Did you know that dice were once taxed and Monopoly did help some to get out of jail? The board and table games industry in Britain accounts for 6% of worldwide revenues, and hosts the third largest games event in the world, but how did it develop? We look at where games came from and how they were used to promote ideas of Empire, virtuous behaviour and political debate with some surprises along the way. And what does any of this have to do with Julie Andrews?