It's an interesting question... Texas Holdem (for example) wasn't popularized until the latter half of the 20th century (though it was invented around the turn of the century), so I wonder if it would have spread in a different form, or been lost entirely.
As for the cards, tarot cards were often used as playing cards (partially to hide their true purpose from religious authorities), and I wonder if the suits pictured aren't based on that. The upright triangle corresponds to the element of fire, the suit of Wands, and the suit of Clubs. The inverted triangle represents water/Cups/Hearts. The leaves (if that's what they are) could correspond to earth/Pentacles/Diamonds. Finally, the hexagon could be water OR fire, or Air/Swords/Spades, or it could be an unknown 5th suit for some as-yet undeveloped game, as the six-pointed star represents Aether.
