Book Review: Card Sharps, Dream Books, and Bucket Shops: Gambling in 19th-Century America

By Tom Luongo, Fiscal Director at Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling








In an effort for Council staff members to continue educating ourselves on problem gambling, each member chose a book on the topic to read and review. This week’s review comes from Fiscal Director, Tom Luongo.
 

Card Sharps, Dream Books, and Bucket Shops, by author Ann Fabian, provides an in-depth look into the impact that gambling had on the general public during the 19^th century. Gambling prohibition took place during the time period, and one of the social implications of the movement was that it took gambling out of public view and into private “gaming hells.”

The attitudes that the general public had toward gamblers during this time were harsh. For the most part, they were viewed as having nothing to contribute to society, as vagabonds and ruffians, and were often hanged, lynched, tar and feathered, whipped, or run out of town if they were caught.

Gambling was also seen differently based on class distinctions. It was seen as something done by the “idle rich and the idling poor.” Even so, it was more acceptable as a rich man’s game, and was seen as a way for them to kill boredom. It was interesting to see the mentions of gambling addiction throughout the book. Gamblers were “cured” by using the “soothing measures” of hospitalization, isolation, and a low volume diet. It even mentioned that gambling speculators, or those who make financial conjectures, were also treated as gamblers.

The history of lotteries in the country were also mentioned, it stated, “The lottery played a significant role in financing large projects in the American colonies and the early republic,” as well as stating that at least 158 lotteries were approved during the 30-year span from 1744 to 1774 to raise money for public works.

This book reveals that the stigma surrounding gamblers has not changed in the last two hundred years. Problem gamblers were, and still are, looked at with a certain contempt or disdain by the general public for not knowing how to control their gambling. Regardless of this stigma, proceeds from the lottery was seen as a revenue source for the government and as an answer to fiscal problems.  These days, elected officials still see revenue acquired from gambling as a way to “balance the books” and expand the government bureaucracy.

Citation:

Fabian, Ann. (1990) Card Sharps, Dream Books, & Bucket Shops: Gambling in 19th-century America. Ithaca: Cornell UP.