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Is Gambling A Sin?
It is a common thing to see advertising for a variety of gambling options on
TV, on billboards, and online. Perhaps you've seen the lotto ad in which two
men play a game of "hide and seek" with a helicopter and speed boat?
Or the promise of $1,000 cash per week for life. There are all kinds of appeals
made for people to take a chance on the lotto.
If the lotto is not your cup of tea, maybe a bingo would work. There are even
church groups that conduct bingos. Or maybe the casino might catch your fancy.
Government operated casinos are emerging throughout Ontario. A whole host of
games; slots, blackjack, roulette, etc. are available there.
Not interested in the lottery, bingo, or casino games? You can now bet on the
outcome of sporting events, legally sanctioned by the gaming commissions that
regulate lotteries and casinos. No bookie required.
Maybe you want to gamble, but don't want to leave the house. You can do that
too! You can participate in all the above on the internet now, and soon, OLG
will host web gambling too! To say we are a people obsessed with gambling is
an understatement. The "OLG generates $3.8 billion annually in economic
activity in Ontario."1 Part of this huge revenue is used by the provincial
government to provide counselling services for people who are betting away their
life savings and pay checks. How evil is that?! If our government were actually
concerned about these folks, it would outlaw gambling. Problem is, there's too
much profit to be made in gambling to stop it.
Having shown the variety of ways one can gamble, and the huge profits that our
government is making from the gaming industry, let us turn our attention to
the question, "Is gambling a sin?" It is sad that some do not exercise
self-control when gambling, and as a result hurt themselves and their family.
Such lack of self-control is sinful. Paul acknowledged that we've the ability
to do all kinds of things, but cautioned that we should "not be brought
under the power" of anything (1 Corinthians 6:12). It doesn't matter what
it is, if we are under the control of something (a bottle, nicotine, drugs,
food, etc.), it is sinful. The same is true of gambling.
For some folks, gambling is sinful on the basis that they will become or already
are addicted to it. You might reason, "Well, I'll be able to control myself,"
or "I know my limits," but why would one give an open door to temptation?
Many will justify gambling because it is associated with charity. Not too far
from us, you can find the 1,000 Island Charity Casino. Well, that's good, isn't
it? You can support charity and have fun at the same time. If I were to stand
at the front door of the casino and ask folks why they were there, I doubt I
would hear anyone say that they were making a charitable donation. That is what
the losers say the next day, if someone at work asks how it went. No one buys
a Lotto649 ticket to give to charity. Those who make such a claim not only have
an issue with gambling, but also lying. People don't go to bingo, the casino,
or a lottery kiosk to make a charitable donation.
“The gambler hopes for everyone else to fail. How do we reconcile that
with the Bible? ”
Folks gamble, be it a slot machine, bingo, the race track, whatever it is, to
obtain an exponential increase on their money. Now, that in itself is not sinful.
An investor will buy stock or commodities anticipating an increase in value.
Some of these markets are very risky. If one enters these volatile markets,
it is necessary to do adequate analysis beforehand. To just jump into the market
without proper investigation is no different than buying a ticket for this weekend's
Super Max draw. One is not a good steward of the blessings God has given if
he is willing to exchange it for a chance to win based on the roll of a dice
or drop of a ball. Recall how upset the master was with the servant who buried
the money placed in his hand (Matthew 25:24-30). This man, though identified
as lazy and wicked, was more responsible than one who will lose money on a game
of chance.
No one entering the arena of gambling does so with a desire for someone else
to win his money. A desire to win is inherent in gambling. The gambler doesn't
want another to walk away with her money - she wants to walk away with the other
person's money. Can we reconcile that with the Christian character? Paul said
that we should look out for the interests of others and not be selfish (Philippians
2:3-4). Can it be said of the one who exclaims, "BINGO!" that his
concern is for others and not himself? If the slot machine pours out a bunch
of coins into your bucket, realize that you just pocketed the losses of 100s
of people who sat there before you.
Would you exploit others to your own benefit? It is despicable to do so. We
have laws against such in the business world - but in the gambling world, it
is acceptable for the winner to profit, not from the failure of one or two,
but the masses.
The gambler hopes for everyone else to fail. How do we reconcile that with the
Bible? Paul said that he did not seek his own profit, "but the profit of
many" (1 Corinthians 10:33). Can we gather up our winnings from the table
and in the next breath, with a good conscience invite those who will go home
empty handed to church?
"I like the games," one might say. Do you like the games more than
the souls of men? Do you like the games more than your own soul? There is nothing
wrong with the games - it's the wager, the bet. You can play poker or bingo
or blackjack for fun and for free. Leave the money out of it. Don't gamble.
By William J. Stewart
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