In 19th century England, gambling was made popular by the upper classes and elites of English society. While the lower classes spent most of their free time drinking alcohol in local taverns, the elites preferred to enjoy their free time by spending money and placing big bets. Many historians have compared the lower classes to the upper classes during this era, they attempt to describe the game simplistically and discuss which games were popular and within which social class. However, gambling was deeply ingrained in English society, it became seen as a morality issue by the English government and seen as a threat to England's development due to extreme gambling behaviors. This concern for excessive gambling has increased due to the increase in the number of English residents gambling to the point of losing their homes due to huge debts and the endless thrill of chance in gambling. Since elite players tended to have more free time and greater disposable income, they preferred to play safely among their social matches and even created exclusive private clubs where they could play in splendid isolation. All classes played with cards and dice, but elite clubs allowed more table games like chance and roulette. Among the lower class the pub was the center of gambling, bets were placed on anything competitive. In 1851 the Chambers Edinburgh Joural noted that foot races were betting on poor men who would literally run for bread and that bets were placed on these men. Researchers have examined gambling primarily as trivial entertainment. In one of the first academic works devoted to Europe, The Gaming Table, Andrew Steinmetz argues that "History, as it is commonly written…… middle of paper…… Therefore, it was impossible to trace these locations as they changed frequently to avoid detection and the law. It also appears that 19th century laws and regulations sought to restrict banking games while favoring more social games, including horse racing and football matches. However, the laws developed had loopholes as they could not be easily implemented, thus allowing illegal gaming to continue under the watchful eyes of law enforcement officers. The 1845 amendments promoted the growth of horse racing as a public game with fewer legal restrictions. This allowed operators to meet and interact at racetracks and distribute business cards intended to promote their gaming houses. Most betting also took place away from racetracks, transforming horse racing into a more civilized gambling activity...