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SEVENTEENTH TITLE OF LAW.

GAMES.

* 1. 1 Dishonest gambling with dice, small slices of leather, little staves of ivory, or other (games), and betting on birds, form (the subject of) a title of law called (Gambling with Dice and Betting on Animals).

* 2. 2 The master of the gaming-house shall arrange

3 When the dice on being thrown fall twice in a game at dice, those acquainted with (playing at) dice allot the victory to the adversary and the defeat to the gambler.

4. 4 When a dispute has arisen among gamblers, let (other) gamblers be appealed to; they shall act both as judges and as witnesses in a dispute of this sort.

5. No gambler shall ever enter into another gaming-house before having paid his debt; he must not disobey the master of the gaming-house, and must pay of his own accord what he owes to him.

* 6. 6 Wicked men who play with false dice shall be driven out of the gaming-house, after a wreath of dice has been hung round their necks; for that is the punishment ordained for them.

7. 7 If a man gambles with dice, without authorization from the king, he shall not get his stake, and shall have to pay a fine.

* 8. Or let the gamblers pay to the king the share

Footnotes

212:1 XVII, 1. The translation is according to the Vîramitrodaya. The subject of bets on animals is treated at great length in the Dhammathats of Burma, which are based on the law-codes of India. 'Other games,' such as e.g. Katuraṅga (Shatrañg, the Indian chess). 'Birds,' such as pigeons, also bets on professional wrestlers, rams, &c. Vîramitrodaya, p. 718. Manu IX, 223.

212:2 'He shall pay the stakes which have been won,' i.e. to the 213:3 The rendering of the first portion of this paragraph is conjectural. It might also be translated as follows: 'When the dice on being thrown fall twice repeated,' i.e. when the number is twice as high as at the preceding throw.

213:4 Yâgñavalkya II, 202.

213:6 Yâgñavalkya II, 202.

213:7 7, 8. Yâgñavalkya II, 201, 203. Paragraphs 7 and 8 are omitted in the Nepalese MS.