Gaming, or gambling is the practice of indulging in games involving some element of chance or hazard with a view to pecuniary gain.
In many countries such games, and the collateral practices of betting on events, taking shares in lotteries, etc, are legally prohibited or restricted as frequently associated with fraud and as themselves demoralizing. At other times governments, tempted by the prospect of gain, have openly encouraged gambling by licensing gaming- houses, or instituting lotteries under their own authority. In France public gaming-tables were suppressed from the 1st of January, 1838, but lotteries were still sometimes carried on.
Previous to the formation of the German Empire gambling was encouraged in both of the ways referred to in several of the principalities of Germany. Baden-Baden, in the Grand-duchy of Baden, and Homburg, in Hesse-Homburg, were the two most famous resorts in Europe of the frequenters of gaming-tables. After the formation of the empire gaming was suppressed in these places on the 31st of December, 1872, and after that time the Italian principality of Monaco became the last public resort of this species of gambling, quickly developing into a world famous gaming center even after a relaxation of gaming rules in other European countries during the 20th century.
In Great Britain gaming has been the subject of numerous enactments. Henry VIII made proclamation against certain games, including dice, cards, and bowls, and prohibited the keeping of any common house for unlawful games under penalties of 40 shillings per day for keeping the house, and 6s. 8d per time for playing in it.
By an act of Charles II in 1663 any person fraudulently winning money by gaming was to forfeit treble the amount, and any person losing more than 100 pounds at cards, etc, on credit at one sitting was not bound to pay, and the winner forfeited treble the amount.
Under Anne all notes, bills, bonds, etc, given for money won by gaming were decreed void, and any person paying a loss of more than 10 pounds might recover it within three months as a common debt; or if the loser did not sue, any other person might do so. In the reign of William IV such notes were declared void between the parties, but not in the hands of purchasers or endorsers.
By acts of George II keepers of public-houses were punishable for permitting gaming, and the games of faro, hazard, roulette, and all other games with dice, except backgammon, are prohibited under penalties. This law, with amendments is still in force in 2009 with cribbage, dominoes and other games of pure skill allowed to be played in public-houses for moderate stakes.
An act of 1845, while repealing some of the previous acts and exempting games of mere skill, including billiards and dominoes, inflicted the penalty of 100 pounds (afterwards increased to a maximum of 500 pounds) on any person keeping a gaming-house, with the alternative of six months' imprisonment. Cards and other games could of course be played in private houses, but not in gaming-houses, or in such a way as to constitute a nuisance. Persons playing or gaming in public places could be punished as rogues and vagabonds. Penalties were inflicted for keeping billiard
or bagatelle tables without a license. Lotteries and raffles were illegal (but art union lotteries were excepted). Persons fraudulently winning money by gaming were deemed guilty of obtaining it by false pretences. No suit-at-law could be brought against a loser for money won at play or to recover money so lost, or to recover a deposit from a stakeholder; but this did not apply to prizes at any lawful sport. Later acts provide that betting-houses should be considered gaming-houses. Any person found in a gaming-house who gave a false name or address was liable to a fine of fifty pounds. Research Gaming
A groom-porter was an officer of the British Royal Household, whose duty it was to see that the King's lodging was furnished with tables, chairs, stools and firing, and also to provide playing cards and dice, etc, and to decide disputes at cards, dice and bowling etc. He was allowed to keep an open gaming-table at Christmas. The office was abolished by George III. Research Groom-Porter
Ghede, in the original myths of Haiti, was the god of love, sex incarnate. In later, Voodoo myth he was amalgamated with BaronSamedi, god of death. He kept his earlier lustful ways, and a fondness for rum and feasting. He was a dandy, always wearing a black tail-coat, a top hat and sunglasses, twirling a cane and smoking a cigar or a cigarette in a long holder. He loved to dance, and swept his followers away into the ecstasy and trance of dancing. But the dance, which originally was a phallic ritual of birth, had now become a dance of death: Baron Samedi's orgies always ended (for his mortal followers) at the crossroads between this world and the Underworld, and the way they went was down. Because Ghede was Guardian of the Crossroads, he knew all the secrets of magic, and had second hearing and second sight. He could be consulted for advice - often on questions of fertility, either of humans, crops or animals. The questioner made blood-sacrifice and asked the priest questions to put to Ghede, and the god answered in the patterns of
rum-drops spilled in the dust, or in the hll of dice or the turning of Tarot cards. The advice was often frightening and apparently ridiculous, but it was always true and you neglected it at your peril. Research Ghede
Hermes,called by the Romans Mercurius (Mercury), in Greek mythology was the son of Zeus and Maia, the daughter of Atlas. He was born in Arcadia, and soon after his birth left his cradle
and invented the lyre by stringing the shell of a tortoise with three or seven strings. The lyre, however, he resigned to Apollo, with whom it was ever after identified. Hermes also invented the Pandean pipe. The ancients represent Hermes as the herald and messenger of the gods. He conducted the souls of the departed to the lower world. He was the ideal embodiment of grace, dignity, and persuasiveness, but also of prudence, cunning, fraud, perjury, theft, and robbery. His cunning was frequently of service both to the gods and the heroes, and even to Zeus himself.
Later writers ascribe to him the invention of dice, music, geometry, letters, etc. He was worshipped in all the cities of Greece, but Arcadia was the chief place of his worship, his festivals being called Hermcea. In the monuments he is represented as in the flower of youth, or in the full power of early manhood. He often appears with small wings attached to his head and to his ankles. Among his symbols are the cock, the tortoise, a purse, etc, and especially his winged rod, the caduceus. Research Hermes
Backgammon is an old board game also called tric trac, tavla or tables, and is typically played for money. Backgammon is played by two people on a board comprising four sections (tables) each divided into six narrow edges (points) in two alternating colours, the division between the inner and outer tables being called the bar. The playing pieces, called stones, are fifteen white and fifteen black counters, which are moved in accordance with the throw of two dice by each player in turn, the stones being moved from point to point the number of places indicated by the score of the dice, the dice being either counted separately and two stones moved, or together and a single stone moved the indicated number of points. Research Backgammon
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Astragalomancy
