ONE ASPECT OF gambling that is not debated is its long history. People have been wagering and gambling throughout the world for thousands of years. The ancient Romans bet on the outcome of gladiator matches and chariot races. The ancient Greeks made dice from the knucklebones of sheep or cows, and played a variety of wagering games. The early Egyptians played dice games, too; ornate dice made of ivory and bone have been found in some of the pharaohs' tombs.

Through the centuries, people invented many games that involved a combination of chance and skill. By the 1300s, dice and card games were particularly popular, as was betting on horse races. By the time Columbus and his crew set out for the New World, it is estimated that there were more than one hundred popular games on which people liked to gamble...