Why gambling isn't just risky, it's un-biblical

Dear Chuck,

We seem to be becoming a nation of gamblers instead of investors. Can you help me explain the dangers of this trend from God’s perspective?

Gambling Our Future Away

Dear Gambling Our Future Away,

I have been asked a similar question in a variety of ways, so I hope to give you more data and tools to help your loved ones and friends avoid this trap. This is a very serious trend because what looks like easy money is actually a road to ruin. Share this article with anyone who needs to see the facts of what they are caught up in.

Many defend betting as harmless entertainment. Others consider it an ongoing part of their long-term financial strategy. Both of these justifications are wrong. Believe it or not, Gen Z investors are redirecting money intended for investing into sports betting. How many millions of Americans see money as something to wager rather than God’s provision for wisely giving, saving, investing and providing for their families? Let’s take a deeper look.

Gambling trends

An article at finance.yahoo.com reports that legal sportsbooks kept about $430 million in 2018. That number jumped to $17 billion in 2025 due to the staggering amount of money wagered.  That is about a 400% increase in just eight years!

According to Fortune, Americans legally wagered about $166 billion on sports alone. That is more than twice the combined revenue of movies, music, books, concerts and museums.

• Gen Z: The normalization of betting threatens their financial future. Money should be used to establish emergency savings, fund retirement accounts or pay down student debt.
• Millennials: They usually have more income and greater obligations. The New York Fed found that sports betting for those under 40 had increased delinquency after its legalization. 
• Gen X: This group risks jeopardizing peak earning and retirement-saving years.
• Boomers and retirees: Gambling with retirement assets or fixed income can permanently reduce financial security, since they have less time to recover major losses.

The broader danger is normalization. Gambling has moved from an occasional trip to a casino to something available on a phone during sporting events. Research reveals how expanded online betting is associated with increased debt, delinquencies, reduced investing and other signs of financial distress. Resources, which ultimately belong to God, are being used contrary to the way He instructed in His Word. Many have yet to understand how destructive that can be.

Instead of patiently allowing compound growth to work for them, young adults are increasingly sacrificing tomorrow’s financial security for the possibility of a quick win today. This is contrary to biblical wisdom, which says, “The plans of the diligent lead surely to abundance, but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty” (Proverbs 21:5 ESV).

A serious danger for young people

A national survey conducted by the Harris Poll on behalf of the National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) showed that nearly two thirds (65%) of adults ages 21+ report participating in at least one form of gambling before the age of 21:

• 40% played lottery or scratch-off tickets.
• 37% played home games with friends/family for money.
• 23% placed a sports bet.
• 21% played online casino-style games.
• 16% played fantasy sports.
• 3% played another form.

A majority of Americans view gambling addiction as a serious public health issue. Many believe it is more serious than other forms of addiction, like alcohol or drugs. There is grave danger in the normalization of gambling and the risks, especially for young people. Parents must realize that early gambling is taking hold of young people. Phones, online games, sports, advertising and peer influence make gambling increasingly accessible.

An article at Newport Healthcare titled “The Hidden Epidemic: Online Gambling Among Teens and Young Adults” says, “The most dangerous time for gambling problems is between the ages of 16 and 22. This is when teens have more freedom, their own money, and more gambling opportunities — but their brains are still developing. Young men are especially at risk during these years.”

The article is worth reading to gain a better understanding of the issue, learn the warning signs, and get information on how to talk to teens, build resiliency, and find help.

A biblical stewardship perspective

My simple explanation is that investing creates a win/win for all involved, but the opposite is true in gambling. For me to win, others must lose.

Consider God’s truth in Proverbs 13:11 (NIV); it warns, “Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow.”

Biblical stewardship points us toward patience, diligence, contentment and self-control — not risking what God provides in pursuit of quick gain. Gambling encourages getting rather than giving, chance rather than diligence, and quick gain rather than patient waiting.

Faithful stewards build financial freedom consistently over time, give generously as directed by God, and manage resources overall with wisdom and wise counsel. They teach their children and impact others by following God’s financial principles and guarding their hearts from the lures of gambling.

My hope is we can reverse this trend so that our society can build our economy on the solid rock of God’s truth, not on a house of cards.

Further reading/listening

What Does the Bible Say About Investing and Gambling?
Are Casino Resorts a Good Family Reunion Destination?
Is Gambling Wrong?

Crown has many biblically based, practical and empowering courses and studies that can guide and encourage you to be a grateful financial steward of the resources God provides.