Casino games have always had a habit of travelling. A game can start in one part of the world, pick up a few changes along the way and eventually become a familiar sight somewhere thousands of miles away. The UK casino scene is a good example of this, with several games that have strong Asian roots now sitting alongside the more traditional British and European favourites.
Baccarat is probably the most obvious example. While the game has European origins, it became hugely popular across Asia and has long been associated with casinos in places such as Macau. The basic idea is still pretty simple. Players bet on the Player, Banker or a Tie, with cards dealt to determine which hand finishes closest to nine. Its straightforward format has helped it travel well, and it is now a regular part of the UK casino mix.
Baccarat finds a UK audience
There is something about baccarat that works wherever it is played. It does not require players to learn a huge set of rules, while the table itself has a fairly relaxed pace compared with some other casino games.
Online versions have also helped. Rather than needing to find a physical table, UK players can now come across baccarat in digital casinos and live dealer rooms. The latter keeps the familiar table format, but puts the action on a screen.
Pai Gow brings another tradition
Pai Gow has a different history and comes from Chinese gambling traditions. The game uses a 32-tile Chinese domino set in its traditional form, although Pai Gow Poker uses a standard 52-card deck and has become a very popular casino game online in many Western markets.
Pai Gow Poker combines elements of poker with the basic idea of creating two hands from a seven-card deal. It takes a little more explaining than baccarat, but that also goes for other casino classics like blackjack. There is more going on around each hand, and the game has developed its own following outside Asia.
Keno makes the jump
Keno is another game with a long Asian history. It developed from Chinese lottery-style games and eventually spread internationally. The modern casino version usually involves selecting numbers and waiting for the drawn numbers to see how many have matched.
That simple format makes keno easy to understand, which has helped it fit comfortably into online casino collections. There is no complicated table layout to learn and no long set of rules to remember.
Sic Bo rolls into the UK
Sic Bo is one of the clearest examples of an Asian casino game becoming part of the wider international scene. The game uses three dice, with players placing bets on different possible outcomes before the dice are rolled.
It has been particularly well suited to online and live casino formats. Digital versions can show the dice clearly, while live dealer games recreate the physical table with a real dealer handling the game.
What links all four games is their ability to travel. They have different histories, rules and playing styles, but each has found a place alongside the established casino games already familiar to UK players. It is a good reminder that the modern casino is not really tied to one country or tradition. Games from across the world can end up sharing the same table, or increasingly, the same screen.
This article is paid content. It has been reviewed and edited by the Eastern Eye editorial team to meet our content standards.
