History of Gambling

Elements of chance are involved in most choices we make and in this sense can be seen to be inherent to most human action. However, gambling is generally taken to mean the more formalised wagering of something of material value on an event whose outcome is unknown. This is done with a view to obtaining more material wealth and the outcome of the event is generally known within a short period of time.

Gambling in this sense has been around since the dawn of history. There is evidence from archaeological research that items, such as dice and gaming pieces, were in use in throughout the ancient world, from Greece and Rome to China. Anthropological research has shed light on how games and the gambling associated with them are an integral part of many cultures, with social interaction and rivalry being played out through the medium of gambling, from cockfighting in Bali to the cosmological associations of gambling in Native American culture. The redistribution of wealth would also have been facilitated and large wagers placed by wealthy members of society would have served to cement their social position with very public displays of economic largesse.

Gambling then is a fundamental part of nearly all human societies. What changes is the form it takes and the extent to which it is played out in familiar or more formal surroundings. Many people think that gambling is primarily done in casinos by wealthy high rollers, without realising that all bets on the stock market, or a quick lottery ticket bought in the supermarket, are also forms of gambling. Gambling exists in so many different forms it would be an impossible task to describe them all, as it is possible to make a speculative bet on the outcome of almost anything. However, the main forms of gambling, as most people would understand it to mean, are familiar to most people. These include betting on the outcome of sporting events, from soccer games to horse racing. Card games are also immensely popular, with them being a regular part of many people’s social lives. The many national lotteries that exist around the world are also a very common form of gambling, with the winners sometimes becoming celebrities in their home countries. Scratchcards are also freely available to buy in many countries and are a popular way to gamble with relatively low stakes. As we can see, gambling exists in myriad forms in our everyday lives. It is an ever-present reality and, whether we realise it or not, an activity that we engage with on a regular basis.

Gambling has always been an integral part of social existence and some societies have sought to formalise it and mange it in a controlled setting. The first dedicated gambling house in modern times was opened in Venice, Italy in 1638 and this was the origin of our modern casino. Read more about the history of casinos.