Ancient Gambling Games: From China to Egypt, Greece, and Rome

Gambling has been a part of human culture for thousands of years. Long before modern casinos and online poker platforms, ancient civilizations enjoyed games of chance and skill. These games were often tied to religion, luck, and social bonding—sometimes even political and military decisions. This article explores some of the most famous gambling practices of ancient China, Egypt, Greece, and Rome.

1. Ancient China: The Cradle of Gambling

1.1. Early Dice and Tiles

• Oldest Evidence: Archaeologists have discovered dice-like objects in China dating back to around 3000 BCE.
• Tiles & Proto-Dominoes: Around 2300 BCE, Chinese gambling included tiles resembling modern dominoes. These tiles are believed to have influenced games like Pai Gow and modern domino-based gambling.

1.2. The “White Pigeon Ticket” (Bai Jia Le)

• Historical Period: Around 200 BCE (Han Dynasty).
• Game Structure: A lottery-like ticket game, often involving characters representing various birds and animals.
• Significance: Seen as a forerunner to modern lotteries and baccarat-like games.

1.3. Keno (Proto-Forms)

• Legend: Developed during the Han Dynasty as a lottery used to fund public projects, including segments of the Great Wall.
• Method: Players selected numbers; if those numbers matched drawn numbers, they won prizes.
• Legacy: Modern Keno is believed to have evolved from these ancient practices.

1.4. Cultural Perspective

• Gambling in China often had ritualistic and social importance, with many games tied to luck, fate, and even divination.
• Confucian and later legal traditions often banned gambling, but it remained culturally widespread.

2. Ancient Egypt: Dice, Senet, and Games of Fate

2.1. Senet – The Game of Passing

• Oldest Board Game Known: Dates back to 3100 BCE.
• Structure: Played on a rectangular board of 30 squares. Movement was based on throw sticks or knucklebones acting like dice.
• Religious Symbolism: Senet represented the journey of the soul through the afterlife, making it both entertainment and ritual.
• Gambling Aspect: Though often spiritual, Senet was also played for stakes, such as food, valuables, or services.

2.2. Dice and Knucklebones

• Knucklebones (Astragali): Made from sheep ankle bones; functioned as dice for both gaming and fortune-telling.
• Usage: Betting on throws was common among all social classes.
• Depictions: Wall paintings and tomb illustrations show Egyptians gambling and playing dice games.

2.3. Cultural Significance

• Gambling was a common pastime for the elite and commoners alike.
• Games often had spiritual undertones, with outcomes sometimes believed to be guided by gods like Thoth (god of wisdom and games).

3. Ancient Greece: Dice, Knucklebones, and Philosophical Gambling

3.1. Astragaloi (Knucklebones)

• Popular Among All Ages: Used both as children's toys and gambling tools.
• Structure: Five small bones were thrown, with points assigned based on landing position.
• Betting: Wagers were placed on results, similar to modern dice games.

3.2. Dice (Kuboi)

• Materials: Crafted from ivory, bronze, or bone.
• Gambling Venues: Taverns and informal gatherings often hosted dice games, despite gambling being officially frowned upon.
• Philosophical Debate: Thinkers like Plato and Aristotle criticized gambling, considering it morally questionable, yet it persisted among soldiers and citizens.

3.3. The Olympic Spirit and Betting

• Athletic Events: Spectators often bet on outcomes of athletic competitions, especially the ancient Olympic Games.
• Cultural Connection: Betting was linked to honor, competition, and fate, often invoking the will of gods like Zeus.

3.4. Myth and Gambling

Greek mythology even connected gambling to divine acts. Hermes, the trickster god, was said to have invented dice and games of chance.

4. Ancient Rome: The Empire of Gambling

4.1. Dice Games (Tesserae & Tali)

• Tesserae: Standard six-sided dice, similar to today’s version.
• Tali (Knucklebones): Four-sided dice-like bones; different rolls carried different point values.
• Popularity: Dice games were so common that special gambling houses (aleae) existed, though gambling was technically illegal outside of Saturnalia (a festival where rules were relaxed).

4.2. Ludus Duodecim Scriptorum

• Game Structure: An early Roman board game, predecessor to backgammon.
• Betting Element: Players often wagered money, property, or even slaves.

4.3. Gladiatorial & Chariot Betting

• Gladiators: Romans frequently wagered on gladiator battles.
• Circus Maximus: Chariot races inspired betting frenzy, with supporters backing teams like Reds, Blues, Greens, and Whites—similar to modern sports betting.

4.4. Cultural Attitudes

• Despite laws against gambling (Lex Alearia), Romans gambled extensively, often in private homes or during festivals.
• Roman soldiers were notorious for gambling during downtime, sometimes wagering entire paychecks.

5. Common Themes in Ancient Gambling

5.1. Connection to Religion & Fate

• Many ancient games were believed to reveal divine will.
• Dice rolls and draws were sometimes viewed as messages from gods.

5.2. Social & Political Influence

• Gambling was a social activity, bonding soldiers, traders, and citizens.
• In some cases, rulers used lotteries or games to distribute land or settle disputes.

5.3. Moral Ambiguity

• Ancient societies often had mixed views: gambling was popular but criticized by philosophers and lawmakers.
• Laws banning gambling were often ignored, showing its deep cultural roots.

6. Legacy of Ancient Gambling

• Many modern games trace origins to these ancient practices:

  • Backgammon → evolved from Roman and Egyptian board games.

  • Dominoes & Pai Gow → influenced by ancient Chinese tiles.

  • Lotteries → rooted in Chinese and Roman fundraising methods.

  • Sports Betting → mirrors ancient bets on chariots and athletes.

• The psychology of gambling (risk, reward, thrill) remains unchanged, connecting modern players to their ancient counterparts.

From the knucklebones of Greece to the board games of Egypt, the tile games of China, and the dice of Rome, gambling has been woven into human history for thousands of years. Ancient gambling was more than just entertainment—it reflected beliefs about fate, divine will, and social interaction.

These early games laid the groundwork for today’s multi-billion-dollar gambling industry, proving one thing: the human love for risk and reward is timeless.