Introduction

Mahjong

History of Mahjong

Mahjong is a fascinating tile-based game that originated in China during the mid-to-late 1800s. The game began as a money-suited card game and developed into the tile-based format we know today. It gained significant popularity during a period of adversity in China.

Key aspects of Mahjong's history and gameplay

• While tile games have been found in China dating back to around 1120 AD, Mahjong as we know it today is a relatively modern creation.
• The game is traditionally played with four players and involves:
  • Strategic tile selection
  • Drawing and discarding tiles
  • Creating specific combinations or "melds"
  • Using both suited tiles (numbered) and honor tiles (winds and dragons)
• Throughout the 20th century, Mahjong spread globally and developed various regional variations, while maintaining its core gameplay elements.

The game has become a significant cultural phenomenon, combining elements of strategy, skill, and social interaction. It continues to be popular worldwide, with different regions developing their own unique rules and scoring systems while maintaining the fundamental aspects of the original Chinese game.

Today, Mahjong is not just a game but a cultural bridge, played by millions of people across different cultures and generations, demonstrating its enduring appeal and adaptability as a social and recreational activity.

Key Facts

• Mahjong is the world’s oldest and most popular gambling game
• Mahjong has the same opportunities of Poker 20 years ago which is now a $58 billion global market
• The Asian Mahjong physical casino-based market alone is worth +$1.5 billion per annum
• Like Poker, Mahjong winnings are paid out of the money collected from the players

WINIT365

• WINIT365 has developed the world’s first mobile HTML multi-player Mahjong game
• The Group has successfully raised over £5.2m
• The game and a demo are available to view at https://winitmahjong.com/
• Targeting the Mahjong player pool, estimated to be 600m, six times the size of poker*
• The game will be available in English, Cantonese and Japanese