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Love of neighbor-Jesus commanded, "Love
your neighbor as yourself" (Mark 12:31). Gambling,
meanwhile, is predicated on the losses, pain, and suffering of
others. For one to win at gambling, others must lose. For many,
the ramifications attributable to their gambling losses are
profound. Families touched by a gambling addiction are at greatly
increased risk for such negative outcomes as divorce, bankruptcy,
child abuse, domestic violence, crime, and suicide. More than 15
million Americans already struggle with a gambling problem, and
the number continues to grow as gambling expands.
Exploiting the poor-Gambling preys on the
desperation of the poor. The National Gambling Impact Study
Commission found that those with incomes less than $10,000 spend
more on lottery tickets than any other income group. High school
dropouts spend four times as much as college graduates. Scripture
exhorts us to look out for the poor and disadvantaged, and issues
strong warnings against taking advantage of their plight.
See,
for instance, Proverbs 14:21, 14:31, 22:16; Isaiah 3:14-15; Amos
5:11-12; Zechariah 7:10a.
Work ethic-Work has been part of God's design
for mankind from the very beginning. We are to invest our time
and energies into labors that supply our needs and those of our
families (Proverbs 31, 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 1 Timothy 5:8) and
that allow us to share with others (Ephesians 4:28). Scripture is
replete with exhortations toward industriousness and admonitions
against slothfulness.
Greed-Gambling is founded on greed and
undergirded by a "get-rich-quick" appeal. In a recent
national poll, two-thirds of respondents stated that the reason
they gamble is to win money. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy
6:9-10a: "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."
Covetousness-The 10th Commandment (Exodus 20:17)
prohibits Christians from coveting another's possessions.
Gambling is precisely the attempt to obtain the resources of
others without providing anything of value in return. Some have
rightly described gambling as consensual theft.
Stewardship-Christians are responsible before
God for how they invest the resources entrusted to them, as the
parable of the talents (Matthew 25:14-30) makes clear. In many
cases, money spent on gambling is money that should have gone to
provide for the well-being of one's family or the advancement of
a worthy cause. In all cases, it is an unwise investment with an
almost-certain negative return.
The role of government-The God-ordained
purpose of government, as outlined in Romans 13:1-5, is to
protect the welfare of the citizenry and to suppress evil. State-sanctioned
gambling does the opposite. It victimizes many, especially the
most vulnerable. It also condones-and even promotes-a vice that
has historically been repressed specifically because of its
inherent debilitating and corruptive nature.
Deception-Legal gambling operations are
steeped in deceit. Lotteries that conceal or misstate the odds,
casinos without clocks or windows to hide the passage of time,
slot machines programmed for "near misses," and "riverboat"
casinos that cannot sail are but a few examples. Scripture, on
the other hand, detests deceitful conduct (Psalm 5:6: "You
destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the
Lord abhors."). Indeed, Jesus describes Himself as the
embodiment of truth (John 14:6) and Satan as "the father of
lies" (John 8:44).
Avoiding temptation-Gambling establishments
are often host to other corrupting vices, including prostitution
and drunkenness. Christians are urged to avoid such environments
(1 Thessalonians 5:22: "Avoid every kind of evil."). In
1 Corinthians 15:33, Paul writes, "Do not be misled: 'Bad
company corrupts good character.'" Other Scriptures warn
believers to flee temptation (1 Corinthians 6:18, 2 Timothy 2:22).
Lack of trust in God-The Bible teaches that
Christians are to look to God as their provider, and that we are
to be content with the material blessings we receive from His
hand. To engage in gambling indicates both a lack of trust in and
dissatisfaction with God's provision. See, for instance, Matthew
6:25-34; Philippians 4:11-12, 4:19; 1 Timothy 6:6; Hebrews 13:5.
Gambling and the Bible by Ron Reno, as seen on www.family.org.
Copyright (c) 1999 by Focus on the Family. All rights
reserved. International copyright secured. Used by permission.
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