Today, betting on sports is more popular then ever before. Last year, Nevada took in almost $2 billion in betting handle via more than 150 sports books in the state. That is just a small percentage, however, of the money bet worldwide. An ESPN The Magazine article published in 2003 estimated that the online sports betting industry takes in $63 billion a year. It has also been estimated that one in every four Americans bets on a sporting event at least once a year and that 15 percent of the U.S. population bets on sports regularly.The complete history of gambling would need to be condensed into several books, if we were to examine every aspect of the game, including such elements as gambling legislation and modern day, professional circuit gambling. In short, if we were to examine every bill that was either annexed or approved in every country where gambling is either permitted or banned - which we would need to do in order to offer a complete history of gambling - we would simply reveal a continuation in modern jargon of the endless struggle that gambling has faced since its manifestation in human affairs.  Rather, the following historical account details how gambling has fared in the largest and most prosperous civilizations in the world;  Even more importantly, it will show where gambling stands in today's current age, hopefully shedding light on how best to preserve this universal pastime.  The history of gambling thus begins during the cradle of civilization itself - Ancient Egypt.

In the Beginning

Some of the earliest writings regarding gambling go back to 1500 B.C., when an engraving found on a tablet in the Pyramid of Cheops was thought to have been made.  Likewise, the earliest material, archeological findings were salvaged from Thebes, consisting of what is thought to be a pair of ivory dice.  Although there is no extensive evidence further proving the existence of gambling in Ancient Egypt, historical records of Egyptian law clearly indicate that gambling was not tolerated, but was in fact, punishable by sentence to work in the quarries.  The Greek historian Herodotus recounted a story told by Egyptian priests about a King who traveled into the infernal depths below and took seat in a gaming party.  As recalled by the Greek historian, Plutarch, the story of Queen Parysatis - during the reign of Artaxerxes - relates how gambling existed, even amongst the royalty.  The story recounts how the Persian queen desired to inflict revenge on one of the King's slaves, Mesabetes, who was ordered to kill the Queens son, Cyrus.  In an attempt to take possession of Mesabetes, Queen Parysatis played the King in a dice game, consequently winning and thereby putting an end to Mesabete's life.  To this day, gambling is looked upon as a vice in modern Persia, with excesses of gambling strictly prohibited and punishable. 

Ancient Greece is the first time we see gambling undoubtedly become a nuisance and problem to its occupying citizenry, with dice rolling and cock fighting taking precedence.  Philip of Macedon was holding power during the rise of problem gambling in the streets of Athens, which became so ugly that Aristotle himself classified gamblers in the same group as thieves and plunderers.  His pupil, Alexander the Great, likewise commented on the status of gamblers by  placing fines on members of his court who made gambling into a business, rather than a leisure or recreation. Emperor Augustus was widely known to be a slave of gambling, and although was characterized as holding a healthy attitude toward the pastime, was later known to have spent lavish amounts of money on countless dice games.  He was quoted in letters written to close companions about his exact losses at playing "dice, odds or evens", and even declared his irrational losses with indifference.  Further infecting Rome with unscrupulous and immoral gambling habits, the Ceasars came into power, with Caligula serving as a notorious heir to problem gamblers in the pages of history.  Caligula was noted as playing dice during the day of his sister's funeral, and for not thinking twice about cheating and lying to feed his cruel temperament.  On several occasions he confiscated the property of those who he either put to death or arrested, which he later used for stake during dice games.

So it was that imperial example such as this were being adopted by the masses of Roman civilization.  At its peak, some historians say that every Roman citizen was addicted to gambling in a bad, evil way.  Called the "tessarian" art, gambling in Rome included the first large-scale lotteries, and pandemic of problem gambling.  It was a vindictive influence in the lives of many, and was later defined in a Roman allegory that revealed the only outcomes of gambling to be dueling, despair and suicide.  Yet, this should be no surprise coming from a civilization founded on multiple Gods, who themselves gambled with mortals, using beautiful courtesans as stake.  Even after the fall of the Roman empire do we see testament to the universality of betting.  In the first millennium of Christ's era, Israelites are often ascribed to shape happenings by "lot" (such as the phrase was used).  For instance, when Aaron was called to sacrifice a goat in the name of his God, it was "by lot" that a goat was chosen.  Likewise, the land of Canaan was divided "by lot".  The widespread belief at the time was that picking the outcome of an event "by lot" was not by chance, but was rather, ordained by Heaven. We also see elements of gambling showing up on other continents, although their origins are less distinguishable.  In Africa, for instance, we see proof of indigenous inhabitants using shells as dice.  In the tribes of North American Indians, (although gaming could have been facilitated by Europeans) we nonetheless see natives engaging in stake betting.