Gambling involves putting something of value at risk, such as money or possessions, on an event that has some element of chance. It includes games like lotteries, scratchcards, fruit machines, bingo, races, sports events, and dice. The gambler hopes to win a prize.
The Bible teaches that gambling is wrong because it is a way to try to get something for nothing (Proverbs 30:8,9) and does not glorify God (1 Corinthians 6:8). It also denies the biblical work ethic, which teaches that man should earn his own living by honest labour and should not depend on others for his income.
It is possible to have a problem with gambling, and this can have serious consequences for the person and their family. It can harm their physical and mental health, damage relationships, cause depression, make it difficult to study or work, get them into legal trouble, lead to suicide, and put them in debt and even homelessness.
Over the years, understanding of gambling problems has changed. Historically, it has been seen as a recreational interest and an entertainment activity, rather than as a mental disorder. The change has been reflected and stimulated by the development of the diagnostic criteria for pathological gambling in several editions of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). It has also been influenced by changing paradigms and world views among research scientists, psychiatrists, and treatment care clinicians. This has led to a diversity of approaches to understanding gambling disorders.