Two thousand years ago, the Roman lyrical poet and satirist Horace had this to say "cursed is the wretch enslaved to such a vice, who ventures life and soul upon the dice." An English poet many years later put it this way "Some play for gain - to pass time; others For nothing; both play the fool, I say; Nor time nor coin I'll lose, nor idly spend: Who gets by play, proves loser in the end. I suppose I never met a man who had a good word for a gambler, except for his bookie...