The Christian and Gambling

Some time ago I was asked these three questions: What is a Biblical response to gambling? Where in the Bible would you turn and why? Is it right for a Christian to buy a lottery ticket? Why?

I was reminded this week of the sheer scale of gambling in our society. In the UK 70% of the population are reported to gamble regularly (including the National lottery, just shy of 50% if you don't include that). In the last 20 years of the last century the amount of money lost gambling doubled.

So what is a Christian response to gambling?

Firstly we need to define gambling, here's how the Dictionary of Christian Ethics does so:
“Gambling is the determination of the possession of money, or money-value, by and appeal to an artificially created chance. Where the gains of the winner are made at the expense of the losers and the gain is secured without rendering in service or in value an equivalent of the gains obtained.”

Rather than simply write down my thoughts I want to look at a number of texts and simply help us ask questions of our hearts.

Exodus 20 - The ten commandments would call us to ask some serious questions of gambling: is my gambling idolatry? Is it stealing? Is it covetous?

Luke 10:27 - How does it fit with the command to love your neighbour as yourself?

Matt 6:19-34 - Is it serving money rather than God?

Ephesians 4:28 - How does it fit with actions of new self in Christ?

Genesis 1:28 - What is man made for? How does gambling reflect this?

I Thessalonians 3:6-15 - How should believers live?

I Tim 6:6-10, 17-19 - What are the marks of godliness?

A good question to ask is what is the purpose of gambling? What is it you are seeking to do as you place that bet or buy that lottery ticket? What are you longing for and hoping to be able to rely on?

At root my conviction is that people gamble because they are covetous - they want what someone else has.