Gambling -- The Bible's Viewpoint

[J.A.I]

So what does the Bible say about gambling exactly ? Many people have said that it goes against the Bible, but what is the scriptural support ?

I just have that feeling it is wrong. My family does the whole casino and lottery thing. I don't go to the casinos w/them.

So, yes, what is the Biblical viewpoint / stand on playing the lottery ?

In Christ,
Jai :)

[BarbB]

I don't know, Jai. I don't go, because I could stay forever and spend all my money! :(

I bought lottery tickets until that one fellow's church refused the 10% of whatever-million he won. I checked with my church and they said the same thing. Since I only need a million, what would I do with the rest? ;)

[WolfGate]

First, there is not a verse in the Bible that expressly forbids gambling. However, it is something that I believe must be approached with caution. As Paul said concerning our freedom in Christ.
1CO 6:12 "Everything is permissible for me"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible for me"--but I will not be mastered by anything.Some people are addicted to gambling; it can become a form of idolatry.
Some people gamble out of greed.
Some people demonstrate poor stewardship of the money God has given them by gambling away non-discretionary money.

In those above cases gambling is clearly not beneficial and becomes a master over the gambler.

Even if a Christian personally doesn't fall into those categories above and could treat gambling simply as a game or entertainment, there are still concerns given the risks and danger I mentioned above.

1CO 10:23 "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible"--but not everything is constructive. 24 Nobody should seek his own good, but the good of others.
1CO 10:25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 26 for, "The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it."


1CO 10:27 If some unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience. 28 But if anyone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, both for the sake of the man who told you and for conscience' sake-- 29 the other man's conscience, I mean, not yours. For why should my freedom be judged by another's conscience? 30 If I take part in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of something I thank God for?


1CO 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God. 32 Do not cause anyone to stumble, whether Jews, Greeks or the church of God-- 33 even as I try to please everybody in every way. For I am not seeking my own good but the good of many, so that they may be saved. 1 Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.

This lesson, while it concerned a specific issue in Corinth, gives us a model to follow is areas not specifically addressed such as gambling. Even if you personally do not fall into the traps of gambling, are you certain that those around you are not negatively influenced? If your gambling encourages someone who would stumble to go ahead and gamble - if you inadvertently allow them to justify their sin - then you have also sinned against God and them.

So, my understanding is that, given a very narrow set of circumstances, a Christian could exercise his freedom and gamble. In short, it would have to be for entertainment purposes in a way that didn't interfere with your walk with Christ and devotion to God. Also, (and this is where it gets hard for the gambler to be sure) it must also not interfere with the walk and devotion of others.

[EdmundBlackadderTheThird]

Churches that refuse lottery winnings confuse me, they don't check paycheck stubs to see if someone works for the lottery commission for the state, they probably don't make sure that the companies people work for don't offer same sex benefits, and so on. It seems to me that giving all of your winnings to the Lord is good stewardship. Yes the lottery can be addicting and harmful to people, but so can fast food, are we not to accept the tithes of those who work for McDonalds? The Bible speaks against gluttony firectly and never speaks directly against gambling, to say that gambling is bad and refuse donations based on that while not checking to make sure every organaztion the members of the church work for is upstanding is just a holier than thou attitude.

[Kelly]

I'm in a lotto club with 4 other people at work. We buy $10 of tickets each week, it costs me $2.00 per week. I don't see that as any risk to my faith. I would glady tithe winnings

[Svt4Him]

I don't know, Jai. I don't go, because I could stay forever and spend all my money! :(

I bought lottery tickets until that one fellow's church refused the 10% of whatever-million he won. I checked with my church and they said the same thing. Since I only need a million, what would I do with the rest? ;)
:wave:

I'll help.

[J.A.I]

Haha Svt4Him, I'd help her too :D My house needs some remodeling and I need a car, and my parents' vehicles need work. I have student loans and tuition, as well. I could DEFINITELY help you spend it! LOL :P

But yea, lol, in reference to the starting post and the replying posts. The casino is wrong to me, I think, because of the whole environment in general.

With the lotto, I don't play it, but I was thinking about getting a few tickets for this drawing. It's $120 million, and I have some extra $, so I thought, hey what would it hurt to try. If it is wrong, I won't do it. It isn't something I would become addicted to at all. I am only doing it for fun, and hey, if I did win, I'd give the church what I owe, and I'd use it for things that are necessities (such as school, house, and so on).

So it pretty much depends on how you handle it playing the lottery and so on, and what you do with the money, correct ?

[BarbB]

Check with your church, Jai, and see if they would accept the money.

Hey, my necessities are lots less than $120M so would you contribute some to me? :D LOL you and SVT are such cards!

[Kelly]

The money from Lotto typically goes to public education for the state, right?

[wonder111]

give it to the poor and whatever charities you follow, that will relieve the guilt :)

I also don't understand why they wouldn't break that $120 million into 120 different prizes of 1 million, that would make a lot more people buy tickets and more people with a chance

[knightlight72]

Ephesians 4:28 He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need.
Gambling money is definitely not working.

Here's a question, why gamble? Do you need money? I mean more than just to buy groceries. Does God not provide for all your needs?
Another question, this money the winners receive, where does it come from? Does the casino print their own money? Is it from a non ending supply? Or does it come from the people who lose it? Does this money that people lose come only from people who can afford to lose their money? Or this money that you win, does it contain a portion of money that someone cannot afford to lose?

2 Thessalonians 3:10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.
Gambling is money for nothing. You sure do not work for it.
What it comes down to, you should trust God to take care of your needs, and not have to gamble for any extra. If God wants you to have extra money, God will find a way to get it to you. He is not without options galore to get that money to you.

[J.A.I]

knightlight72 -- So who is to say that God doesn't choose to bless you financially through the lottery ? There are many God loving Christians whom have won the lottery.

[Asar'el]

J.A.I.,

What knightlight is saying (and I agree with) is his opinion why gambling goes against scripture; not specifically mentioned by that name, but the principle embodied.

In answer to your answering question (lol), 'who is to say that God doesn't choose to bless you financially through the lottery?', if you can agree with his statement, the answer is in it - God does not reward us by going against Himself.

There are many God loving Christians that have faults (like us!). In fact, there are not any God loving Christians that do NOT have faults! The scriptures speak of the dangers of riches more often than their blessing - one of my favourite texts is Proverbs 30:8,

Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me:

The point being ... do not conclude too soon that God loving Christians winning lottery is God's endorsment - I find riches to be much more a trial than a blessing.

[Dust and Ashes]

Hypothetically, what if I just enjoy playing blackjack(I don't). I mean I just really like the game so I go to a local casino a couple of times a month, allot myself $100 (that I can afford) and play until that money is gone or I'm tired of playing? If the money is set aside for recreation and isn't leaving bills, etc. unpaid but is used just because I enjoy the game, is it still wrong?

I personally don't gamble but would like your opinions on this. Thanks.

[EdmundBlackadderTheThird]

Gambling money is definitely not working.
I think if you were to ask a professional gambler you would find that they do consider it work, they spend hour studying formulas, systems, methmetics, etc. It is as much work as being a mathemtician. The casual lotto player player isn't working at gambling but for a professional it is most assuredly work. The scripture you quoted is not even close applicable, it is about stealing, which gambling is not. Gambling is no more sinful than the stock market, which is the same sort of calcualted risk but more socially acceptable.


Here's a question, why gamble?


For the same reason I ride roller coasters, it's a small thrill. Of course I but the occasional scratch off and if I win that's cool and if I don't that's fine as well.


Do you need money?


Do I need money? Or do you mean do I need the money that I might happen to win? If you mean the winnings, no I do not need them, they are extra money.


I mean more than just to buy groceries. Does God not provide for all your needs?


Of course God provides for all of my needs, one of my needs is entertainment and God provides me the few bucks I spend on scratch offs a year just like he provides the admission to Astroworld to ride the roller coaster.


Another question, this money the winners receive, where does it come from? Does the casino print their own money? Is it from a non ending supply? Or does it come from the people who lose it? Does this money that people lose come only from people who can afford to lose their money? Or this money that you win, does it contain a portion of money that someone cannot afford to lose?


This is a strawman argument, if you apply this logic just about anything, even including a candy bar can be made to sound bad. We do not live in a zero-sum world. In other words even if all the money came from people that could afford to lose it you would still build an agrument against it. Anything at all CAN be sinful if done to excess. How many candy manufactures rely of people that cannot control their desires for part of their profits? All of them of course, but I don't see these same arguments bein made against candy. The Bible never mentions gambling one way or another. For some it is obviously sinful but for others it is not. It matters how you approach it, whether you can control it, and how you handle it if you ever win.



2 Thessalonians 3:10For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: "If a man will not work, he shall not eat."
11We hear that some among you are idle. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

Gambling is money for nothing.


No more than the stock market is, as shown earlier. And at least in my state the profits that the state earns go to education so it is at the very least an investment in the children of my state.


You sure do not work for it.


Again it all depeneds, if I work for my money at a 40 hour a week, and win 10.00 on scratch offs then I am still earning my money for food and doing nothing against scripture. The strawman presented here has nothing to do with gambling at all. You are really having to stretch scripture to cover the condemnation of something that is not actually condemned.


What it comes down to, you should trust God to take care of your needs, and not have to gamble for any extra. If God wants you to have extra money, God will find a way to get it to you. He is not without options galore to get that money to you.

And if he doesn't want me to have extra money he can certainly keep me from winning 4.00 on a 1.00 scratch off can't he? You are right he is not without options galore, and whether you want to belive it or not gambling is one of them. Scripture says nothing about it, and the verses you mentioned are not applicable as I have shown. God knows I play scratch offs every once in a great while and can easily control whether I win or lose, if it's not his will for me to get the extra money then I won't. I do trust God in every aspect of my life, but gambling is just recreation and the winning doesn't matter one way or another to me. Is is sinful for me? Not one bit, would it be for you? Of course it would.

[BarbB]

The money from Lotto typically goes to public education for the state, right?

In Florida it goes to schools and "old people" like me, though I've never gotten a check that I know of! :D

[BarbB]

give it to the poor and whatever charities you follow, that will relieve the guilt :)

I also don't understand why they wouldn't break that $120 million into 120 different prizes of 1 million, that would make a lot more people buy tickets and more people with a chance

Florida now has two drawings, Sat and Weds, for just this reason!

[knightlight72]

Quote:
Originally Posted by: knightlight72
Gambling money is definitely not working.


I think if you were to ask a professional gambler you would find that they do consider it work, they spend hour studying formulas, systems, methmetics, etc. It is as much work as being a mathemtician. The casual lotto player player isn't working at gambling but for a professional it is most assuredly work. The scripture you quoted is not even close applicable, it is about stealing, which gambling is not. Gambling is no more sinful than the stock market, which is the same sort of calcualted risk but more socially acceptable.
Out of context. I was referring to the winnings of gambling money. and the verse provided was referring to hard work and the need to work hard. Getting money from gambling is not working hard.

Quote:knightlight72
Here's a question, why gamble?

For the same reason I ride roller coasters, it's a small thrill. Of course I but the occasional scratch off and if I win that's cool and if I don't that's fine as well.
The question was rhetorical, as I included a couple answers. But since the reason you gamble is for fun, does that change any of the answers I put up originally?

Quote:knightlight72
Do you need money?

Do I need money? Or do you mean do I need the money that I might happen to win? If you mean the winnings, no I do not need them, they are extra money.

I mean do you gamble for the money.

Quote:knightlight72
I mean more than just to buy groceries. Does God not provide for all your needs?

Of course God provides for all of my needs, one of my needs is entertainment and God provides me the few bucks I spend on scratch offs a year just like he provides the admission to Astroworld to ride the roller coaster. God provided you that money to gamble? Alright, Does that mean God provided the money for someone's alcohol as well?See where the question was going now? True you can always change my question, but that doesn't change what I meant, only what some want to see from it.

Quote: knightlight72
Another question, this money the winners receive, where does it come from? Does the casino print their own money? Is it from a non ending supply? Or does it come from the people who lose it? Does this money that people lose come only from people who can afford to lose their money? Or this money that you win, does it contain a portion of money that someone cannot afford to lose?


This is a strawman argument, if you apply this logic just about anything, even including a candy bar can be made to sound bad. We do not live in a zero-sum world. In other words even if all the money came from people that could afford to lose it you would still build an agrument against it. Anything at all CAN be sinful if done to excess. How many candy manufactures rely of people that cannot control their desires for part of their profits? All of them of course, but I don't see these same arguments bein made against candy. The Bible never mentions gambling one way or another. For some it is obviously sinful but for others it is not. It matters how you approach it, whether you can control it, and how you handle it if you ever win.

No, what I'm saying is that money won, comes exclusively from those who lost it. Or in other words, you will only gain from it, if someone loses at it.

Exodus 20:17 -- You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.
That money belongs to someone else. They are not giving it to you to lose. They want to covet it. If you want the money to give all away, why can't that person just donate it from the beginning. It'll be more money to donate that way.

Proverbs 28:20 -- A faithful man will be richly blessed, but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished

1 Timothy 6:9-10 -- People who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.


Quote: knightlight72

What it comes down to, you should trust God to take care of your needs, and not have to gamble for any extra. If God wants you to have extra money, God will find a way to get it to you. He is not without options galore to get that money to you.


And if he doesn't want me to have extra money he can certainly keep me from winning 4.00 on a 1.00 scratch off can't he? You are right he is not without options galore, and whether you want to belive it or not gambling is one of them. Scripture says nothing about it, and the verses you mentioned are not applicable as I have shown. God knows I play scratch offs every once in a great while and can easily control whether I win or lose, if it's not his will for me to get the extra money then I won't. I do trust God in every aspect of my life, but gambling is just recreation and the winning doesn't matter one way or another to me. Is is sinful for me? Not one bit, would it be for you? Of course it would.
That's really stretching it there Flesh. That is no different than saying if God wants an alcoholic to stop, the alcoholic wouldn't be able to get alcohol. And as far as I know, even gambling addicts can and do win. So if God allows an addict to win, it must be an ok addiction? You can see where that logic is going. I don't think that kind of logic is very good.


The only other thing I want to add, is sure the governement is using some money for education. They also use millions of that money to advertise the lottery, the casinos, and so on(instead of advertising, why don't they donate those millions more to education? Is that money so important to government?). Everyone is aware the huge toll gambling is taking on familes. What happens to the children of these gamblers. We all know the consequences of a broken family.

[theseed]

knightlight72 -- So who is to say that God doesn't choose to bless you financially through the lottery ? There are many God loving Christians whom have won the lottery.
How is that so? Since many people don't win the lottery. And those people that dod when, did they gain enough to offset the losing tickets they bought?

[theseed]

Here is a good site.

http://www.biblestudylessons.com/cgi-bin/gospel_way/gambling.php

[truthful1]

I also don't understand why they wouldn't break that $120 million into 120 different prizes of 1 million, that would make a lot more people buy tickets and more people with a chance
I don't know, but have you seen how people go crazy when a jackpot goes above $50 million or so? I'm thinking all these people buying tickets who didn't buy them when the jackpot was "only" $10 - $20 million? They didn't consider such a jackpot worth taking a chance?

But I don't know how they would split it into prizes of $1 million dollars each, unless they drew 120 different sets of numbers. And then there would be some combinations held by more than one person, meaning each would get less than $1 million. Also, they would have to have some standard for drawing numbers to make it fair, since the pot would be a different amount every week. For example, would they draw a set of numbers for every $1 million dollars in the pot? If they did so, the pots would not get very big, and would not attract as much interest.

I have a feeling they have it figured out so it will generate the most amount of money for the state.

[truthful1]

Hypothetically, what if I just enjoy playing blackjack(I don't). I mean I just really like the game so I go to a local casino a couple of times a month, allot myself $100 (that I can afford) and play until that money is gone or I'm tired of playing? If the money is set aside for recreation and isn't leaving bills, etc. unpaid but is used just because I enjoy the game, is it still wrong?

I personally don't gamble but would like your opinions on this. Thanks.
Even given the above, you would be supporting an industry that only exists because of greed and because other people are losing money--lots of money in many cases.

[TwinCrier]

Hypothetically, what if I just enjoy playing blackjack(I don't). I mean I just really like the game so I go to a local casino a couple of times a month, allot myself $100 (that I can afford) and play until that money is gone or I'm tired of playing? If the money is set aside for recreation and isn't leaving bills, etc. unpaid but is used just because I enjoy the game, is it still wrong?

I personally don't gamble but would like your opinions on this. Thanks.I say get a blackjack game for your computer. You have all of the fun without supporting the gaming industry.
I think the main sin of gambling is that it is covetness in it's most extreme form. You are not only seeking to take someone else's money, but you're willing to risk your own assets to do it. Before I got saved, when the lottery first became legal in my state I bought a ticket each time I filled up with gas. I won $5... with the 6th ticket I bought. I spent 6, got 5 back, and then looked at all the people buying the tickets. All were in obvious poverty. I haven't bought a ticket since.

[Knight]

The big problem I see with the lottery is the simple fact that there are many people who spend a lot of money buying tickets who should not be spending the money on that.

The lottery seems to cater to people in this position.