Is Gambling a Sin According to Religion?

Gambling has been around for much longer than most people think. We can track the first traces of gambling activity even before the 9th century when the first card games took place. Ever since then, gambling has become a daily activity for many people worldwide. 

When we add the fact that online gambling is now taking all over the place and people have access to numerous casino games around the clock from the comfort of their homes, the influence of this thrilling activity will continue to rise.

However, nowadays, gambling has sparked many controversial discussions, which led to simple gambling being banned in many countries, especially for those who share more strict religious beliefs. 

When gambling is connected in any way with religion, this has sparked prolonged discussions and debates around the world. The primary question that lies at the center of these debates is if gambling is a sin, whether this could be in general or according to one of the world’s religions.

Can We Consider Any Type of Gambling to Be a Sin?

Before we dive deep into how the most widespread religions interpret gambling, we have to think about whether we can consider any form of gambling a sin. Nowadays, we have online gambling sites with all sorts of games.

Still, they all share one common characteristic: we bet our money with the hope of winning more. That is the concept of gambling, and if one form can be considered a sin, then we can conclude that they are all the same.

The Bible Has Its Say About Gambling

If you are a Christian, you should know that the Bible doesn’t mention gambling directly in any of its passages. Because of that, you might be thinking that gambling won’t be a sin, coming from the standpoint of the Bible, correct?

However, this is not quite the case. Although the Bible doesn’t mention gambling activity directly, it often encourages people to stay away from the love of money because it is the root of the devil.

After all, everyone who engages in gambling does it partly because of the hope of winning. According to the Bible, money is the root of the devil, which you should avoid at all costs.

In other words, gambling is not directly stated as a sin for Christians, but they should stay away from it because one of the primary motivators while engaging in gambling, money, is the root of everything wrong. 

Gambling and the Quran

The situation with the Quran, the Muslim holy book, is entirely different from the previous one we mentioned. If you are a Muslim, you must know that gambling is specifically stated in the Quran as a grave sin. 

When you encounter the world of gambling along with the book, you will find that it’s frequently in the same verse as alcohol, both of which are labeled as social deceases, which turn into addictions and destroy families and lives. 

All of the games of chance you can think of, like lotteries, slots, card games, and more, will be considered a grave sin, and if you are Muslim, you shouldn’t even be thinking of engaging in any of these corresponding games.

Still, usually, you can easily engage in some healthy competition or sports, which won’t be a problem at all.

Is Gambling Dangerous?

Whether gambling is a sin or not, one thing is for sure: it can lead to many problems if you are not careful enough. The problem with gambling is that it quickly provides you with a thrilling and enjoyable experience, and you can soon find yourself often going to the closest casinos or going online to play some casino games on your PC or phone.

That’s becoming a habit of many people, especially with the tremendous growth of the mobile casino gaming industry. The options are endless, and the casino games are one click away from us now.

Therefore, if we are not careful about how much time we spend enjoying these options, and most importantly, don’t monitor the funds we spend, gambling can become from a thrilling and relaxing experience to an unhealthy habit that can easily ruin your life. 

Still, you should know that it’s not that common for people to go that deep into a state of mind where they will need to participate in gambling activities daily.

It is perfectly fine to engage in gambling if your religion does not condemn it. There are numerous good practices that you can apply to enjoy those games without worrying about addiction. It all comes down to control and not making gambling your priority in life.

Safe Gambling If You Do Not Consider It a Sin

The Bible is not explicit about gambling, which may occur without the love for money or making it a priority. Likewise, some other religions do not consider it a sin by itself. When you find yourself in that situation, there are important measures you can take to enjoy gambling without it leading to sinful behaviors:

• Seek fun, not income: Gambling can result in prizes, even big ones if we are talking about slots and lotteries, but that is a possibility and not a guarantee. If it happens, be happy about the results like a normal person would, and don’t let it change you. Otherwise, you had fun, and that is what matters.
• Have other hobbies: The main problem that makes gambling a clear sin according to holy scriptures is making it a priority. Make it only one of the many ways you can entertain yourself so that it does not hold a strong influence in your life.
• Pray for a healthy mind: Together with other good practices to keep good mental health, include in your prayers the will to always be enlightened when it comes to whether you should keep gambling or not.
• Money management: Never spend a single penny of the money you would need for anything else, and above all, never play with borrowed money. Gambling is for fun, but only if you have that money to spare.

With those lessons in mind, you can enroll in gambling and not in sinful behaviors if your religion does not explicitly ban it.

Worst Pitfalls That Gambling Can Lead To

Before you engage in any gambling activity, the most crucial thing is to set boundaries. If you come into gambling with the right state of mind, you won’t have any problems stopping your gaming adventure whenever you need to. 

• Gambling Addiction

Of course, the obvious thing that some problem gamblers go down to is developing an addiction to gambling. The bad news is that usually, this addiction is not only to a particular game but rather to the act of gambling itself. 

In other words, players addicted to gambling have numerous options in terms of games they can choose from, and they are bound to play until they reach the depths of their bank account. Additionally, even players go beyond that and take loans to fulfill their greed and addiction.

• Taking Other Substances

It’s not a coincidence that gambling and alcohol have been mentioned in the Quran in the same verse.

Most gamblers who are addicted to gambling usually start to consume a lot of alcohol or even begin taking other substances to go through their challenging period, often after losing a significant amount of funds. This is all like a never-ending cycle, and it’s tough to get out of it. 

• Prioritizing Gambling Over Family and Friends. 

One of the worst things that gambling can lead to once you are addicted is putting your gambling experience and the thrilling emotions you receive before your family and friends. 

Once a gambler does this, it quickly becomes a habit, and they dive even deeper into the never-ending cycle of combining gambling with loans and consuming different substances.

Conclusion

Some of you may have already started to feel very bad about the uncertainty of whether gambling is a sin or not, especially if you are someone who enjoys gambling from time to time.

However, you shouldn’t feel like that at all. It’s rare for players to get that deep into this matter and develop a gambling addiction of this caliber. Usually, what we described above is the worst-case scenario, closely related in the Quran and more briefly in the Bible.

Depending on your religion, you might have to quit gambling once and for all, but it all goes down to your decision. 

If you can find the balance and don’t get overboard, being drawn by greed and emotions, you can have a lot of fun at every casino, especially if sometimes you are lucky and get your hands on a good profit.

FAQs

How Should a Religious Family Address Gambling?

It is essential to make sure that children and teenagers are kept informed and away from any form of gambling. Other than that, the most important is that adults enrolled in gambling follow our lessons for the best practices.

Is Gambling a Sin Where It Is Legal?

Legality is not necessarily combined with morality, especially when it comes down to religion. Therefore, it can be legal in a country where the laws are not created according to Islam, for example, and remain a sin for Muslims.

Why Is Gambling a Sin in Islam?

In Islam, gambling is seen as the root of evil because it involves addiction, exploitation, and potential conflicts. That way, it should be avoided to prevent harm.

Is Gambling a Sin If the Money Is Given to Charity?

In the cases in which gambling is prohibited, an honored and blessed purpose still does not eliminate the sinful behavior.

Is Playing Gambling for Fun and Not Money a Sin?

Views vary, and we cannot determine which one is truer than the other. In that case, we recommend requesting advice from someone who you consider to be an authority in your religion.