gambling

noun

gam·​bling ˈgam-b(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce gambling (audio)
Synonyms of gamblingnext
: 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.
On July 8, a federal judge in Manhattan denied Kalshi's bid to block New York's regulators, holding the state's gambling laws are not preempted as applied to sports contracts. — Zennon Kapron, Forbes.com, 5 Aug. 2026 The attorney general said such platforms can encourage problem gambling, including by people under age 21, and endanger people’s financial, emotional and physical health. — Reuters, NBC news, 31 July 2026 On Friday, New York became the latest state to put a halt to the markets, filing a petition that accuses industry leader Kalshi of operating an unlicensed gambling platform. — Camila Grigera Naón, Fortune, 31 July 2026 The company, which is based in New York City, also allows people who are younger than the state's legal gambling age of 21 to use its services, the suit notes. — Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 31 July 2026 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

Phrases Containing gambling

Rhymes for gambling

See All Rhymes for gambling

Browse Nearby Words

gambler
gambling
gambling device
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gambling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gambling. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on gambling

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for gambling

Nglish: Translation of gambling for Spanish Speakers

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