gambling

noun

gam·​bling ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ 

: 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

Owen Wilson plays a former pro golfer, Pryce Cahill, who has seen better days, now working on the fumes of a gambling habit and dealing with a divorce. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 25 May 2026

Contraband—including weapons and gambling materials—was widespread and often visible in common areas. —Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026

However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families. —Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 24 May 2026

Today, with casino gambling expanding closer to home for New Yorkers, including the 2026 debut of Resorts World New York City in Queens, Atlantic City no longer wins on proximity alone, which is why its legacy deserves to be taken more seriously. —Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1700, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gambling

• anti-gambling

Rhymes for gambling

• ambling
• scrambling
• shambling