Origins of Keno

Keno is a very ancient Chinese game of chance which is believed to have been invented during the Han Dynasty, around 200 BC.

China was then very prosperous. The Han Dynasty permitted Buddhism to spread across the country. During the twenty years of its rule, China underwent an extraordinary cultural boom and the arts and literature flourished as a result of the invention of paper. It is against this background of internal peace that pastimes and games, such as Keno emerged. It is even said that the prosperity of the country stemmed from the popularity of Keno and that the game helped finance the construction of the Great Wall of China. How Keno subsequently came to America is uncertain.

It was probably brought to the US in the 19th century with Chinese immigrants and the construction of the railways. It was called "Chinese lottery" at the time. But, despite the popularity of the game in the U.S., Keno had difficulty establishing itself, primarily because of laws prohibiting lotteries in casinos. It is only when lotteries were permitted that Keno became one of the main money games in American casinos.

In France, Keno became very popular thanks to La Française des Jeux. Playing Keno online may seem less attractive than the paper version, where one studiously fills in a card. And, while one has to wait a little longer for the numbers to be drawn and there is great suspense, online Keno is no less attractive and the winnings are just as big!


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