Subscribe to Christianity Today
Subscribe to Christianity Today
May 14, 2008
Free E-mail Newsletters:
RSS Feed | More Feeds | RSS Help

Home > 2008 > March (Web-only)Christianity Today, March (Web-only), 2008  |   |  
Gambling Opponents Say Moral Argument No Longer a Trump
As casinos and lotteries spread, two-thirds of Americans join in.



ADVERTISEMENT

The moral opposition to gambling might be gasping its last breaths.

As more and more states turn to casinos and gambling to fill shrinking budget coffers, the voices of the religious opposition are struggling to convince people that it is morally wrong.

It's an uphill fight: A recent study by Ellison Research showed that 70 percent of Americans do not consider gambling to be a sin.

"It's not acceptable in today's society to present arguments based solely on religion or morals," said I. Nelson Rose, who teaches gambling law at the Whittier Law School in California.

Thirty years ago, gamblers had to try their luck with scratch-off tickets or at casinos in Atlantic City or Las Vegas. Today, only two states — Utah and Hawaii — do not have some form of legalized gambling, according to the American Gaming Association. The other 48 have anteed up for tribal casinos, commercial casinos, racetracks, jai alai or lotteries.

Forty-three states have lotteries, mostly marketed as voluntary taxes for education, and 12 states now have commercial casinos.

Gambling contributes around 5 percent to state budgets — double what it was five years ago, said the Rev. Richard McGowan, a Boston College professor and author of The Gambling Debate, published in January.

In some states, it contributes much more, McGowan said — 11 percent in Louisiana and 18 percent in South Dakota. Experts say the gambling industry is growing and shows no signs of stopping any time soon.

"The church's opposition to gambling has not been widely effective," said the Rev. Tom Grey, spokesman for the National Coalition Against Legalized Gambling, "because (the church is) not relevant in an irreverent age."

Grey, who fought gambling for years from the pulpit as a United Methodist pastor, said the moral argument that gambling is a sin is too easily swept aside as impeding the personal freedom of others.

As a result, Grey's anti-gambling coalition avoids explicit mentions of religion, and presents more economically grounded arguments that center around addiction, bankruptcy and crime, Grey said.

"There's a cost when people lose — they chase the loss," Grey said. "It's the government's dirty little secret. The house always wins."

Some states, such as Kansas, Maryland, Kentucky and Massachusetts, are in various stages of trying to expand the gambling options they already have.

Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear, both Democrats, recently proposed bills to open commercial casinos, citing jobs and more money for economic development, education and other state programs as the payoffs.

"Legislators and governors have hard decisions to make," said Frank Fahrenkopf, executive director of the American Gaming Association, which represents commercial casinos. "And gaming is capital-intensive and produces jobs."

In a 2007 Gallup survey, 63 percent of Americans had no moral qualms about gambling. Earlier this year, Gallup found that 65 percent of Americans participated in some form of gambling, 46 percent played the lottery and 24 percent had been to a casino.

"Problem gamblers" — those who become addicted, go broke, or turn to criminal activity — only make up 1 percent of those who gamble, Fahrenkopf said.

Still, Fahrenkopf noted, gambling is not "a panacea," pointing to Detroit as an example of a gambling city that has struggled to turn around. The problem there was a lack of viable businesses around the casinos, he said.

Many states that are expanding gambling are just trying to keep up with their neighbors.





E-mail this pageWrite CTPrint this articlePost a comment





  


Subscribe to Christianity Today and get 3 free trial issues. No credit card required.

Please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery. Offer valid in U.S. only.

If you decide you want to keep Christianity Today coming, honor your invoice for just $19.95 and receive nine more issues, a full year in all. If not, simply write "cancel" across the invoice and return it. The three trial issues are yours to keep, regardless.


Click here for international orders2-for-1 Gifts!

[Reader Reviews]
Average User Rating: 

Displaying 1 - 3 of 12 comments.See all comments
Moore or Less   Posted: March 18, 2008 4:09 PM
THe arguments against gambling could also work for skiing, sports and whatever else you don't like. Jesus was a friend of publicans and sinners and was accused of sitting with the drunks and hookers because He wasn't caught up in these goofy religious debates. You will never cure a sinner by taking away his favorite sin, i.e. prohibition. Drugs weren't outlawed in America until well into the 20th century, that is when the trouble really hit the fan. Legislation sets up a government run monopoly and rife corruption. GET REAL, one of my favprite and most fruitful places to minister is the casino. I am unfettered there, by the religious crowd or their doctrines - Just Like Jesus!

Wes H   Posted: March 18, 2008 7:00 PM
When I was growing up, gambling, dancing, going to movies, playing pool, wearing lipstick, open toed womans shoes, drinking, etc. were all considered to be a sin. My wife and I used to show up in Vagas once a year for HS basketball bames. We'd put $20 into the local economy via the casino's for a nights entertainment. Sin? I'm not so sure. It certainly is cheaper that what my kids go through in an arcade in much less than an hour. I called it entertainment, and had NO expectation of winning. The problem with anything, it that it [gambling, alcohol, drugs, money, sex, FOOD, etc] can become more important that serving God. Criminalizing acts doesn't seem to change behavior, at least historically. Didn't a Jewish carpenter summerize his teaching by saying something about loving God and somebody? Probably to simple for real Christians.

Jim D.   Posted: March 18, 2008 8:50 PM
Being a native Las Vegan, my views may differ from most. I believe gambling in controlled moderation is not a big deal, but when deciding to bring gambling to your home town, you really have to count the cost's. Problem gambling is no small deal. I don't have the statistics, but I would dispute Mr. Farenkopft's 1 %. Just from living in Las Vegas I would have to say it's closer to 5%, maybe a little higher. Never the less gaming provides a lot of good paying jobs and provides us with a strong and stable economy. I also would add that most places that add gaming are not going to reap the benifits of Nevada and Atlantic City.

sponsors 








[Browse More Christianity Today]

Search





















Search by Name
Or use Advanced Search to search by program, region, cost, affiliation, enrollment, more!

Search by:





Books & Culture
Christian History & Biography
Christianity Today
Church Law & Tax Report
Church Finance Today
Ignite Your Faith
Leadership Journal
Marriage Partnership
Men of Integrity
Today's Christian
Today's Christian Woman
Your Church
ChristianityTodayLibrary.com
PreachingToday.com