Question on going to a casino

[prkwy]

Hi all, just wondering if gambling would be considered a sin? I know that the Bible talks about not casting lots. I am not sure if I am reading to much into this or not.
Thanks for your opinions.

 

[Volodymyr_988]

If it is, a lot of our churches are in trouble for having Bingo! night.

It looks like this guy just won! ----->:extrahappy:

 

[Duke_of_Mantua]

Don’t forget the stock market! Bigger gambles happen there every day.

 

[Tim_Kirchoff]

Gambling is not a sin if it is recreation- to make a living by gambling- that is sinful. To put your family in danger of hunger because of gambling- that is a sin.

 

[Volodymyr_988]

Health, auto, and life insurance are also gambling. You bet something bad will happen and the Ins. Co. bets it won’t. The bad part is that they get to make the odds.

 

[Duke_of_Mantua]

Gambling is not a sin if it is recreation- to make a living by gambling- that is sinful. To put your family in danger of hunger because of gambling- that is a sin.

I make a living by gambling. I am a commodities trader. I hardly believe I am sinning

 

[Tim_Kirchoff]

I make a living by gambling. I am a commodities trader. I hardly believe I am sinning

I’m talking about gambling in the traditional sense- mkaing a living through random chance. More specifically, if a person is gambling within their means, it is not sinful.

 

[7rosario]

books.google.com/books?id=d8kCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=introduction+to+devout+life&ei=H6vZR6OwL4yuiQGV3cjZAQ#PPA191,M1

 

[CB_Catholic]

Hi all, just wondering if gambling would be considered a sin? I know that the Bible talks about not casting lots. I am not sure if I am reading to much into this or not.
Thanks for your opinions.

If you’ve paid your bills, provided for your family, taken care of the poor,etc., and have some money left over for a bit of fun it’s not sinful, if done in moderation. But like anything else, if done in excess it can be.

I don’t recall seeing anything in the Bible about not casting lots, can you clarify or provide a passage so it can be put into context? I think drawing lots was fairly common in OT times.

 

[kleary]

Hi all, just wondering if gambling would be considered a sin? I know that the Bible talks about not casting lots. I am not sure if I am reading to much into this or not.
Thanks for your opinions.

I would like you to show me where the Bible condemns casino gambling…I have been a casino dealer for the past 18 years…

Yes I know and am aware of people who have gambling problems…yet I know people who actually make a living doing it…because they have the knowledge and skill required to do it (Poker).

The Church renders her teaching as per this in the Catechism…which is not an opinion.

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.

Ken

 

[7rosario]

books.google.com/books?id=d8kCAAAAQAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=introduction+to+devout+life&ei=H6vZR6OwL4yuiQGV3cjZAQ#PPA191,M1

"although these games
bear the name of recreations, yet they are by no
means recreations, but tiresome occupations; for is
it not tiresome to keep the mind incessantly occupied,
intent to a high degree, and annoyed by perpetual
apprehensions and solicitudes ?

" In fact, they feel
no joy at play but when they win: and is not that
joy iniquitous, which can only be caused by the
loss and displeasure of a friend or companion.
Surely such satisfaction is infamous.

"St. Louis, on hearing that the Count of Anjou,
his brother, and Monsier Gautier de Nemours, were
gaming, arose from his sick-bed, went staggering to
their chamber, and cast the tables, the dice, and
part of the money out at the window into the sea,
and was very angry with them.

 

[AHapka]

I very rarely go to a casino. I have a monthly poker game with some work friends that involves no more then $10.00 each.

My view is that if you take an amount of money to gamble with that’s roughly equivalent to what you’d spend going to dinner and a movie, or going to a sporting event, or some other recreational activity then it’s just another form of entertainment. Then if you lose the entire bankroll, it’s just as much as you’d spend on some other activity. If you win, that’s great

Where gambling becomes sinful is if it begins to take up so much of your time that your spiritual life begins to suffer or if you are losing amounts of money that make a dent in you or your families financial well being. This is different for everyone, so there is a little judgement that needs to be done.

I personally don’t like casino gambling compared to a card game with friends. I get to socialize with my friends outside of work, and if I lose at least a friend of mine is getting the money.

Andy

 

[lak611]

I would like you to show me where the Bible condemns casino gambling…I have been a casino dealer for the past 18 years…

Yes I know and am aware of people who have gambling problems…yet I know people who actually make a living doing it…because they have the knowledge and skill required to do it (Poker).

The Church renders her teaching as per this in the Catechism…which is not an opinion.

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.

Ken

My pastor won the Texas Hold 'Em tournament at my parish one year. He donated his winnings to the church.

I played a cash game last summer and was winning because there was a guy who was clueless as to how to play. Once I figured out that I was playing against someone who would get cleaned out since he did not understand the game, I left the table. I know how to play, and I could not, in good conscience take all his money.

 

[Gottle_of_Geer]

"although these games
bear the name of recreations, yet they are by no
means recreations, but tiresome occupations; for is
it not tiresome to keep the mind incessantly occupied,
intent to a high degree, and annoyed by perpetual
apprehensions and solicitudes ?

" In fact, they feel
no joy at play but when they win: and is not that
joy iniquitous, which can only be caused by the
loss and displeasure of a friend or companion.
Surely such satisfaction is infamous.

"St. Louis, on hearing that the Count of Anjou,
his brother, and Monsier Gautier de Nemours, were
gaming, arose from his sick-bed, went staggering to
their chamber, and cast the tables, the dice, and
part of the money out at the window into the sea,
and was very angry with them.

​

 

[Lazerlike42]

"although these games
bear the name of recreations, yet they are by no
means recreations, but tiresome occupations; for is
it not tiresome to keep the mind incessantly occupied,
intent to a high degree, and annoyed by perpetual
apprehensions and solicitudes ?

" In fact, they feel
no joy at play but when they win: and is not that
joy iniquitous, which can only be caused by the
loss and displeasure of a friend or companion.
Surely such satisfaction is infamous.

"St. Louis, on hearing that the Count of Anjou,
his brother, and Monsier Gautier de Nemours, were
gaming, arose from his sick-bed, went staggering to
their chamber, and cast the tables, the dice, and
part of the money out at the window into the sea,
and was very angry with them.

Whatever St. Francis de Sales said, we are bound not to his word, but to the teaching of Holy Church, and indeed we are bound to reject his word when it conflicts with that of Holy Mother Church, which is, as was quoted:

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.

Were St. Francis alive today, he would not have written what he did, for he would have submitted to the Church. He would have offered the same advice that he did in spirit - that such games can be dangerous and are often no recreation at all - but he would have taught that they are permissible provided that one does not cross the line between recreation and obsession.

 

[mlchance]

Thanks for your opinions.

Rather than my opinion, how about Church teaching? In brief:CCC 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.

– Mark L. Chance.

 

[wjp984]

The way I see gambling is you are paying for an endorphine rush similar to what you can get through the use of illegal drugs and since illegal drugs, well the good ones, I assume, are very expensive, gambling might be a cheaper alternative and for that matter you are not taking any chances with destroying your brain. I would never try any illegal drugs since I value my mind too much and would never take a chance of screwing that up. However, I must admit, I love gambling since it achieves the same thing from what I have studied as it effects similar endorphines and stuff. It can still get quite expensive though. I have to be very careful when I go to a casino since winning is irrelevant to me compared to the rush that is obtained from gambling so I always lose since as I said, I consider it paying for the rush more so than trying to win any amount of money.

It always makes me laugh when I think about it. I think smoking is terrible since it is is so unhealthy so I never wanted to try that addiction. I hate being sick and hangovers so although I like drinking, being sick makes me want to avoid alchol for a while so I never really got addicted to that. As mentioned, I would never take a chance messing up my mind with illegal drugs. But gambling, now that is the perfect vice and addiction that even got to me lol.

 

[SeekerJen]

I don’t have a problem with occasional recreational gambling. Personally, I feel that it’s a waste of time and money, as I may as well take the same amount of money, walk a few blocks south, and toss it in the Detroit river, but DH and I have spent 2 hours of time and $20 on movie tickets that were equally a waste of resources.

I think gambling is only a moral problem if someone is not being a good steward of his or her personal resources. Often that goes hand in hand with addiction.

 

[drafdog]

While gambling is not a sin, it is, under normal circumstances, stupid. Calculate the odds and then ask if it is a good idea to spend your money that way.

Matthew

 

[wjp984]

Of course it’s stupid if you think you are actually going to make money. But if you are paying for the fun and high you get from placing your money at risk, then it might not be as stupid to the individual if it is good entertainment. But I agree. It is totallly stupid if you think you are going to win. Sure you might win the first time but unless you never gamble again in your life you will lose