It was in Venice, that in 1638 the first gambling house "Ridotto" was opened. The most popular game at Il Ridotto, however, was basetta. According to the casino's original charter, access to Il Ridotto was open to the public. The first known casino, the Ridotto, started operating in 1638 in Venice, Italy. As for games, Il Ridotto is known to have offered biribi and basetta. Importantly, Il Ridotto was the site of the West's first public, legal mercantile casino.