No wonder if prisoners can playing gambling inside the prison because they can bribing the guards easily to allow them doing many things. Maybe gambling for them is just for entertainment but sometimes, they can share the info from the outside or running their business. It happens in many prisons where many prisoners can still lives comfort like in outside.
Smuggling something from outside to inside of prisons is usual things to do so that will not be a problem for them. Bribing the guards is also help them to get what they want from the outside.
Seems alike jail might have low-key lawbreaking, guards come by bribed so prisoners could smuggle stuff or back the horses. Turns out gambling take place at the back of the scenes, and black-market smuggling molds its way easier as kids stuff. I will say it is not so much about thrill, more underground political economy and hustling info. I just think what a wild how rules do not stop it.
I've met people who've been to prison. One of the simplest gambling games they use is a game made with paper balls (often toilet paper).
They basically create balls, three for each person, then throw them at a wall. To win the game, the balls must land as close to the wall as possible. The person with the highest score wins.
They usually gamble on cigarettes, but sometimes they'll also gamble on a pair of shoes or meals.
It's amazing how people invent everything; the human mind is always amazing.
That paper ball wall game is kinda brilliancy, toilet-paper balls tossed at the wall and whoever lands closest come first in. Yeah also heard inmate bet cigs, shoes, even meals. Make obvious how boredom sparks imagination. On the side road you would call it something like trash, but inside the jail it is top‑tier rough and ready gambling. Respect the hustle.