gambling

1 of 2

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

gambling

2 of 2

present participle of gamble entry 1

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.
Noun
Recently, Capifali helped guide the Johnson administration through a tiff with aldermen who legalized video gambling terminals over the mayor’s objections. — Alice Yin, Chicago Tribune, 31 Aug. 2026 The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has sued several states that have tried to treat prediction market sites as a form of gambling, a type of legal offensive the agency has never before embarked on. — Bobby Allyn, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 This differs from sports gambling organizations, which are regulated at the state level. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 This setup also means they aren’t taxed like gambling, which generated nearly $18 billion in revenue for states last year. — Marshall Cohen, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for gambling

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

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 4 Sep. 2026.

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