Gambling is any activity in which wealth changes hands, primarily on the basis of chance and with risk to the gambler. It includes betting, fruit machines, lotteries, casino games and scratchcards. It is a form of entertainment that evokes many human emotions, particularly the desire for gain, a sense of competition and the need for excitement. It is a form of leisure that does not require creative effort or useful skills, and it offers the prospect of instant gratification.
There is an entire industry built around gambling, requiring huge sums of money to produce and manage the activity, and its effects on society are significant. It can be an addictive pastime that leads to other problems, such as substance abuse and depression. It can also lead to financial difficulties, which may threaten a person’s livelihood and relationships. It is often used as a distraction from other life stressors, and may be seen as a way to avoid dealing with them (Shaffer, Hall, & Bilt, 1997).
Psychiatrists use the term “disordered gambling” to describe a range of behaviors, from those that place individuals at risk of developing more serious problems (subclinical) to those that would meet Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition diagnosable criteria for pathological gambling (PG). Some of the PG symptoms include: (1) thinking about gambling all the time; (2) continuing to gamble despite mounting losses in an attempt to recoup those lost funds (loss chasing); (3) lying to family members, therapists or others to conceal the extent of involvement with gambling; (4) engaging in illegal acts, such as forgery, fraud, theft and embezzlement, in order to finance gambling; (5) jeopardizing a job, relationship or education opportunity to finance gambling; and (6) relying on family and friends for money to pay off gambling debts.
Research has shown that gambling triggers the same neural pathways in the brain as drugs, including dopamine release. In fact, the dopamine released during gambling is the same as that released during drug addiction. As a result, people who develop an addiction to gambling can experience the same physical withdrawal and psychological distress as drug addicts. Furthermore, while gambling may not involve ingesting drugs, it can still be dangerous because it encourages laziness rather than working to provide for oneself, which is condemned by scripture (1 Thessalonians 4:10). It can also foster greed and idolatry because it enthrones personal desires in the place of God (Colossians 3:5). This violates the First and Second Commandments. It is also associated with superstition and a belief in luck instead of the sovereignty of God (Job 42:2; Romans 11:36; Colossians 1:17; 1 Thessalonians 4:11). These attitudes contribute to a spiritual blindness that causes people to believe that they can substitute the good of saving faith and obedience for the bad of gambling. This is why it is important to have a Christian perspective on gambling. This will help you recognize the dangers and avoid the temptation.
