What Is Considered Gambling Problem

1. What Is Gambling Problem
2. What Is Considered Gambling Problem Solving
3. What Is Considered Gambling Problems

What is gambling? Is it a sin? These are important questions we must answer to serve God faithfully, and lead others to Christ with the gospel.

Gambling is classified into four types: social, professional, problem, and pathological. Social gambling typically occurs with friends or coworkers. The gambling lasts for a limited period of time.

Gambling is considered pathological when it seriously disrupts the gambler's life. The problem is thought to affect somewhere between 1.5% to 11% of the adult population. And the rate of suicide. There is a saying that if gambling is causing you problems, then you have a gambling problem.Recognizing and admitting a problem is the first step in getting help. But who wants to have a problem? Reluctance to really believe gambling is anproblem is difficult. So lets look at the facts. Many gambling addiction stories start out innocently enough—a trip to the casino here or there, a few good wins, then a loss or two. Then something happens. The same chemicals in the brain that cause a person to become addicted to alcohol or drugs soon start to react to the act of gambling in a similar way. Pathological gambling is an addictive disorder that has been recognized in medical books since 1980. Individuals who suffer from this disorder become dependent upon gambling and lose the ability to control their impulses to gamble.

'Gambling' Isn't In The Bible
The word 'gambling' isn't in the Bible, as is the case with many other words associated with morality. For example, marijuana, cloning, pornography, and cybersex are moral issues of our day, which aren't specifically mentioned in the Bible.

The magnificent beauty of God's word is that it sets forth principles, whereby every generation can know the mind of God, concerning every moral issue.

Can you imagine a Bible that specifically dealt with every issue, by name, that every generation has to grapple with? Beside the fact that it would be so large we couldn't read it in a lifetime, it would deal with things far in the future we couldn't understand.

As we study this topic, we'll review Bible principles relating to gambling to determine whether it's a sin.

Gambling Defined
Gambling is 'playing a game of chance for stakes' (Webster). It involves the 'betting of money or valuables on, and often participation in, games of chance' (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001).

Compulsive gambling (or pathological gambling) is 'a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent inability to resist the impulse to gamble. The disorder is progressive and typically results in difficulties in one's personal, social, and work life; it may lead to bankruptcy or criminal activity to obtain money. The prevalence of compulsive gambling in the United States has increased with that of gambling itself, and it has been estimated that up to 3% of the adult population may gamble pathologically' (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001).

Soldiers Gambled for Jesus' Tunic
An example of gambling is found in John 19:23-24. Here, the soldiers who crucified Jesus divided his garments into four parts, one part for each soldier. But since Jesus' tunic was seamless, they gambled for it by casting lots.

We see some of the sins involved in gambling, such as greed and covetousness, which we'll talk about later.

We also see some typical components of gambling in this example:

• It was a game of chance, by the casting of lots.
• It was a game where stakes were involved. Each soldier owned a fourth of Jesus' tunic, which they wagered for a chance to win the whole garment.
  • Note: Soldiers customarily divided the garments of the person they crucified. Jesus' tunic was a very valuable garment, made without seam, which each soldier would have desired more than all His garments. If they had torn the tunic into four parts, the value would have almost decreased to zero.

Activities That Are Gambling
Anytime a person wagers money or valuables, for a chance to win something in a game of chance, it's gambling.

Examples of gambling:

• Games found at casinos such as slot machines, video poker, roulette wheels, dice games, card games, and numbers games are gambling.
• Racetrack betting on horses and dogs are gambling.
• Betting on the outcome of sporting events is gambling.
• Playing the lottery, named for drawing of lots for a prize, is gambling.
• Games where players pay a fee or make a 'donation' for a chance to win a prize is gambling.
  • Such games include raffles.
  • Gambling can also be involved with bingo, if money is paid for a chance to win a prize.
• Office pools, where betting occurs on things such as sporting events, are gambling.

Activities That Aren't Gambling
Sometimes people try to justify gambling, saying, 'Everyone does it!' They cite activities such as investing in stocks, and farmers hedging investments with futures contracts, to prove that everyone gambles in one form or another.

Confusion exists when we don't differentiate between risk and gambling. It's true, there's risk in everything we do, but that doesn't mean we're gambling.

• Driving a car, walking across the street, and playing sports have components of risk, but they're not gambling.
  • They're not a game of chance, and they don't involve stakes.
• Owning a business is risky, but it's not gambling.
  • Many New Testament Christians owned businesses, including the apostles, but they weren't gambling. They weren't playing a game of chance, and stakes weren't involved.
• Investing in stocks is risky, but it's not gambling.
  • The ownership of a for-profit corporation is through stock, even if it's privately held. Investing in stocks is a form of ownership, not gambling. It's not a game of chance, and stakes (in the sense of gambling) is not involved.
• Buying an insurance policy is not gambling.
  • The purpose of insurance is to insure against loss, such as experienced in a fire, flood, or auto accident. It's not a game of chance, and there are no stakes.

Confusion also exists when we don't differentiate between a game with gambling, and a game without gambling. For example, bingo is not sinful, but when gambling is added to the game, it becomes sinful.

Six Sins Involved In Gambling

Covetousness
Covetousness is 'a desire to have more' (Vine's) and is 'a strong desire after the possession of worldly things' (Easton's).

Gamblers often covet worldly goods. Many want to acquire worldly possessions for which they have not worked, and often destroy their families, taking food from their children's mouths for a chance to strike it rich.

A covetousness person is immoral, and will not go to heaven (1 Cor. 5:10-11; 6:9-10).

Since gambling involves the sin of covetousness, we should not gamble.

Greed
Greed is an 'excessive desire to acquire or possess more (especially more material wealth) than one needs or deserves' (WordNet 2.0, 2003 Princeton University).

A greedy person is 'excessively desirous of acquiring or possessing, especially wishing to possess more than what one needs or deserves' (The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition, Copyright 2000).

People motivated by greed become addicted, because they can never satisfy their desires (cf. Eph. 4:17-19).

As Christians we imitate God. We're not greedy (Eph. 5:1-3; cf. Col. 3:5), and we don't involve ourselves in addictive behaviors (1 Cor. 6:12). Therefore, we must avoid gambling.

Love of Money
The love of money is a form of covetousness and greed (Ec. 5:10; 1 Tim. 6:10). Many people who gamble, if not all, love money (wealth).

The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). Gambling, and all the other sins associated with it (hatred, crime, divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, poverty, homelessness, prostitution, suicide, etc.), is an evil that results from the love of money. Therefore, gambling is a sin.

Unneighborly Behavior
We are commanded to love our neighbors (Matt. 22:39). Gamblers seek to harm their neighbors, taking advantage of them, for their own personal gain. They wrong their neighbors and thereby sin, rather than doing good (Rom. 13:10).

The gambler 'desires the property of his neighbor without any compensation, and thus works ill to him. The dealer in lotteries desires property for which he has never toiled, and which must be obtained at the expense and loss of others' (Barnes).

Lust
'Lust' is a strong desire to sin.

The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the boastful pride of life are of the world (1 Jn. 2:16). We are tempted when we are drawn away by our own desires and enticed (Jas. 1:14). Christians must flee lusts, by pursuing righteousness, faith, love, and peace (2 Tim. 2:22; cf. Jas. 4:7-10; 1 Pet. 5:8-9).

When people gamble they're pursuing the sinful desires of the flesh, rather than pursuing the things of God. They are involved in activities resulting from covetousness, greed, the love of money, and hatred, rather than righteousness, faith, love, and peace.

Lustful desires are sinful. People who gamble have lustful desires toward money and the sins associated with gambling, especially in the heat of the moment, when fortunes are won and lost in an instant.

What Is Gambling Problem

The lustful desires of gambling are sinful, besides the activity itself. Therefore, gambling is a sin.

Licentiousness
Licentiousness is a sin (Eph. 4:17-19; Jude 1:4). It's excess, absence of restraint, indecency, and wantonness. When a person lusts after something and doesn't restrain himself, the result is licentiousness.

Sinful, unrestrained desires (licentiousness) to gamble, result in the sin of gambling.

Abstain From Every Form of Evil
Gambling involves a number of different sins. In this article, we've reviewed a few of those sins: covetousness, greed, love of money, unneighborly behavior, lust, and licentiousness.

God commands us to abstain from every form of evil (1 Th. 5:22).

Since gambling is a form of evil, we must abstain from it. If we don't, we sin.

The Fruits of Gambling

In Matthew 7, Jesus sets forth a principle that He applies to false prophets.

'So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit' (Matt. 7:17-18).

In other words, if something is sinful, it bears bad fruit. And if something is good, it bears good fruit.

Jesus applies this principle to false prophets, teaching the disciples to distinguish them from God's prophets by examining their fruits. He concludes by saying, 'So then, you will know them by their fruits' (Matt. 7:20).

Examine the Fruits of Gambling
Jesus and the apostles use this principle many times, to teach us about sin. Now, let's use it further to investigate the sinfulness of gambling.

If gambling is sinful, it will exhibit bad fruit. But if it is righteous and holy, it will exhibit good fruit.

Lottery Winners' Lives Are Worse
Search the Internet and you'll find numerous stories of lottery winners whose lives are worse after winning the lottery. And if you read stories regarding the rate of bankruptcies for lottery winners, you'll find that about one-third of them file for bankruptcy.

'8 Lottery Winners Who Lost Their Millions,' a MSN Money story, reveals some of gambling's bad fruit.

The subtitle summarizes the story, 'Having piles of cash only compounds problems for some people. Here are sad tales of foolishness, hit men, greedy relatives and dreams dashed.'

As advertised, the story tells about people whose lives are worse after winning the lottery, rather than better.

William 'Bud' Post, who won $16.2 million, and now lives on Social Security, said, 'I wish it never happened. It was totally a nightmare.'

Among others, the MSN story also tells of an unnamed family that won $4.2 million. The man and woman are now divorced; the woman lives in a small house, and the man lives with children. Their financial advisor said, 'It was not the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.'

The fruits of gambling reflect what we've learned from the Bible. Gambling is a sin.

What Is Considered Gambling Problem Solving

Health Problems and Higher Suicide Rate Among Gamblers
A number of studies link suicide to gambling.

CTV.ca, a Canadian media company, ran a story February 12, 2008, titled 'Loto-Quebec Stats Show Suicides Linked To Gambling.' Loto-Quebec admitted that two suicides were 'directly related to gambling in a casino and six attempted suicides and numerous heart attacks as well' (CTV.ca).

Information about the negative effects of gambling is not new. The New York Times ran a story December 16, 1997, titled, 'Suicide Rate Higher in 3 Gambling Cities, Study Says.' It tells about a study by Dr. David Phillips who 'examined death certificates in major gaming cities in the United States -- Atlantic City, Las Vegas, Nev., and Reno -- and found that suicide rates were up to four times higher than in comparably sized cities where gambling is not legal.'

What Is Considered Gambling Problems

We Know Gambling is a Sin
The stories are endless about people who ruined their lives by gambling, resulting in suicide, divorce, broken homes, poverty, bad health, and more.

Although we have compassion for such people, this helps us understand the sinfulness of gambling, realizing it bears bad fruit.

Jesus says, 'So then, you will know them by their fruits' (Matt. 7:20). We know gambling is a sin, not only because it involves numerous sinful behaviors, but also because of its fruit.

Arguments in Favor of Gambling

It's Legal
Certain forms of gambling are legal in our country, depending on the state. But that doesn't mean its not a sin.

There are a number of legal activities that are sins.

• It's legal to commit fornication. But, it's a sin.
• It's legal to divorce for a reason other than sexual immorality, and marry another person. But, it's a sin.
• It's legal to get drunk. But, it's a sin.
• It's legal to have an abortion. But, it's a sin.

Peter teaches us to obey God rather than men (Acts 4:19; 5:29).

Since God's law takes precedence over civil law, we can't justify a behavior based solely on whether it's legal. A civil law can't turn a sinful activity into a holy activity.

Gambling is a sin, whether it's legal or not.

The Lottery Funds Education
Men try to justify sin with the good it produces, resulting in expressions like 'the ends justify the means' and 'situation ethics.'

People try to justify white lies with the good they produce. For example, if you tell someone you like what they're wearing, when you really hate it, the lie is justified because you made them feel better.

Examples of other behaviors people try to justify, because of the good allegedly produced, is euthanasia, abortion, and theft.

Many people try to justify the lottery because part of the revenue goes to education, which is good. A story in the New York Times says, 'State officials have long justified being in the numbers game by repeating, mantra-like, that the money is earmarked' for education' (New York Times, Clyde Haberman, April 2, 1999).

Whether we're talking about lies, euthanasia, abortion, theft, or the lottery, no activity is justified based on resultant good deeds.

The only way we can tell whether an activity is sinful or righteous is to study God's word, and come to the knowledge of the truth concerning the activity.

As we've already learned from God's word, gambling is a sin. No matter what good may be done with the proceeds, gambling is not justified.

I'm Trying to Help My Family
People use the excuse, 'I'm trying to help my family' to justify sins like suicide, prostitution, selling drugs, stealing, and lying.

Lot's daughters got their father drunk and committed incest to try and help their family (Gen. 19:31-38). But that didn't erase the sin, although the good they intended was accomplished, and their family was preserved through Lot.

It doesn't matter if we're trying to accomplish something good, we can't sin to do it. We can't gamble to help our family, any more than enter into prostitution to help them.

It's a Donation
Sometimes, gambling is disguised as a donation. This often occurs with raffles by nonprofit organizations such as schools and churches.

This is a cleaver attempt to skirt the law. The fact is, buying a raffle ticket is a purchase, not a donation.

'Even if the raffle is operated by a charitable organization, the chance' to win something has value to the purchaser, and the IRS says the fair market value of a raffle ticket is equal to its purchase price. So buying a raffle ticket is considered a purchase, not a donation' (John W. Lindbloom, Huber, Ring Helm & Co., P.C., http://www.hrh-advantage.com).

It's great to make a donation to a worthy cause. But don't be deceived into gambling, when someone claims that buying a raffle ticket is a donation, it's gambling.

It's Just a Few Dollars
Many sins cost just a few dollars: pornography, drunkenness, drugs, prostitution, etc.

Other sins cost nothing: murder, lying, fornication, etc.

The price of an activity doesn't determine whether it's sinful. God's word is the determining factor.

If You Bet On A Sports Game You're Playing, It's Not Gambling
A Christian told me about a person who thought he could gamble on a sports game he was playing, because the game involved skill and not chance.

The fact is, such activity in professional and amateur sports is illegal. Players who bet on their own games are considered criminals, and punished harshly.

Without doubt, placing bets on the outcome of a game you're playing, is gambling!

Conclusion
The Bible warns of deception (1 Cor. 3:18; Eph. 5:6; 2 Th. 2:3). We must be careful not to fall prey to the deceptions of men, or to deceive ourselves.

Gambling is a sin. It doesn't become righteous by civil law, good deeds, or a low price.

Medically reviewed:06/22/2018
Last updated: 04/17/2020
Author: Addictions.com Medical Review

Reading Time: 7minutes

What is Gambling Addiction?

Gambling addiction or gambling disorder is defined as persistent and recurring problematic gambling behavior that causes distress and impairs your overall livelihood. Gambling addiction affects roughly 0.2% to 0.3% of the general U.S. population, and tends to affects males more than females, though this gender gap has narrowed in recent years. Gambling disorder is a behavioral addiction that can be effectively treated using a range of cognitive and behavioral therapies.

The desire to buy scratch tickets, play slot machines, and visit casinos aren’t necessarily signs of gambling addiction. But when the desire to gamble becomes overwhelming to the point you can’t stop thinking about it until you gamble on something, may be a sign you need help. Those who suffer from gambling addiction will continue to gamble despite negative financial, legal, and social consequences.

Gambling disorder is a brain disease that can cause you to do things you wouldn’t normally do if you weren’t suffering from addiction. Behavioral addictions like gambling disorder are often difficult to manage and control without getting professional help. Addiction treatment centers can help you overcome gambling addiction and teach you important skills aimed at helping you repair problems in your life caused by your disorder.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Gambling Addiction?

There are no physical health symptoms associated with gambling disorder. Familiarizing yourself with common gambling addiction behaviors can clue you into whether you or a loved one may need professional help.

Chasing after losses is the most common tell-tale sign of gambling disorder. This particular symptom is marked by the urgent need to continue gambling to earn back a loss or series of losses. Individuals diagnosed with gambling disorder may abandon their usual gambling strategies to win back all losses at once and may lie to family, friends, and therapists to hide the severity of their addiction.

The following behaviors are potential signs of gambling addiction:

• Needing to gamble using increasing amounts of money to achieve the desired rush and excitement.
• Feeling restless or irritable when trying to reduce or stop gambling.
• Inability to control, reduce, or quit gambling despite numerous repeated attempts.
• Preoccupation with gambling, such as devising ways to get more gambling money and reliving past gambling experiences.
• Gambling when experiencing feelings of distress, helplessness, guilt, anxiety, and depression.
• Chasing after your losses to get even after losing money gambling.
• Lying to conceal the severity of gambling behaviors, and the addiction.
• Loss of personal relationships, job, and educational pursuits due to gambling.
• Replying on others to provide money to resolve financial situations caused by gambling, such as a threat of eviction from the home.

Those with a mild gambling addiction may exhibit between four and five of these behaviors, while those with a moderately severe gambling addiction may exhibit six to seven of these behaviors. People who suffer from severe gambling addiction will usually exhibit all nine behaviors. Moderate to severe cases of gambling disorder tend to be more common than mild cases.

You might have a gambling problem if:

• You feel compelled to keep gambling until you’ve spent your last dollar. You may keep bidding until you’ve spent everything to win your money back, or you continue increasing bet amounts.
• You hide your gambling from friends or family members. You may sneak off to gamble without telling anyone, or lie about your gambling activities.
• You spend money you don’t have on gambling. You may use money intended for important bills like rent, mortgage, car payments, credit card bills, and other expenses for gambling.
• You steal from others or sell your possessions so you can gamble. You may steal money or belongings from others so you can gamble, or sell or pawn valuable possessions like musical instruments and vehicles to obtain more gambling money.
• You prioritize gambling over obligations related to work, school, family. You may stop going to work or school so you can gamble, or stop buying household necessities so you can use the money for gambling instead.
• You’re experiencing financial hardships due to gambling. You may have lost your home, car, job, and important personal possessions due to gambling.
• You’re facing a range of negative emotions triggered by gambling. Gambling may be a serious problem in your life if it’s triggering depression, anxiety, frustration, agitation, and remorse.
• You want to stop gambling but can’t. You have tried to stop gambling but can’t seem to stop despite your desire to do better and to stop gambling.

Negative Effects of Gambling Addiction

Gambling addiction can produce many more negative effects than just financial hardship. Gambling disorder can affect your physical health, mental health, and social functioning, and lead to the loss of important relationships with friends and loved ones. You may also suffer a decline in work or school performance, and feel more restless and bored with all other areas of life that don’t involve gambling.

Those who suffer from gambling addiction tend to suffer from higher rates of poor general health than those who don’t gamble. Tachycardia and angina are common health problems among those diagnosed with gambling addiction. Many who suffer from gambling disorder also tend to experience distortions in thinking surrounding their addiction, such as superstitions, overconfidence, and a sense of power over the outcome of chance events. Nearly 50% of those receiving treatment for gambling disorder experience suicidal ideation, while an estimated 17% have tried to commit suicide.

The negative effects of problem gambling include:

• Financial problems including high debt, poverty, or bankruptcy
• Domestic violence and child abuse in families
• Suicidal thoughts, attempts, or the act of suicide
• Legal troubles, including arrests for theft or prostitution
• Behavior problems in children of problem gamblers
• Depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders
• Loss of relationships with friends and family
• A decline in performance at work or school
• Suicide and death
• A risk for drug or alcohol abuse

How Does Gambling Addiction Interact with Addiction?

Alcohol and cocaine are the two most common substances associated with gambling and binge gambling, respectively. Alcohol is legally available in most gambling settings such as bars and casinos and is often rewarded to gamblers for free at many of these establishments. Roughly 44% of people with gambling disorder in the U.S. also suffer from an alcohol use disorder.

Binge gambling is defined as intermittent episodes of uncontrolled gambling after long periods of abstinence. For instance, a person who practices binge gambling may only visit the casino five times per year but gamble non-stop for long periods during their stay. Cocaine use tends to be common among these gamblers since it produces stimulating effects of increased energy, alertness, focus, concentration, and confidence.

Individuals with gambling disorders tend to suffer higher rates of co-occurring alcohol and drug use disorders compared to their peers. Gambling often takes place in environments that enable and encourage alcohol and drug use. Gambling can also trigger mental health conditions like anxiety and depression, which many may self-treat using alcohol and drugs like marijuana, painkillers, and other addictive substances.

How Are Gambling Addiction and Substance Use Treated?

Gambling addiction is commonly treated using cognitive and behavioral therapies that treat the root psychological causes of your addiction. These therapies also help you identify and change negative, unhealthy thoughts and behaviors that may have led to your gambling addiction. Treatments for gambling addiction can be tailored especially for you or your loved one based on the factors surrounding your disorder.

Gambling addiction can also be treated using community reinforcement, group therapy, and 12-step support groups like Gamblers Anonymous. These treatments help you identify your triggers that can lead to gambling and teach you ways to overcome and manage those triggers. For instance, if a stressful day at work usually makes you feel like gambling, you may learn yoga, deep breathing, or other healthy methods that relieve stress without putting your health and well-being at risk.

Gambling Addiction Help

If you or someone you love needs treatment for gambling addiction, it’s important that you use a treatment approach that best suits your recovery needs. Gambling addiction treatment is available in many different settings, including inpatient and outpatient treatment settings.

Inpatient gambling addiction treatment can greatly benefit those who suffer from severe gambling disorder, and who have suffered severe financial, legal, or social problems. Inpatient treatment includes around-the-clock supervision in a hospital-like setting where you can live for the duration of your treatment program. The intense level of therapy, counseling, and supervision provided by inpatient treatment centers can help significantly reduce the risk of relapse while in recovery.

Compulsive gamblers often need support from friends, family members, and peers to help them stop gambling. Gamblers Anonymous groups can provide peer and social support for those in recovery or for those who wish they can stop gambling. These groups can provide a solid, healthy foundation for a successful and long-term recovery from gambling addiction.

Here’s how to help a family member or loved one suffering from a gambling addiction:

• Understand the addiction. The first thing you can do to help a loved one who is addicted to gambling is to learn all you can about the addiction. Find a support group that can help you cope with the stress that comes from having a loved one who is addicted to gambling.
• Find support. Support for yourself and for your loved one who is addicted can be very beneficial in helping with a gambling addiction. Many support groups are available throughout communities and in treatment centers. Therapists and counselors can also provide support for gambling addiction.
• Manage money tightly. If your loved one is addicted to gambling and is actively pursuing help, take over managing all financial responsibilities for your loved one. This can help reduce any gambling impulses your loved one may be experiencing throughout their recovery.