中国的赌博历史

　　因为中国一直以来都有一个享受赌博的传统，因而中国赌博的历史，确实是一个进展中的工作。虽然在中国大陆没有合法的赌博，但是自1884年以来，香港和澳门的法律已经允许赌场投注者下注，并且，自1962年以来，中国投注赛马实现合法化，这股浪潮在21世纪得到扩张涌动。

　　早期的历史

　　“卫气”，被认为是中国最古老的赌博游戏之一，可追溯至公元前3000年左右，起源于星象占卜工具。玩家使用19线和石棋子网格的正方形板。其他早期的赌博游戏，例如百家乐（“baak GA乐”在粤语），其雏形是形成于约公元前700年的中国骨牌。打牌，大概在公元1200年左右，但无证据证明其究竟出于何处，这些形式的游戏的起源都已无从考证。

　　上海

　　在19世纪中叶到20世纪初，在中国上海的公共租界中提供轮盘赌博式的游戏和其他形式的游戏，而当时的法租界则流行回力游戏赌博。

　　麻将

　　麻将台在中国的许多家庭中经常使用。

　　这被认为是一个全国性的消遣，麻将可能是中国最流行的赌博游戏。这是传统的四人桌牌游戏，可在家中玩游戏，用格印刷符号，包括数字，圆，龙，风和花瓷砖。当中国庆祝特殊场合，如生日，婚礼和纪念日，习惯在餐馆吃晚餐之前玩麻将。今天，塑料或骨麻将牌的标准取代了象牙。打牌时的咔嗒声是专门的麻将玩家可以听到最快乐的声音。

　　节赌注

　　棋盘游戏“乐喀拉海”是一种流行的农历年份博彩游戏。

　　在中国的新年节日期间，“海乐喀拉”是一种流行的、适合全家玩的赌博游戏。从字面上翻译，这意味着“小鱼小虾蟹”的游戏棋盘上的一些符号表示。玩家把庄家符号中的一个或更多的筹码投注，由决定赢家（S）掷骰子来决定符号。

　　香港

　　1997年以前，香港特别行政区都是英国的殖民地。香港有投注赛马和足球比赛，是非常受欢迎的赌博，这些奖券是合法化的，能够获取丰厚利润。在2008年，产生的年营业额约港币111,000万元。在沙田的香港赛马会和跑马地轨道每周举行两次的赛马，其盈余资金专门用于当地的慈善机构和社区项目。

　　澳门

　　在1999年中国取回主权，之前澳门是葡萄牙殖民地。虽然中国取回主权，但是澳门仍然是一个半自治的管理实体，是中国领土唯一赌博是合法的地方。澳门在2002年取消了以前的游戏垄断，对外开放城市。 2004年，美国第一个进入，拥有价值240万美元的拉斯维加斯金沙赌场，其包括有赌场和酒店大楼，从此澳门赌博也对外敞开了大门。到2006年，澳门的拉斯维加斯博彩收入总额就有近70亿美元。

　　译文

　　Because China has an ongoing tradition of enjoying a wager, the history of Chinese gambling is really a work in progress. While no legal gambling takes place on the China mainland, bettors have wagered on legalized horse racing in Hong Kong since 1884 and Macao's legal casinos, which have been drawing Chinese punters since 1962, are surging in a 21st century expansion.

　　Early History

　　It is thought that one of the oldest Chinese gambling games, "wei-qi," dating to around 3000 B.C., originated as a tool of astrological divination. Players used a square board with a grid of 19 lines and stone playing pieces. Other early gambling games were baccarat （"baak ga lok" in Cantonese）； Chinese dominoes, which date to about 700 B.C.; and playing cards, which were in evidence around 1200 A.D. However, exactly where and when these forms of gaming originated is undocumented.

　　Shanghai

　　During the mid-1800s through the early 1900s, the International Settlement in Shanghai, China, was said to offer roulette and other forms of casino-style gaming to patrons while the city's famous French Concession had gambling on jai alai games.

　　Mahjong

　　Mahjong sets are in constant use in many Chinese households.

　　Considered a national pastime, mahjong is probably the most popular Chinese gambling game. It is traditionally a four-person table game, played at home, using tiles with printed symbols, including numerals, circles, dragons, winds and flowers. When the Chinese celebrate special occasions like birthdays, weddings and anniversaries, customarily in restaurants, the mahjong games precede dinner. Today, plastic or bone mahjong tiles are the standard, replacing ivory. The clattering of tiles is the happiest sound dedicated mahjong players can hear.

　　Festival Wagers

　　The board game of "Yue Har Hai" is a popular Chinese New Year Festival betting game.

　　During festivals like the Chinese New Year, "Yue Har Hai" is a popular gambling game for the whole family. Translated literally, it means "Fish Shrimp Crab," denoting some of the symbols on the game board. Players put their betting chips on one or more of the board symbols, and a roll of the dice decides the winner（s） based on the symbols that come heads up.

　　Hong Kong

　　Hong Kong Jockey Club commemorative watches are popular souvenirs for horse racing fans.

　　In the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, a British colony until 1997, legalized betting on horse racing and football matches and through lotteries is enormously popular and hugely profitable, yielding an annual turnover of about HK$111,000 million in 2008. The Hong Kong Jockey Club runs twice-weekly horse racing at the Shatin and Happy Valley tracks, with surplus funds earmarked for local charities and community projects.

　　Macao

　　The former Portuguese enclave of Macao, returned to Chinese sovereignty in 1999 but still governed as a semi-autonomous entity, is the only Chinese territory where casino gambling is legal. Macao lifted a previous gaming monopoly in 2002, opening up the city to outsiders. In 2004, the first American-owned casino and hotel complex, the $240 million Las Vegas Sands Casino Macao, opened its doors. By 2006, Macao had edged past Las Vegas in total gambling revenue with almost $7 billion.