Gambling is a bad habit. Yet it is an old habit that existed in ancient India. We learn from our epics that the Pandavas and the Kauravas used to gamble.

People gamble because they want to get rich quickly. Gambling is a kind of short cut to riches. Everyone would like to follow an easy way to make money.

There are different forms of gambling. Some may gamble with cards or dice, others may play ‘matka’ or bet on horses. Buying lottery tickets and trying cross- word puzzles are other forms of gambling. Some forms of gambling like cards, dice and matka are illicit. Others are permitted by the law. These are crosswords, lotteries and horse-racing.

Illicit forms of gambling should not be encouraged by people. Even buying lotteries or betting on horses should be done within limits. The disadvantage of gambling is that it becomes a craze. Gamblers neglect their families. They spend all their earnings on gambling. They hardly ever win any money. When they lose money by gambling, they sometimes commit suicide. Many families have been ruined by gambling. So gambling should be avoided.