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Games & Chance
Games of chance have deep roots in Mesopotamia. This section follows them from the Royal Game of Ur and ancient knucklebones to backgammon cafés, casino laws, lotteries and the mathematics of odds.
The Royal Game of Ur: A 4,500-Year-Old Game of Chance
Found in a royal grave in southern Iraq, the Royal Game of Ur is one of the oldest board games known. Its dice, its rules and its links to wagering make it the ancestor of a long line of games of chance.
Gambling Laws in the Middle East: An Overview
From outright bans to a single licensed casino, the rules on gambling across the Middle East vary more than many people expect. A country-by-country overview.
Tawla: Backgammon in Iraqi Cafés
The clatter of dice on a wooden board is the soundtrack of Iraqi cafés. Backgammon, called tawla, has a long history in the region and a culture all of its own.
Casinos Abroad: Where Travellers from Iraq and the Gulf Go
With casinos banned at home, travellers from Iraq and the Gulf who want a night at the tables usually look abroad. These are the destinations most often mentioned, and what to know first.
Knucklebones and Dice in the Ancient Near East
Long before cubic dice, people threw the ankle bones of sheep and goats to decide games, settle questions and place bets. The story of the first dice runs through the ancient Near East.
Football, Lotteries and Betting in the Region
Football is Iraq's great shared passion. Around the region, the question of who may bet on it, and on lotteries, is answered very differently from country to country.
From Baghdad to the Casino Floor: A Short History of Probability
Every casino depends on the mathematics of chance. That mathematics has roots in the algebra and statistics of Abbasid Baghdad and grew up around the gaming tables of Europe.