Why did Connecticut ban ninepins in 1841?

In 1841, the state legislature of Connecticut banned the game of "ninepins" primarily to combat the widespread issue of gambling, which had become a significant plague on the American bowling scene by the mid-1830s.1

The legislation specifically prohibited the playing of "Nine-Pins, whether more or less than nine-pins are used," effectively targeting the game regardless of the number of pins employed. This move was part of a broader trend of local restrictions, as other areas, such as the town of Perry, New York, had also enacted laws banning tenpins around the same time to address similar concerns.1