In days of old a groom porter oversaw the lodgings and furnishings of the royal high court. He also saw to it that, should dice or cards be played in the royal court, everyone playing had what they needed. This included tables, chairs, the dice themselves, and decks of cards. Later, when disputes arose during the gambling in the high court, as will generally happen wherever people gamble, the porter was given the duty of settling the disputes. Being seen as an independent body, the man was allowed to decide a final winner, and settle the matter once and for all. An amusing fact is that gambling was only permitted in the royal high court during certain periods of time, and that the king himself would sometimes like to take part.