The British Empire spanned continents, cultures, and centuries. Alongside trade, administration, and migration, it also carried a thriving ecosystem of games of chance and wagering—what we would now call the gambling industry. From horse racing in Britain to sweepstakes in colonial cities, gambling did more than entertain: it helped fund public projects, supported sporting institutions, and created shared social rituals that linked far-flung communities.This article explains how gambling worked [...]