Against Gambling

By Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D., Cornerstone University and Cornerstone Theological Seminary

How should a Christian understand gambling?  Gambling is an activity in which someone puts up money, goods, or services on the chance of being rewarded by unknown outcomes by the gambler. I do not mean the investment of money, goods, services. By “chance,” I mean unknown outcomes not determined by the gambler, not chance in the metaphysical sense of being beyond the control or knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:11; Psalm 139-1-3). There is no such thing. But consider examples of gambling.

What is Gambling?

1.      Buying a Lotto ticket or similar lottery ticket. The outcome is sheer chance. However, the more tickets you buy the greater your (still miniscule) chance of winning. If you win, the reward is not based on your knowledge or skill, but happenstance. The proceeds of this state-sponsored gambling may go to a worthy cause, such as state parks, but we should first settle the question of moral principle before considering any potential positive outcome. And, this should be tempered by facing the staggering odds against winning—odds which increase exponentially in large lotteries.

2.     Gambling at a casino (or at the Las Vegas airport). Slot machines requires no skill, so are in the category as lotteries. Playing card games involves some skill, but is still gambling because no investment in a product is made and the outcome is largely based on chance.

3.     Sports betting. A knowledge of the likelihood of teams winning requires some skill, but it is still gambling because of the reason given in (2).

If we understand the nature of gambling, what should be our moral evaluation of it? Consider the meaning of work.

The Meaning of Work

God ordained work before the fall as a way of continuing his own work of creation (Genesis 1-2). Work becomes harder after the fall (Genesis 3), but is still a constituent element of what it means to be human. Good work is not always rewarded with profit, but it has an inherent dignity if pursued in a God-ordained sphere of activity. Human works are not the basis of salvation, however, which comes from God’s grace alone in the work of Jesus Christ on our behalf (Romans 5:1-8; Ephesians 2:1-10). If we are redeemed by God’s grace, we should work for God’s glory and the good of others (James 2). But can gambling be deemed a good work?

Work is dignified in the Bible, as both a command and as a meaningful, if often difficult, activity “under the sun.”[1]

A person can do nothing better than to eat and drink and find satisfaction in their own toil. This too, I see, is from the hand of God, for without him, who can eat or find enjoyment? (Ecclesiastes 2:24-25).

Work and financial investments involve risk, but that risk is not like the risk in gambling. One should invest in ways commensurate with the level of risk. Buying stocks involve risks, but stock are real assets, which can be bought and sold. You are buying into the business offering the stock. Buying a lottery ticket is not a real asset, but a token allowing one the infinitesimal chance of winning money. Even in sports betting, which allows for more skill to contribute to winning, there is no actual investment of goods into a business. You either win or lose. Your bet is not something you can sell, as with stocks and bonds. It is not an asset.  

Gambling is a way to derive benefit largely free of effort or skill, but it cannot be considered an operation of God’s grace, since it based on the chance of winning, not divine favor. If one wins in gambling, the result is not a gift, as is the case with God’s grace. As Paul writes, We are “are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24, ESV).

Moreover, Scripture warns us not to trust in luck or chance. When the Israelites turned against God and his instructions, the prophet Isaiah condemned them as following a false god.

“But as for you who forsake the Lord    

and forget my holy mountain,

who spread a table for Fortune    

and fill bowls of mixed wine for Destiny,

I will destine you for the sword,    

and all of you will fall in the slaughter;

for I called but you did not answer,    

I spoke but you did not listen.

You did evil in my sight    

and chose what displeases me” (Isaiah 65:11-12).

This condemnation has a broader application than to gambling, but it pertains to trusting in luck or chance as opposed to the personal and providential God who it there. We must trust in God’s goodness, power, and promises, and not trust in  Fortune or Destiny  (false gods). Lady Luck is never a lady to the Lord. We must trust in his governance of the cosmos and not tempt him through gambling (Matthew 4:7; Romans 8:28; Ephesians 1:11).

Gambling caters to the sin of covetousness (Exodus 20:18), since it is not a legitimate means of investing money or working. Further, gambling is bad stewardship of our resources, which are ultimately from the Lord, who owns us, our property, and the whole universe (Psalm 24:1-2; 1 Corinthians 4:7). Ads for gambling establishments sometimes include a public service announcement about how to receive help for gambling addictions. That is telling and sad. Because gambling is not a God-authorized activity and because it appeals to the sinful nature, it easily becomes addictive and destructive. Consider the Apostle Peter’s warning: “They promise them freedom, while they themselves are slaves of depravity—for ‘people are slaves to whatever has mastered them’” (2 Peter 2:19). Many have been mastered by gambling and so have squandered God’s resources, have hurt others, and have debased themselves.

The institutions of gambling also exploit and target those with lower incomes who may be looking for a quick way out of poverty. Gambling is a causal factor in many personal and social ills. There are no real financial or personal benefits to those who gamble. To take just one point from the report from The World Health Organization:  “Gambling can threaten health, leading to increased incidence of mental illness and suicide. It can drive poverty by diverting household spending from essential goods and services.”[2] Certainly, civil governments, which should promote justice and fairness, should not be promoting anything as deleterious as this (Romans 13:1-7).

Gambling: A Bad Bet

Gambling cannot be considered good work authorized by God neither a legitimate recreation, since it wastes money and trades on covetousness, which easily leads to addiction. Thus, gambling is a bad bet that no one should take. Living within the living God’s moral guidelines and by his grace is more than a good bet. It is the way of life, not death (John 14:6; Proverbs 8:35-36). Therefore, we should abstain from all gambling; teach others to do the same; and oppose legalized gambling.

[1] See Timothy Keller, Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God’s Work (Penguin, 2014) on the biblical meaning of work.

[2] See The World Health Organization report on gambling (2 December 2024): https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/gambling.