We have no historical evidence on the first people to wager money on a game of backgammon, but it seems that the game of backgammon has been an intrinsic part of the game since its earliest days. The popularity of Tabula, the Roman version of backgammon, is one of the main sources of our understanding of how the ancients understood how to play backgammon. It is interesting to note that tabula focused exclusively on gambling. The Romans’ fondness for dice games is well known, and the game of tabula with its many similarities to the game of backgammon we know today, gave them an ideal format to indulge their love of the game. Compared to the violent sports of the coliseum, backgammon must have been particularly welcome among the less violent Roman citizens, although there was no guarantee that a fight over a game of tabula could not turn violent.
A key motivation in developing the rules of backgammon was to establish the agreed framework within which the game of backgammon could take place. Clearly establishing the rules regarding the movement of pieces and defining what is considered legitimate and illegitimate allows players to bet with the confidence that the game is played according to mutually accepted rules. Interestingly, the first codification of backgammon rules was not published until the 1740s, but clearly these rules were well known and widely accepted long before then.
The relationship between backgammon and gambling appears to be rooted in the additional excitement provided. When you bet on the outcome of the game, it becomes much more interesting for all concerns. Players play backgammon hard when they see that they have a chance of winning a large sum or losing a large amount of money. Thus, the arrival of the doubling cube in the 1920s provided a huge boost to international backgammon by increasing the stakes and thus dramatically increasing interest in the game. For many players, there is no comparison between a game played for stakes and a game played just for fun in terms of the way the adrenaline flows and the tension builds. Furthermore, once a player feels that his skills in the game have reached a certain point and he finds himself winning many more games than he loses, it is natural to want to turn this talent into money by playing for stakes.
When we come to our own time, the development of backgammon software was more or less motivated by the idea of providing online backgammon games. Online backgammon provides many more opportunities for the game of backgammon than traditional clubs or hangouts. It connects players throughout the year. The prizes offered exceed those available in most other backgammon gaming environments. Additionally, the tight control provided by computerized backgammon eliminates many of the concerns certain players had regarding rigged games. The fair play guarantee offered by legitimate backgammon sites provides the peace of mind that players appreciate.