Origins of topless poker

Well, we like to think topless poker started right here in Vancouver when we came up with the idea as an alternative to typical bachelor party ideas like strip shows. Of course if we thought of it, a lot of others were coming up with the idea around the same time, and it had to be happening in Las Vegas. However, we can definitely confirm that we could not find topless poker dealers advertising anywhere in Vancouver at the time so we will gladly take credit as bringing topless poker to Vancouver. And Whistler. And Kelowna :).

But where did the idea of topless poker actually come from? Strip poker would be the best bet. So the real question is what are the origins of strip poker?

There is evidence of strip poker being played in the brothels of New Orleans in the early 19th century. Gentlemen would bet their clothes just for entertainment after they had lost all of their gambling money. Elsewhere, games of strip poker with both men and women playing started to appear in unlicensed casinos in England during the depression as a form of erotic entertainment.

In both cases, strip poker seems to have become popular during times when cash was low or the economic future uncertain…so maybe this means we too will soon be turning to games of strip poker for entertainment (but over Zoom!)