gambling

1 of 2

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

gambling

2 of 2

present participle of gamble entry 1

Examples of gambling in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Seven of the 20 largest donors and donor groups in CNBC’s analysis have major ties to the crypto, AI or online gambling industries. — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026

From bingo to $46 billion As federal funding shrank in the 1970s, some tribes turned to bingo to raise money, sparking a legal showdown with states that restricted gambling. — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 7 Oct. 2026

That’s all before setting aside the time to manage a fantasy football roster, oversee a gambling hobby, or make sure you’re fully briefed for the next all-hands—sorry, hangout—at the bar. — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Gamblers who lose frequently are the bettors sportsbooks are most interested in, Matthew Gaskell, a British psychologist and expert on gambling addiction, said. — ProPublica, 6 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1700, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing gambling

• anti-gambling

Rhymes for gambling

• ambling
• scrambling
• shambling