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.
His debt was mainly due to gambling. Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 7 Oct. 2025 However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families. Helena Wegner, Miami Herald, 6 Oct. 2025 Sports betting and gambling are not legal in all locations. Jacob Camenker, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025 GamFin offers financial counseling, including help with budgeting and paying down debt, to anyone from a family in which one member has a gambling addiction. Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 5 Oct. 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 8 Oct. 2025.

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