Is gambling a sin?

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CrispSnowflake

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What if you place a bet with your sibling, like if ______ happens you, then owe me ________ dollars?

And what about those scratch-off cards? I really like them.

🙂
 
If it is a sin there are a whole bunch of Catholic Churches that will be in trouble for their bingo, and summer carnival gambling booths.
 
thistle said:
Gambling per se is not a sin.
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First let me say , I would be considered a sinner at one time or another with the following statement. If one gambles knowing that the chances are remote in winning, and has not given part of one’s earning to some charitable institution, I believe that is some form of sin. If not mortal sin ,then some lesser sin. It is a sin of omission, given the chance to do something good with hopefully “extra money” and failing to do so,is sinful.
If on the other hand you contribute a fair share of earnings…then , if for recreation purposes you gamble and all other matters if importance taken care of…I see no sin in this.
 
CrispSnowflake said:
What if you place a bet with your sibling, like if ______ happens you, then owe me ________ dollars?

And what about those scratch-off cards? I really like them.

🙂
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In my opinion, if you see gambling, i.e. an occasional game of poker or playing the slot machines, purely as a form of entertainment, much like spending $20 going to a movie, then I don’t think it’s a sin. However, if you get addicted and lose the shirt off your back so that you’re unable to provide for your family, then yes, that would be a sin.

There’s a fine line, but you’ll know it when you cross it. But then again, I’ve never been much of a gambler, so take my $0.02 with a grain of salt.
 
Catechism 2413:

“Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.”

God bless 🙂
 
SMGS127 said:
Catechism 2413:

“Games of chance (card games, etc.) or wagers are not in themselves contrary to justice. They become morally unacceptable when they deprive someone of what is necessary to provide for his needs and those of others. The passion for gambling risks becoming an enslavement. Unfair wagers and cheating at games constitute grave matter, unless the damage inflicted is so slight that the one who suffers it cannot reasonably consider it significant.”

God bless 🙂
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Talk about moral relativism.

Honestly, I didn’t know the Church had a stance on gambling, but here it is. The Church’s stance is… kind of…whatever.
 
hansard said:
Talk about moral relativism.

Honestly, I didn’t know the Church had a stance on gambling, but here it is. The Church’s stance is… kind of…whatever.
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It is not “whatever”. The CCC teaching is clear.
 
hansard said:
Talk about moral relativism.

Honestly, I didn’t know the Church had a stance on gambling, but here it is. The Church’s stance is… kind of…whatever.
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What would you have preferred the Church say? No gambling is allowed ever, even light gambling? That would contrast sharply with their teachings on alcohol (where light drinking is allowed, but getting drunk is a mortal sin), as well as many other teachings. Would you have preferred they say that gambling should be allowed in every single case, even when gambling away your family’s food budget? Obviously that isn’t moral either. I think the paragraph in the Catechism is very consistent with both Scripture and Tradition.
 
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