walls forward, creating space for discarded tiles in the middle of the table.
5. Players take turns drawing thirteen tiles, receiving them from the dealer or the pool.
6. The game starts with the first player taking an additional tile from the pool, making it 13 tiles in total for them. After that, players take turns in a circle, repeating the process. They have the choice to either draw a new tile or pick up one discarded by another player.
7. When a player throws away a tile, others can pick it up. They can use the picked tile to make a Pong or Kong meld. For a Chow meld, the tile must be discarded by the player on your left. Remember to display the melds to other players if you use a discarded tile for one.
8. To win, a player needs to have four melds (or suits) and a pair, which means they should have fourteen tiles in total.

Conclusion

Asians are undeniable gambling enthusiasts. With a long history of playing for money, Asians are known to be the origins of the most successful casino games today. These games are part of the rich culture of the East, shaping a vibrant and charming heritage and way of life.