Acts of the magistrate of San Gimignano

In 'Il gioco d'azzardo nel Medioevo italiano' (Gambling in Medieval Italy), we learn that the game 'Tutte Tavole' is mentioned in a court record from 1267.

Among the acts of the magistrate of San Gimignano in Tuscany, Messer Coppo, preserved in the State Archives of Florence, there is an entry dated Friday, February 8, 1267: the transcript of a gambling dispute between a physician, Master Amato, and a man named Bianco Guidi.

The two had been playing 'tutte tavole', a game considered lawful at the time. Each player had wagered two pennies, placing the sum in the hands of a third party, one Parisino, with the agreement that he would pay the winner.

Master Amato won. Bianco, however, by tricking Parisino into believing he was the winner, made off with both players' stakes. Master Amato then sued for the total winnings.

Even though ancient Roman law limited bets to a single penny, the case was ultimately judged according to customary law.