gambling

noun

gam·​bling ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce gambling (audio)
: the practice or activity of betting : the practice of risking money or other stakes in a game or bet
illegal gambling
compulsive gambling
Then, within the past 18 months, after the explosion in Internet gambling … and the cable TV debut of the World Poker Tour, the game took off again.Walter Kirn
often used before another noun
a gambling game
gambling regulations
a gambling empire

Examples of gambling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families. Don Sweeney, Miami Herald, 11 May 2025 Nationwide, the gambling industry grew for the fourth straight year in 2024 to $71.9 billion in revenue, but much of this growth has been attributed to the online gambling world. Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 10 May 2025 Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle faces unfounded gambling rumors; Cardinal Pietro Parolin is subject to health scare speculations; and Cardinal Robert Prevost's record on clergy abuse is being scrutinized. Christopher Hale, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 May 2025 But just two years and three teams later, the Georgia native’s NBA career effectively ended after a now-infamous locker room incident with Washington Wizards teammate Gilbert Arenas involving guns and a dispute over a gambling debt. Nasha Smith, People.com, 6 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for gambling

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gambling was in 1700

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Cite this Entry

“Gambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gambling. Accessed 20 May. 2025.

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