Bet On It…Or Better Yet, Don’t
It’s time to talk about gambling. For years I have been known as the lottery pastor by some. This was not because I endorsed or played the lottery, but because years ago some former members of our church won the lottery, shared in the media that they were giving a tithe of those winnings to the church, and then did. We initially received it, but literally in about 24-hours, I instructed our financial secretary to give it back. Conviction is a funny thing.
Suddenly, I’m featured on local news. The Drudge Report has me as a link. A former college teammate of mine whom I had not talked with in over a decade reaches out to ask if I was the pastor who gave lottery winnings back. I said, “Yeah, why?” He responded that talk radio in Dallas-Fort Worth was all over that story and dropping my name. It was crazy! Focus on the Family wanted me to do an interview (I didn’t.) The news kept asking for quotes (I refused.) Blogs were written. Pastors of local Baptist churches in our network were telling their staff that what I did was ridiculous. The feeds with numerous Christians declaring how legalistic, stupid, unbiblical, and more are still online (nothing ever really leaves the internet). I recently read some of those old posts to see if they stung less now. They don’t. I even had church members coming to me and telling me how unwise (they used stronger terms) I was to give back that kind of money.
Those were fun days.
Nonetheless, eventually a good number of friends, church members, and even people I have never met reached out to commend the decision.
Throughout that season I was wondering if I had made a wrong decision. Yet, over time, it became clear to me that I had not. Some wanted me to demonize everyone who had ever purchased a lottery ticket. I would not. Others wanted me to help create a national crusade against gambling. I did not feel God leading me to do that either. What I did discern was God’s lead in shepherding our church to understand the reasonings for my decision, my convictions, and the biblical worldview lens I used. I had a decision to make and I did. Now, more than then, I believe I made the right one.
Eight Men Out Are Now Safe
I am a sports fan and the American pastime, baseball, has long had a challenging relationship with gambling. The biggest stories from baseball’s history include the 1919 Chicago White Sox (Black Sox Scandal), Shoeless Joe Jackson, and the 1989 Pete Rose ban from baseball.
Kennesaw Mountain Landis, the first commissioner of Major League Baseball said the following regarding the 1919 White Sox…
“Regardless of the verdict of juries, no player who throws a ballgame, no player who undertakes or promises to throw a game, no player who sits in a conference with a bunch of crooked players and gamblers where the ways and means of throwing a ballgame is discussed, and does not promptly tell his club about it, will ever play professional baseball again.”[1]
It has been decades since Landis was alive and making such statements. Apparently, his historic influence has faded completely. Times have changed.
When Bart Giamatti, MLB Commissioner, banned Rose in 1989, the modern era of baseball fandom was shaken. Cincinnati Reds fans were disappointed, and many were irate. Rose was known as a blue-collar, Cincinnati native who loved and idolized baseball. He was part of The Big Red Machine[2]. He was and remains the all-time hit leader. He was the player-manager for the Reds, and his homecoming to Cincinnati in 1984 was incredibly well received. But he was a gambler. He had bet on baseball. He even bet on the Reds.
The stories of sports gambling scandals are varied. Pro football hall of famers Paul Hornung and Alex Karras were suspended in 1963 by the NFL for wagering on football. This was big news at the time and would be the equivalent of Pro Bowlers today being suspended for a sin that is as much part of the NFL as tailgating and the Super Bowl halftime show now.[3]
The 1978-1979 Boston College basketball team is the subject of an ESPN 30 for 30 film titled “Playing for the Mob.” While many may not remember this scandal, the point-shaving involving these young men and the mob sounds like a B-movie combining “Goodfellas” and “Blue Chips.” Three BC players were identified as shaving points and a group of gamblers from Pittsburgh and an infamous New York mobster were involved.[4]
Gambling on sports has been around since human beings began competing. Yet, what was considered dark and seedy and fuel for organized crime in the early twentieth century was always spoken of in hushed tones. Bookies were secretive. What happened in Vegas stayed in Vegas, or Atlantic City, but not everywhere else.
Courtside Betting
The stain of gambling in sports loomed large…until 2018.
In 2018 the Supreme Court ruled in Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Association regarding the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA). This act made it unlawful for a state or its subdivisions to sponsor, operate, advertise, promote, license, or authorize by law or compact…a lottery, sweepstakes, or other betting gambling, or wagering scheme based on competitive sports events.[5] As with any law, act, or legal explanation, the wording is long, the definitions are detailed, and the explanations are greatly delineated. To be concise, the issue was whether the federal government had the right to control state lawmaking in particular as it related to gambling on sports. The court ruled in favor of Governor Murphy and the state of New Jersey that PASPA violated the anti-commandeering principle and the law was found unconstitutional.
The practical result was that this 2018 Supreme Court ruling opened the floodgates to legalized sports-betting that is now worth millions of dollars annually.[6]
This is why we are flooded with advertisements from DraftKings, FanDuel, ESPNBet, BetMGM, Caesars Sportsbook, Hard Rock Bet, and more.
Since the ruling, we are seeing how the era of gambling is increasing and while legal, there remain certain elements that reveal the addictive nature of the act. The darkness remains as well, as evidenced by the stories involving Shohei Ohtani and his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara, Phil Mickelson, former Jaguars employee Amit Patel, former Jaguar Calvin Ridley, and the most recent FBI arrests of NBA coach Chauncey Billups and player Terry Rozier. This may just be the tip of the iceberg.
The Hooks Are in the Water
I can hear the arguments now.
“It’s just for entertainment.”
“No one is getting hurt.”
“It’s just fantasy football.”
“It’s my fun money.”
“Your retirement is in the stock market, right? That’s gambling, too, isn’t it?”
“The lottery provides funds for scholarships.”
“The Bible doesn’t say don’t gamble. They even cast lots in the New Testament.”
“It’s a fun raffle. No one gets hurt.”
“You’re legalistic!”
I’ve heard them all and more. I get it. Some of these statements are easily debunked. Others are challenging. Rather than seek to answer every question that is related to gambling, I simply provide a warning.
The landscape has changed when it comes to gambling. What used to be dark and whispered is now openly affirmed. Sure, there are age-guidelines for online betting apps, but not unlike social media apps that state “You must be at least a certain age to use this” the age-restrictions are easily ignored or subverted. The hooks are in the water and who can blame a teenager or college student from taking the “free” parlay offered for a chance at free money!
Free is a misnomer.
The age-old adage is true. There is no such thing as a free lunch…or apparently a free parlay.
For those who have been working with students and young adults, the ever-present temptation of pornography remains, but fewer are talking about this version of adult entertainment known as gambling. The dopamine hit that comes from winning money from an innocent bet is very real. Whether an office pool, a fantasy football victory, or the sudden interest in a mid-major basketball team who has entered March Madness, the hooks are in the water. And the fish are biting.
The New York Times declared that “Gambling is Killing Sports and Consuming America.” [7] The consumption is focused upon males ages 18 to 49 (and I believe even younger). This demographic is more than twice as likely (48 percent) as the average American (22 percent) to hold a sports-betting account. More than half have chased losses with more betting simply hoping to break even. Twenty percent face financial challenges based on such.[8] Professional leagues panicked in the early 2010s as young men began to cut cable and shift their viewing and consumption habits. Ratings began to plummet. Then, the growth of fantasy and betting apps hit. Even prior to the Supreme Court ruling, these apps were in place. Suddenly, the sports leagues that publicly kept betting out of the conversation completely shifted. Gambling went from scourge to savior.[9]
The rumors that leagues were rigged, much like professional wrestling have been laughed off for years. But now, with the FBI arrests, the big money leagues contracting with the big money betting apps, suddenly what seemed like unfounded conspiracies has many scratching their heads. This is not an accusation, and I don’t actually believe they are rigged…but, there is an appearance that could lead to this.
The hooks are in the water, and the young men are biting (women, too, but they simply are not the target.)
What Does the Bible Say?
Christians have been addressing this for years and while some churches have held sanctioned BINGO nights on property for decades, others have avoided any such events. Those “harmless” versions of gambling never gained the attention that current avenues do. Does Scripture really address this?
There is the clear passage about the love of money that is often rightly quoted when it comes to gambling.
1 Timothy 6:10 (ESV)
For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. [10]
This is clear and yet, for those who say “It’s just entertainment” they tend to lean into the entertainment value rather than the love of money and greediness.
However, this verse should make us pause.
Proverbs 13:11 (NLT)
Wealth from get-rich-quick schemes quickly disappears; wealth from hard work grows over time. [11]
David Pollack, former University of Georgia and Cincinnati Bengal football player and one-time ESPN host recently addressed this issue on the Family Goals podcast he co-hosts with Pastor Jonathan Howes of Graystone Church. Both give great insight into the biblical truth regarding gambling with highlights from the passages I shared prior. Pollack references recent studies that state that only four percent of those gambling on the platforms are profitable.[12] Do the math, 96 percent are losing money. It’s been said many times throughout history, “The house always wins.”
Pollack also states that one of his issues with gambling is that for him to win, someone else must lose. This is different than simply winning a football game. He states that if he were to bet on a team to win and his friend bets on the opposing team, then whomever wins is taking the money from the other.[13] This, from his perspective is simply not loving others well. Now, some may disagree with his take, but I see great truth here and find it very solid.
The biblical command to love the Lord fully and others is key in this conversation on gambling. Many will segment such conversations and declare that irrelevant to the debate, but I deem that incorrect.
Removed from the larger conversation about gambling, just consider the dangers to the target audience. Those men ages 18-49 (and the many boys who are dabbling in this declared version of adult entertainment) are in the bullseye. The enemy continually seeks to attack the image-bearers of God, and this is simply just another way.
My recommendation is to delete your sports betting apps. You probably should not buy lottery tickets or spend time in those Biloxi casinos either. Don’t feed the dopamine addiction that is fueled by little wins. It is easy to say stop, but stopping an addiction is more challenging than most know. Seek help if need be. Otherwise, you may just find more similarities with men like Art Schlichter than you would like.[14]
The hooks are in the water, and the bait is tempting. You may be angry at my opinion on this matter or simply disagree. You may believe that I am so far off on this issue. That’s likely for many. Regardless, I implore you to simply consider the points I bring up and be aware of the dangers. Whether it is gambling or another such enticement, remember this warning…
1 Peter 5:8 (ESV)
Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour.[15]
Don’t fall into this trap and maybe, just maybe, it’s time to swim where there are no hooks in the water.
____________________
[1] Baseball Quote of the Day - Search Page, quote.webcircle.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?idPlayer=10. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
[2] The Big Red Machine was the nickname given to the 1970s Reds team by Los Angeles Herald-Examiner reporter Bob Hunter in 1969. There were eight prominent players that are frequently considered cogs in this machine, and many consider the best team in baseball history. These eight include Rose, Johnny Bench, Joe Morgan, Tony Pérez, Dave Concepción, George Foster, César Geronimo, and Ken Griffey, Sr.
[3] Wertheim, Jon. “The Year the NFL Banned Two of Its Biggest Stars for Gambling.” SI, Sports Illustrated, 6 Aug. 2021, www.si.com/nfl/2021/08/06/alex-karras-paul-hornung-nfl-gambling-daily-cover.
[4] Purdum, David. “‘The Worst Fix Ever.’” ESPN, ESPN Internet Ventures, www.espn.com/espn/chalk/story/_/id/11633538/betting-chronicling-worst-fix-ever-1978-79-bc-point-shaving-scandal. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
[5] 16-476 Murphy v. National Collegiate Athletic Assn. (05/14/ ..., www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/17pdf/16-476_dbfi.pdf. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
[6] Sherman, Mark. “How a 2018 Supreme Court Decision Paved the Way for Meteoric Growth in Legal Sports Betting.” Opb, OPB, 24 Oct. 2025, www.opb.org/article/2025/10/24/how-2018-supreme-court-decision-paved-way-meteoric-growth-legal-sports-betting/.
[7] Lee, Joon. “Gambling Is Killing Sports and Consuming America.” New. York Times, 28 Oct. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/10/28/opinion/sports-gambling-major-leagues.html.
[8] Zylstra, Sarah Eekhoff, and Josh Hollinger. “Young Men, Sports Gambling, and a Better Way to Play.” The Gospel Coalition, 31 Oct. 2025, www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/young-men-sports-gambling/.
[9] Lee, 2025.
[10] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Ti 6:10.
[11] Tyndale House Publishers, Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2015), Pr 13:11.
[12] Pollack, David, and Jonathan Howes. “What Does the Bible Say About Gambling?” YouTube, YouTube, 30 Oct. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=adxEFctfFoY.
[13] Pollack, 2025.
[14] Benbow, Dana Hunsinger. “Ex-Colts Quarterback Art Schlichter, 65, Pleads Guilty to Felony Cocaine Possession.” The Indianapolis Star, Indianapolis Star, 25 Aug. 2025, www.indystar.com/story/sports/nfl/colts/2025/08/25/art-schlichter-pleads-guilty-felony-cocaine-charges-former-colts-quarterback/85825580007/.
[15] The Holy Bible: English Standard Version (Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles, 2016), 1 Pe 5:7–8.
