Festivals have long been times for taking chances, from Saturnalia’s dice games...

https://blogfreely.net/teresa-long85/why-was-gambling-allowed-during-saturnalia-but-banned-the-rest-of-the-year

Festivals have long been times for taking chances, from Saturnalia’s dice games to Diwali’s teen patti and Lunar New Year’s mahjong. These traditions often used calendars to mark an official end, keeping gambling fun without letting it take over