gamblinggam‧bling /ˈɡæmblɪŋ/ ●●○ noun [uncountable] 
The lottery is probably the most popular form of gambling. gambling debts The police raided a number of illegal gambling dens (=places for illegal gambling).
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Gambling is still illegal in Arkansas.
- Crane admits that he is addicted to gambling.
- He was against the introduction of a National Lottery as he thought it might encourage gambling.
- Is gambling legal here?
- Your Uncle Maury has a gambling problem.
- At Cambridge he showed little aptitude for study and tended to be diverted by horse-racing and other forms of gambling.
- Every nation must have its legalized form of gambling.
- Low profile Usually campaigns against gambling are the prerogative of the fiercer Protestant denominations.
- She paid all her gambling debts the very next day.
- So that night they celebrated, getting roaring drunk, playing cards and gambling.
- That is, they do not become millionaires and then stop gambling.
- The distress caused by compulsive gambling is very considerable.
- This certainly seems to be the case with some kinds of gambling.
Longman Language Activatorto gamble
to try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Eddie loved to gamble, and would spend most evenings at the roulette table.gamble away something/gamble something away (=waste a lot of money by gambling): · Roger gambled away all his money in a Las Vegas casino.· She inherited $50,000 but gambled it away.
when you try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Is gambling legal here?· Your Uncle Maury has a gambling problem.· Crane admits that he is addicted to gambling.· He was against the introduction of a National Lottery as he thought it might encourage gambling.
to try to win money by guessing who will win a race or game: · I don't bet very often.bet on something/have a bet on something (=gamble money on the result of a race or game): · We usually have a bet on the Grand Prix.· Rogers was not much of a gambler. When he bet on the horses, he almost always lost.bet £10/$100 etc on something: · Jerry bet $1000 on the game.place a bet (=say which horse, team, competition etc you want to gamble on and pay the money that you want to gamble): · I've placed a bet on a horse in the next race.· All bets must be placed before the start of the race.
to gamble £10, $20 etc on the horse or team that you think will win a race or competition: · I put $20 on the Cowboys to win.· He put £50 on Middlesborough to beat Manchester United at odds of 3-1.put a bet on something (=gamble on a horse, game etc): · I think I'll put a bet on the next race.
to gamble money on a particular horse, team, or person that you think will win a particular competition: · We backed a horse named Travelling Light that finished first at 10-1.back something/somebody to win something: · Uncle Barry backed Arsenal to win the FA Cup.
to gamble money on the result of a game which you are playing, for example cards: · "Are we playing for money here, gentlemen?" he said as he approached the pool table.· You're allowed to play cards in the bar, but not for money.
British informal to gamble a small amount of money, especially on the result of a horse race - use this especially about someone who does not gamble very often: · I'm not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.have a flutter on: · I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.
to lose money by not guessing correctly the result of a game, race, or competition: · He claims that he lost the money on a dice game.· I lost a lot of money on the dogs last night.
to win money by correctly guessing the result of a game, race, or competition: · I heard that he won a lot of money on the Superbowl a few years ago.
someone who gambles someone who gambles, especially someone who gambles a lot and cannot stop: · Jack was a great drinker and gambler.· De Niro plays Sam "Ace" Rothstein, a professional gambler.compulsive gambler (=someone who cannot stop gambling): heavy gambler (=someone who gambles a lot): · It was rumoured that he was a heavy gambler and lost large sums in Monte Carlo.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY The police raided a number of illegal gambling dens (=places for illegal gambling).COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Compulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common. Police believe he is involved in an international smuggling racket.
The police raided a number of illegal gambling dens (=places for illegal gambling). Compulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common.· The fines for illegal parking are likely to increase.
Police believe he is involved in an international smuggling racket.PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
when people risk money or possessions on the result of something which is not certain, such as a card game or a horse race: - The movie moguls were taking it up.
- Under normal circumstances Chaplin may well have simply thrown the eminent movie mogul a mere passing glance of recognition.
The lottery is probably the most popular form of gambling. gambling debts The police raided a number of illegal gambling dens (=places for illegal gambling).