Are games by chance always evil?

[Semandreu]

Is “game by chance” morally evil? If not, what are its limitations and when does it become morally evil?

 

[dskysmine]

The Catholic encyclopedia states:
“In its moral aspect, although gambling usually has a bad meaning, yet we may apply to it what was said about betting. On certain conditions, and apart from excess or scandal, it is not sinful to stake money on the issue of a game of chance any more than it is sinful to insure one’s property against risk, or deal in futures on the produce market. As I may make a free gift of my own property to another if I choose, so I may agree with another to hand over to him a sum of money if the issue of a game of cards is other than I expect, while he agrees to do the same in my favour in the contrary event.”

"Theologians commonly require four conditions so that gaming may not be illicit.

* What is staked must belong to the gambler and must be at his free disposal. It is wrong, therefore, for the lawyer to stake the money of his client, or for anyone to gamble with what is necessary for the maintenance of his wife and children.
* The gambler must act freely, without unjust compulsion.
* There must be no fraud in the transaction, although the usual ruses of the game may be allowed. It is unlawful, accordingly, to mark the cards, but it is permissible to conceal carefully from an opponent the number of trump cards one holds.
* Finally, there must be some sort of equality between the parties to make the contract equitable; it would be unfair for a combination of two expert whist players to take the money of a couple of mere novices at the game."

in my oppinion I think any game of chance involving real money is just asking for “trouble”. I dont mean that it is immoral but I mean that I would never play a game of chance using my money or some one else’s. I like Poker a lot. I play it often with friends and online using only the “virtual” money that the site gives me because I can’t afford to devalue the worth of my work. I don’t see people who play with their money as immoral, but I think it also deppends on how you enter the game in the first place. When I play poker I know that I can lose or win. If anyone that goes into poker with that attitude and doesn’t get “mad” if he lost, I think it is just like spending money to buy any good.

I hope this helps!
Take care
Daniel