“You have to play to win.” That is what they would like to make you believe. Is gambling really just a harmless game that people play? It was announced last week that the sports television network, ESPN, is launching an online platform to allow fans to engage in sports betting. This new gambling opportunity is just one of many that have been emerging in recent years. It used to be that gambling only took place in back alleys, seedy casinos, or through an illegal “bookie” with ties to the underworld. Many states banned most forms of gambling (with the exception of the lottery) and you would either have to break the law or travel some distance to place your bets for the hope of a “lucky win”.

Today, gambling has become more accessible than ever. A variety of online options exist, casinos are being constructed across states that once had restrictions in place, and now major television networks are getting in on the action as well. Gambling has been marketed to our culture as normal, acceptable, and healthy (when done “responsibly”). In fact, the word “gambling” is rarely used anymore. Instead, it has been re-branded as “gaming” – a harmless game of chance meant for personal enjoyment and entertainment. The dark underbelly of the gambling world seems to have been successfully white-washed in the eyes of the general public.

Churches, pastors, and theologians have largely been silent on this issue. Is gambling really just a harmless game? It is hard to find a chapter and verse reason to refute some of this change in culture. Yet, the Bible does have some things to say about gambling and the destructive aftermath that usually accompanies those who indulge in this addictive vice.

1. It is the LORD’S Money – We have a fundamental misunderstanding about the ownership of our possessions. If someone gave you a thousand dollars and asked you to invest it for them and they would return for their money with interest at some time in the future, would you risk it in a wager? Certainly not. Yet, that is exactly what God does with us. He calls us stewards of his money and we will be held responsible for how we have invested what He has entrusted to us (Matthew 25:14-30). When we begin to believe that is OUR money to do with as WE please, then we have lost our Biblical thinking about the true owner of our things.


2. It will LURE You In – With many similarities to the grip that alcohol and drugs can have on people, people can become obsessed with placing bets. It will take over your mind, your hopes, your desires – they all begin to center around the possibility of a change of luck or the sense that you are on the verge of a big win. Our society has acknowledged this as a problem and has set up hotlines to help those who have this problem. Yet, where is the believer’s hope to be placed? In the Lord (see Psalm 33:20-22). When we become obsessed with something other than the Lord’s work, we can not be effective witnesses for Him.


3. It is a LOSING Proposition – There is a reason it is called the gambling INDUSTRY. There is a reason that companies are lined up to build lavish casinos and betting venues as soon as the approvals are given. The gambling business is designed to make money. In 2022, revenue from gambling across the United States broke all records and reached nearly $55 billion. That means that the odds are NEVER in your favor. The Bible tells us to work for our income (2 Thessalonians 3:10), not rely on some slim possibility that we might be a lucky winner by putting our money at risk.

Gambling is not a game. It is not your money to “play” around with – it is the Lord’s. It will lure you in, take control, and become an unhealthy obsession. Even if you find a win here or there, it will always be a losing proposition and will leave your finances in shambles. No, gambling is not “gaming”. If you want to win, it’s better NOT to play.