Gambling on the Titanic

[Tami Smith]

Could anyone tell me if there was gambling on the Titanic? thanks so much!

 

[Dave Gittins]

Mostly by Captain Smith and White Star. About 1,500 were losers.

 

[Sam Brannigan]

Ouch!

 

[Michael H. Standart]

Hello Tracy, gambling was quite common on all the liners. Enough so that they attracted professional gamblers in numbers enough to present quite a problem for the lines to deal with. John Maxtone-Graham's "The Only Way To Cross" deals with this in some depth. Nailing down who these blokes were is something of a problem for the historian as these people were not anxious to draw a lot of attention to themselves for obvious reasons.

Then there was also the sort of gambling Dave alluded to. Unfortunately, the Titanic was the one to roll snake eyes.

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Jan C. Nielsen]

Tami,
You should also check out Mike Herbold's article (shown on the main page) about "George A. Brereton: Mystery Man" --which is about one of the gamblers aboard Titanic.

 

[Dave Hudson]

Tami,
There were many profesional gamblers on board (most travelling under assumed names). In fact, The 1st Class Passenger List had a small insert in the front that warned:
SPECIAL NOTICE
The attention of the Managers has been called to
the fact that certain persons, believed to be Pro-
fesional Gamblers, are in the habit of traveling to
and fro in Atlantic Steamships.

In bringing this to the knowledge of Travelers, the
Managers, while not wishing in the slightest de-
gree to interfere with the freedom of action of Pa-
trons of the White Star Line, desire to invite their
assistance in dicouraging Games of Chance, as
being likely to afford these individuals special op-
portunities for taking unfair advantage of others.

All gambling was in the form of card games, usually played in the Smoking Room.
Hope this helps,
David.

 

[Tami Smith]

Thanks so much to all of you. My 14 yr old is doing class research on the Titanic and I wasn't quite sure where to go for help. You have all helped immensely....thanks so much

 

[Emily Bisignano]

I also think that White Star Line was making a huge gamble with the Titanic. Yes-people did gamble as much, if no more, than people today. People played cards in the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd class Smoking Rooms. Anybody up for a game of Poker, maybe Blackjack?

 

[Michael H. Standart]

We could always try bumper pool with icebergs.

Naaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bad idea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cordially,
Michael H. Standart

 

[Chris Gregory]

Modern cruise ships and larger ferry boats now have casinos . Obviously casinos were there in America and France at the time but did any ships have them on board at that time?

 

[Chase Babin]

I would think that when the men played cards in the Smoking Room, they would gamble among themselves.

 

[Mr. Jordie Dean Byington]

Cards on Sunday

I was just wondering why the White Star Line did not permit card playing on Sundays? Was it because of religious reasons or did they have other reasons behind it? I also would like to know if anyone knows why stewards were allowing card playing on the fateful Sunday?

 

[Bob Godfrey]

The White Star Line did not forbid gambling (except for its crew members). The only reference to this activity in the 1st Class passenger booklet is a warning about professional gamblers and a suggestion that to avoid risk passengers should refrain from 'games of chance'. Suggestions like this were made "without wishing in the slightest degree to interfere with the freedom of action of patrons". Some smoking rooms carried signs with the message: "Gentlemen are respectfully requested not to play for high stakes." These were cheerfully ignored. Certainly there were often complaints from non-gambling smokers that there was far too much card playing in the smoking room, the only place where smoking was allowed inside. But the Shipping Lines were reluctant to consider a ban, as card players consumed a lot of alcohol and that was very profitable for the Lines. The Captain of the Germanic had this to say on the subject: "Men who gamble drink; and largely, too. The profits derived from the sale of these wines and liquors during the traveling - or, I may say, the gambling - season are so great that it is not to the interest of the steamship companies to abolish gambling, or to interfere in any way with the comfort and enjoyment of a class of passengers who so materially add to their income."

 

[Mr. Jordie Dean Byington]

Thank You. Bob.

 

[Ioannis Georgiou]

I was just wondering why the White Star Line did not permit card playing on Sundays?

What is the source for this one?