List of games prohibited in Austria-Hungary explained
In 1904, the Imperial and Royal Ministry of Justice (k. u. k. Justizministerium) published the following list of games prohibited in Austria-Hungary. It was expanded by the state of Austria in 1933, was exemplary in Austria for many years and now represents a culturally and historically interesting list of the sort of gambling that was popular at that time.
It is particularly noteworthy that there are also some bowling and billiard games on this list, which today are regarded more as games of skill.
List of prohibited games (1904)
On 30 June 1904 a law was passed by the Ministry of Justice of the Empire of Austria-Hungary which designated the following games as "prohibited games":[1]
- Pharao
- Paschen (dice game)
- Einundzwanzig (Twenty-One) and the similar Halbzwölf
- Zwicken (also Labet, Tippen, Pochen) and its variant, Kleinpréférence
- Angehen (also called Frische Vier)
- Bakkarat (Makao)
- Tartel with open Terzen
- Kartentombola (also Grüne Wiese)
- Stoß (Naschi-Waschi, also Meine Tante – Deine Tante)
- Poker
- Färbeln
- Roulette and the similar Wettrennspiel
- Booky or Sixer Domino
- Polnische Bank (Panczok, Mauscheln)
- Farbenbank
- Stoßpudelspiel
- Lampeln
- Die heilige Wahrheit or Herzaß
- Bauernschreck or "The Red One Wins" (die Rote gewinnt)
- the skittles game of Halbzwölf
- the skittles game of Schanzeln
The following were also classed as prohibited games:
Chemin de fer, Rouge et noir, Trente et quarante, Trente et un, Vingt et un, Feuer, Belle (with boards and numbers), Billardquartscheiben, Biribi or Cavagnole, Elf hoch (with 3 dice), Esperanz (with 2 dice), Fräulein Tini, Häufeln, Grad – Ungrad, Kreiselspiel or Diplomat (with 9 skittles and a spinning top).
List of prohibited games (1933)
On 2 January 1933, Austria confirmed and extended the list of banned games as follows:[2] (The changes from the 1904 list are shown in italics.)
- Pharao
- Dice games
- Einundzwanzig and the similar Halbzwölf
- Zwicken (also Labet, Tippen, Pochen, Dreiblatt) and its variant, Kleinpreference
- Angehen (frische Vier)
- Bakkarat (Makao)
- Tartl with open Terzen
- Kartentombola (also grüne Wiese) and its variant "Gottes Segen bei Kohn"
- Stoß (Naschi-Waschi, also Meine Tante – Deine Tante)
- Poker
- Färbeln
- Roulette and all roulette-like games, especially Pferdchen – or Wettrennspiel, Dreikugelspiel, Deltaspiel, Uranusspiel, Troulaspiel, Kartenroulette, Astroulette, Germaniaspiel, Spiralospiel, Habilisspiel, Beobaspiel, Pedegespiel, Hansaspiel, Atlantikspiel, Roulyspiel, Visiblaspiel, Bäderspiel, Ballaspiel and Laboulespiel
- Booky or Sixer Domino
- Polnische Bank (Panczok, Wick, Mauscheln)
- Farbenbank
- Stoßpudelspiel
- Lampeln
- Die heilige Wahrheit or Herzas
- "The Red One Wins", also called Kümmelblättchen
- Jouettespiel
- Glücksrad
- Balanceleiterspiel
- Games with gaming machines, unless they have a certificate issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance that the activity constitutes a game of skill.
Notes and References
- Verordnung vom 30. VI. 1904 auf Grund des Art. III des Gesetzes vom 15. VI. 1901, St.G.Bl. Nr. 286, des k. u. k. Justizministerium
- Verordnung vom 2. Jänner 1933 auf Grund des Art. III des Gesetzes vom 15. Juni 1920, St.G.Bl. Nr. 286.
