Does the Bible say anything specific about gambling or games of chance?
There are indirect descriptions of not being foolish. When applied to gambling one might infer that if one loses money at the same rate as other entertainment (say $5 per hour) it might not be harmful for you as an individual. However, one can also apply the weaker brother principle from Romans that even if gambling is not a problem for you, will a brother or sister in Christ be tempted by seeing you gamble to bring ruin on themselves.
I’ve thought about this question before, too, and have found this article’s commentary insightful.
“The Bible doesn’t directly mention gambling by name, but it does address money extensively. These principles can be applied to all financial integrity, including gambling.”
While the Bible may not directly mention gambling, it has so much to say about money, stewardship, financial responsibility, and giving which all factor into this discussion.
Gambling, I think, is one of those areas where you can exercise your Christian freedom. The thing we need to be careful of, though, is not to allow ourselves to get sucked into the promise of winning more and more and relying on that instead of on God’s provision. Another thing we need to consider if we choose to budget money to bet on a sporting event or buy a lottery ticket is whether it could cause fellow Christians to fall into sin. So many people struggle with gambling addictions, so even if we are not tempted to gamble more money than we budgeted for, others who see us gambling may be tempted and fall into sin. For that reason, I think we need to ask, “Is gambling really worth it?”
Perhaps not always, but most often I think the answer is “no.”