However, the Bible encourages a person to “keep seeking, not his own advantage, but that of the other person.” ( 1 Corinthians 10:24) And one of the Ten Commandments states: “You must not desire. Gambling is based on an inherently selfish goal: winning money that other players have lost. Rather than helping a person guard against greed, gambling promotes the desire for easy money. Gaming institutions advertise big jackpots, while downplaying the poor odds of winning, because they know that dreams of wealth prompt players to wager large amounts at the casinos.
The basic nature of gambling-winning money at the expense of others-is at odds with the Bible’s warning to “guard against every sort of greed.” ( Luke 12:15) Gambling is, in fact, fueled by greed. Yet, it does offer a number of guiding principles that reveal how God feels about gambling.
The Bible makes no significant mention of gambling. Some forms of legalized gambling, such as government-sponsored lotteries, generate revenue for programs that benefit the public. Many people view gambling as harmless fun, as long as it is practiced legally.
