gambling
- 01 B1 Intermediate
the act of playing games of chance for money.
the activity of wagering money or stakes on an uncertain outcome, typically involving a combination of risk and chance.
Simple“He lost a lot of money because of his gambling habit.”
In context“The government introduced stricter regulations to address the social consequences of problem gambling in urban areas.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun or as a modifier before other nouns like 'addiction' or 'debts'.
Teacher's tipWhile 'gaming' is often used by the industry as a softer synonym, 'gambling' is the standard term used by the general public and in legal contexts.
Usage gambling ads · gambling harm · gambling industry
“How much gambling do you want in your high street?”
“Here is the news release from last year when Keir Starmer’s government announced councils getting powers to “block gambling and vape shops on their high street”.”
By surface analysis, gamble + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.