The apostle Paul, who wrote nearly the entire new testament (including 1 Corinthians), led me to ask this question - which may seem like an elementary one. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”-but not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 10:23). You say, “I am allowed to do anything”-but not everything is good for you.

I asked myself a few questions to get to that answer for my own personal life (mainly in regard to sports betting, but I believe this line of thinking applies to all gambling). While a particular action may be fine for one person, it might not be the case for another ( Matthew 5:27-30). Like many actions or activities that the Bible doesn’t specifically speak to, I believe we are called to look to our heart’s desires and motivations for said actions or activities to find God’s will for us on a personal level. The Bible does not declare gambling as sinful. Now, the introduction of the Holy Spirit and God’s wisdom for us does do away with the need to cast lots to determine his will in modern times - but the point stands. The closest thing we see to it being mentioned is the act of ‘casting lots’ (using items similar to dice for random chance to determine God’s will), which is actually instructed by God and done 70(!) times throughout scripture. Say what? What Does the Bible Say About Gambling, Then?Ĭontrary to what you also may have heard, The Bible does not prohibit gambling. One that I, and likely you, have heard a variety of different answers from over the years: Is Gambling a Sin? So, I knew I had to face the big question. I also enjoy receiving money (plus, I possess a severe addiction to thinking the Lakers will cover the spread every night (boy, was I disappointed this year)).Īnd the two don’t even have to be combined - I’ve been known to enjoy the occasional visit to a blackjack table only to complain about how rigged it is.īut I also want to honor God and not end up homeless, begging family members for cash, pleading with them that I knew a guy who knew a guy that predicted every Super Bowl winner correctly since 1994 and that this would be my big break. Like many other borderline-degenerate millennials, I enjoy sports. At the start of this year, I was in the sights of every sports gambling company (you know their names), and I could only take so many haymakers being thrown at me about bonus bets or signup codes before I caved. “+100 odds for Joe Burrow to throw for three touchdowns? Where’s my credit card…?”

What the bible says about gambling