Which element is required to define gambling or betting in public?

To define gambling or betting in public, the key element is the act of knowingly engaging in gambling in a public space. This means that the individual must be aware that they are participating in a gambling activity outside a private domain and are doing so in a location that is accessible to the general public. The consciousness of the act, coupled with the public setting, is essential to categorize it as illegal gambling under the law.

The other options involve factors that do not directly pertain to the definition of gambling in public. For example, being in a private residence suggests a controlled and private setting rather than public. Receiving permission from authorities is not a requirement for defining an act of gambling; rather, it may pertain to regulatory aspects of gambling establishments. Lastly, having a prior criminal record is also irrelevant to the act of gambling in itself; the focus is purely on the awareness and context of the gambling activity being conducted publicly.