Depending on the time of year, there's likely a major sporting event right around the corner. College football playoffs. March Madness. Championship fights. Playoff baseball. You name it, someone's probably betting on it.
With 39 states now offering some form of legalized sports betting, the industry has exploded. Chances are, you know someone—maybe even several people—who has placed bets on games. As followers of Christ, how should we think about this cultural shift?
The Bible doesn't include a commandment that says, “Thou shall not gamble.” But Scripture has plenty to say about the heart attitudes and behaviors that drive gambling. In an age where online sports betting seems to be everywhere, understanding these biblical principles is more important than ever.
In 1 Corinthians 10:23, the Apostle Paul writes, “All things are lawful, but not all things are helpful” (ESV). This verse captures the tension between Christian freedom and Christian wisdom. Just because something isn't explicitly forbidden doesn't mean it's beneficial or wise for us.
Scripture consistently warns us about the dangers underlying gambling's core motivations:
- 1 Timothy 6:10 reminds us that “the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil.”
- Proverbs 28:20 cautions that “whoever hastens to be rich will not go unpunished.”
- Proverbs 13:11 observes that “wealth gained hastily will dwindle.”
- Psalm 24:1 establishes our theological foundation: “The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof.”
That last verse is foundational. If God owns everything—including the money in our bank accounts—then we're not owners but stewards. We’re simply managers of God’s resources. The question then shifts from “Can I gamble?” to “Would God approve of how I'm managing his resources?”
Of course, this is admittedly a high standard. You could apply the same principle to discretionary spending on entertainment, luxury vacations, or expensive hobbies. Disney trips, designer water bottles, travel sports teams for our kids—they all fall under the umbrella of stewardship.
The answer isn't legalism—it's relationship. We go to God in prayer and ask him what he would have us do with his resources. We ask for the wisdom, strength, and provision to follow through.
But here's what makes gambling different: It's specifically designed to generate wealth hastily through chance rather than through faithful stewardship, diligent work, or wise investment. And the explosion of online sports betting has created unprecedented access with devastating consequences.
Consider these grim realities of sports betting:
- States legalizing online sports betting often see a 25–30 percent increase in personal bankruptcy rates within three to four years after launch. (Larsen)
- Gambling is linked to serious harms to health, including financial stress, mental illness, and suicide. (World Health Organization)
- Some college students have used financial aid to fund bets, creating lifelong debt. (Intelligent)
- Surveys show that many college athletes receive abusive messages from bettors, including death threats, when specific player “props” (like rebound totals) aren't met. (Signify)
This reveals gambling's capacity to corrupt not just our relationships with money and other people—but even our own well-being.
A Call to Faithful Stewardship
The Christian perspective on gambling isn't primarily about rules—it's about the heart. The truth is that gambling often reflects:
- discontent with God's provision
- greed for quick wealth
- poor stewardship of God's resources
- self-reliance rather than trust in God's care
The devastation we're witnessing—bankruptcy, addiction, broken families, harassment, and even suicide—confirms what Scripture has warned about for millennia: The pursuit of hasty wealth and the love of money lead to ruin.
For Christians considering gambling, it isn't enough to ask whether it's technically permissible. The better question is whether it honors God as the owner of all things, whether it's helpful for spiritual growth, and whether it demonstrates faithful stewardship of the resources God has entrusted to us.
As the data clearly shows, for most people, the answer is a resounding “no.” I've never heard anyone say that what helped their spiritual growth, their finances, or their marriage was when they started gambling.
The path to blessing isn't found in the lottery of chance, but in the faithful stewardship of what God has already given—used for his glory, for our family’s provision, and for the advancement of his kingdom.
References
- Intelligent. 2022. “More Than 1 in 5 College Students Used Financial Aid And/Or Student Loans for Gambling.” Intelligent. https://www.intelligent.com/more-than-1-in-6-college-students-used-financial-aid-student-loans-on-gambling/.
- Larsen, Poet. 2025. “How sports betting can harm young men.” American Institute for Boys and Men. https://aibm.org/research/how-sports-betting-can-harm-young-men/.
- Signify. 2025. “Online Abuse in NCAA Championships.” ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com. https://ncaaorg.s3.amazonaws.com/.
- World Health Organization. 2024. “Gambling.” World Health Organization (WHO). https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/gambling.