What Does Catholic Church Says About Gambling

Everest,

Is the temptation of gambling an occasion for sin? 

The catholic church does not consider gambling to be essentially evil, catholic teachings give freedom to gamble but cautions against excesses.  according to a document issued by the Pennsylvania Catholic Conference, when that state was considering legalizing riverboat gambling in the 1990s. “In fact, we recognize that properly controlled, gambling can have positive aspects, such as the provision of legitimate recreation, the generation of funds for acceptable causes, and in some cases, the enhancement of local economies,” the document says.  it continues:

traditional catholic teachings maintain that gambling is morally acceptable when
these conditions stated below are met.

• The money or possessions wagered are not needed to support one’s family or to fulfill other just obligations.

• A person participates freely.

• The revenues derived from gambling are not used to support any illegal or immoral enterprise.

• The games of chance are operated fairly and every participant has an equal chance of winning or losing.

Or, as the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it, games of chance or wagers 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.”

The Encyclopedia then goes into a long history of Catholic teaching on gambling. It points out that canon law had originally banned the practice. The Fourth Lateran Council, in the year 1215, forbade clerics to play or to be present at games of chance.

“Some authorities, such as Aubespine, have attempted to explain the severity of the ancient canons against gambling by supposing that idolatry was often connected with it in practice,” the encyclopedia explains. “The pieces that were played with were small-sized idols, or images of the gods, which were invoked by the players for good luck. However, as Benedict XIV remarks, this can hardly be true, as in that case the penalties would have been still more severe.”

In the wake of the Council of Trent, however, we find an easing up on the blanket ban. The 16th-century council ordered that all the ancient canons on the subject were to be observed, but Pope Benedict XIV left it to the judgment of bishops to decide what games should be held to be unlawful according to the different circumstances of person, place, and time. St. Charles Borromeo then drew up a list of games that were forbidden to the clergy, and another list of those that were allowed.

“Among those which he forbade were not only dicing in various forms, but also games something like our croquet and football,” the encyclopedia, originally published in 1913, says. “Other particular councils declared that playing at dice and cards was unbecoming and forbidden to clerics, and in general they forbade all games which were unbecoming to the clerical state.”

lets look at what the bible says about gambling with several scriptural backings

• 1 Tim 6:10 - 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (NIV)

• Deuteronomy 8:18 - And you shall remember the LORD your GOD, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may establish his covenant which he swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (NKJV)

• Ecclesiastes 5:10 - He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. (NKJV). 

• 10 Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income. This too is meaningless. (NIV). 

• Hebrews 13:5 - Let your conduct be without covetousness, and be content with such things as you have. For he himself has said, "i will never leave you nor forsake you".(NKJV)

• 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” (NIV)

• Luke 12:15 -Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” (NIV)

• 15- And he said to them "take heed and beware of covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses". (NKJV)