What is gambling?
Gambling is an activity that is several thousand years old. One bets money or other valuables on the outcome of some event, either an external one or one within the gambler’s control. One can, for example, bet on who wins a football match, a horse race, or on whether you win or lose a game of backgammon. If the financial factor is removed, the activity is transformed into games playing.
Gambling is any behavior that involves the risking of money or valuables on the outcome of a game, contest, or other event that is partially or totally dependent on chance. The words game, gamble, gambler , and gambling derive from the Old English gamen (game) and gam(e)man (to sport or play or to game). According to Rogers (1997), “Not all games are gambling, but all gambling is fundamentally a game” (p. 16). Thus, the following definitions are put forth: Gambling-to play a game of CHANCE for money or other stakes. CHANCE-the absence of cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled. Gaming-a form of entertainment where simulated games of CHANCE take place but where the outcome is not predictable, understandable, or controllable. It is possible to win a bet, to have winning days, and in extremely rare cases to have winning years; but over any considerable period of time, the statistical probabilities dictate that everyone must lose! Whether gambling or gaming, a pers
