Games of chance were as popular in the 16th Century as they are today. Although the Cortes tried to enact laws against gambling, , card and dice games proliferated. Low stakes games included "triunfo del basto, malilla, and cientos".

Royal constables on the ships to New Spain were in charge of controlling gambling, They issued a new deck of cards for each new game to prevent marked decks. At the end of the game they collected 'barato', or a tip, from the winner of each game thus preventing the loser the humiliation of having to pay for the instrument of his distruction.

Country folk loved to dance at festivals and wedding celebrations. Gabrielle and Johnny cut a lively rug together.