Editing Gambling (section)

==History==
{{Expand section|date=July 2022}}
Gambling dates back at least to the [[Paleolithic]] period, before written history. In [[Mesopotamia]] the earliest six-sided [[dice]] date to about 3000&nbsp;[[Common Era|BCE]]. However, they were based on [[Astragalomancy|astragali]] dating back thousands of years earlier. In China, gambling houses were widespread in the first millennium BCE, and betting on fighting animals was common. Lotto games and dominoes (precursors of [[Pai Gow]]) appeared in China as early as the 10th century.<ref>{{cite book|last1= Schwartz|first1= David|title= Roll The Bones: The History of Gambling|year= 2013|publisher= Winchester Books|isbn= 978-0-615-84778-8}}</ref>

Playing cards appeared in the 9th century CE in China. Records trace gambling in Japan back at least as far as the 14th century.<ref>
{{cite book
|last1= Murdoch
|first1= James
|author-link1= James Murdoch (Scottish journalist)
|year= 1926
|title= A History of Japan
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=32HnwxdP4pMC
|volume= 3
|edition= reprint
|location= London
|publisher= Psychology Press
|publication-date= 1903
|pages= 325–326
|isbn= 978-0-415-15417-8
|access-date= 2018-04-06
|quote= Many Japanese are naturally prone to gambling; in the old Kyoto court the vice was rife, and in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries samurai would often stake their arms, armour, and horse trappings on a cast of the dice, even on the eve of a battle, and so have to go into action in incomplete panoplies, and sometimes with no armour at all. In Tokugawa times the vice did not reach this extent among the samurai, but it became common in Yedo and continued to be so throughout the history of the city.
}}
</ref>

[[Poker]], the most popular U.S. card game associated with gambling, derives from the Persian game [[As-Nas]], dating back to the 17th century.<ref>{{cite book|last1= Wilkins|first1= Sally|title= Sports and Games of Medieval Cultures|year= 2002|publisher= Greenwood|isbn= 978-0-313-36079-4}}</ref> 

The first known casino, the [[Ridotto]], started operating in 1638 in Venice, Italy.<ref>
{{cite book
|last1= Thomassen|first1= Bjørn
|title= Liminality and the Modern: Living Through the In-Between
|date= 2014|publisher= Ashgate Publishing, Ltd.
|page= 160
|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=5Sd7BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA160
|isbn= 978-1-4094-6080-0
}}
</ref>

===Great Britain===

{{Main|Gambling in the United Kingdom|History of gambling in the United Kingdom}}
Gambling has been a main recreational activity in Great Britain for centuries.<ref>Roger Munting,  ''An economic and social history of gambling in Britain and the USA.'' (Manchester UP, 1996).</ref> [[Queen Elizabeth I]] chartered a lottery that was drawn in 1569.<ref name="Brenner Brenner Brenner 1990 p. 10">{{cite book | last1=Brenner | first1=R. | last2=Brenner | first2=G.A. | last3=Brenner | first3=G.A. | title=Gambling and Speculation: A Theory, a History, and a Future of Some Human Decisions | publisher=Cambridge University Press | year=1990 | isbn=978-0-521-38180-2 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f3-Z46tgupAC&pg=PA10 | access-date=2023-03-12 | page=10}}</ref> Horseracing has been a favorite theme for over three centuries.<ref>Mike Huggins, ''Flat racing and British society, 1790-1914: A social and economic history'' (Routledge, 2014).</ref> It has been heavily regulated.<ref>David Forrest,  "An economic and social review of gambling in Great Britain." ''Journal of Gambling Business and Economics'' 7.3 (2013): 1-33.</ref> Historically much of the opposition comes from [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|Nonconformist Protestants]], and from social reformers.<ref>Roger Munting, "Social opposition to gambling in Britain: a historical overview." ''International Journal of the History of Sport'' 10.3 (1993): 295–312.</ref><ref>Mike Huggins,  "Betting, sport and the British, 1918-1939." ''Journal of Social History'' (2007): 283–306. [http://www.academia.edu/download/30530097/Betting__sport_and_the_BritishDecember_2007_issue_(Volume_41_Number_2)..pdf Online]{{dead link|date=July 2022|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===Singapore===
{{Main|Gambling in Singapore}}

Gambling has been part of Singapore's history, though it was strictly controlled by the government for many years. In the mid-20th century, illegal gambling was common. However, with the opening of regulated casinos in 2010, the approach shifted. Today, the government enforces strict laws to promote responsible gambling and prevent illegal activities.<ref name="sentinel">{{cite web|title=Asia Sentinel - Independent news and analysis about Asia's politics, economics, culture and more|url=http://www.asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2368&Itemid=233|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101019092236/http://asiasentinel.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=2368&Itemid=233|archive-date=19 October 2010|access-date=3 April 2010|website=Asia Sentinel}}</ref><ref name="Proposal to develop Integrated Resorts">{{cite web|author=Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong|author-link=Lee Hsien Loong|date=18 April 2005|title=Proposal to develop Integrated Resorts|url=http://app.mti.gov.sg/data/pages/606/doc/Ministerial%20Statement%20-%20PM%2018apr05.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071127000719/http://app.mti.gov.sg/data/pages/606/doc/Ministerial%20Statement%20-%20PM%2018apr05.pdf|archive-date=27 November 2007|access-date=17 January 2008|work=Developing Industries > Integrated Resorts > Ministerial Speeches & Comments|publisher=[[Ministry of Trade and Industry (Singapore)|Ministry of Trade and Industry, Singapore]]|quote=The first question was whether to have IRs at all. The answer was yes. Having settled that, the next question was whether to have one or two IRs. We decided on two IRs, because the Bayfront and Sentosa projects complement each other, because having two provides competition and critical mass, and because we believe that two projects will bring more economic benefits, without increasing the social cost commensurately; After weighing the matter carefully, the Cabinet has collectively concluded that we had no choice but to proceed with the IRs. As Prime Minister, I carry the ultimate responsibility for the decision.}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Tan|first=Theresa|date=15 March 2015|title=Floating casino draws Singaporeans who loath to pay $100 levy at home|language=en|work=The Straits Times|url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/floating-casino-draws-singaporeans-who-loath-to-pay-100-levy-at-home|access-date=13 October 2021|issn=0585-3923}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Auto |first=Hermes |date=2022-07-31 |title=New laws on social gambling in Singapore to take effect from Aug 1 {{!}} The Straits Times |url=https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/new-gambling-laws-including-legalising-social-gambling-to-take-effect-from-aug-1 |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=www.straitstimes.com |language=en}}</ref>

=== United States===
{{Main|Gambling in the United States}}

Gambling has been a popular activity in the United States for centuries.<ref>Roger Munting,  ''An economic and social history of gambling in Britain and the USA.'' (Manchester U. Press, 1996).</ref> It has also been suppressed by law in many areas for almost as long. By the early 20th century, gambling was almost uniformly outlawed throughout the U.S. and thus became a largely illegal activity, helping to spur the growth of the [[American mafia|mafia]] and other [[criminal organizations]].<ref>{{cite book | title=Gambling in California | date=March 1997 | chapter=History of Gambling in the United States | publisher=California State Library | url=http://www.library.ca.gov/CRB/97/03/crb97003.html | chapter-url=http://www.library.ca.gov/crb/97/03/Chapt2.html | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091008073125/http://www.library.ca.gov/CRB/97/03/crb97003.html | archive-date=2009-10-08 }}</ref><ref>E.g., [[Constitution of Louisiana]], 1974, Art. VII, Sec. 6(B).</ref> The late 20th century saw a softening in attitudes towards gambling and a relaxation of laws against it.