This Week in Gambling – As a Christian man I am constantly shocked by the ignorance and hypocrisy carried out under the religious umbrella. So, I would like to make one thing very clear right now: Gambling is not a sin. There is no scriptural support for saying that it is, no matter what vague passage is taken out of context and twisted to fit someone moral opinion… so shut up.

Gambling is not ethically right or wrong, it’s an activity. Most Christians don’t like to openly talk about sex, either. But sex, like gambling, is an activity that is not good or bad in and of itself… it’s how it’s used. It’s the context that makes it good or bad. People can abuse and become addicted to a variety of things, but the “holier than thou” folks always single out drinking, smoking, and gambling as “wrong”. Truth is none of those things are sins and they cannot justify otherwise. Period.

Gambling is a part of the human condition. Gambling is what pushed frontiersmen to the west. Gambling is what took us to the moon. People gamble every time they put their car on the road. And if adults want to responsibly play a game of craps or enjoy a slot machine it’s no ones “ethical obligation” to enforce their individual warped sense of moral high ground on the rest of us.

Online gambling has been studied by Harvard Medical and it was found to be no more addictive than a real casino. Online gambling has been legal and regulated in the United Kingdom for a decade… and it works! Gambling has a negative reputation in the United States for cultural reasons and prejudices that don’t exists outside the superficial and shallow borders of this country. And most of those who condemn gambling do so simply because they were taught it’s “wrong” by someone else… and the cycle of ignorance continues.

Online gambling is going on right this second in America with little to no protection for children, for people with gambling problems, and without any consumer safety. But people will continue to do so no matter what misguided laws are passed by the “ethically superior”, or enforced by the self-appointed naughty police. Prohibition of alcohol failed miserably. The “war” on drugs is a complete disaster. And despite all the warnings, millions of people still smoke tobacco. Shouldn’t we then outlaw all cigarettes, cigars, and liquor because someone may become addicted? Could children could get a hold of these products? We would not even discuss such ludicrous things seriously… and why? Because America is a free country where adults can make their own choices… even “bad” ones… if they wish to do so.

A recent article by the Christian Science Monitor attempted to use an old cliché and scare tactic that has been refuted since 2005. Well, if thwy had taken the time to be responsible journalists, they would have discovered there is simply NO WAY to “click a mouse and lose your house”. No one can deposit that much at an offshore online gambling site. However, a player could conceivably lose their life savings playing at an online horse betting site that is already legal and approved by several states! And by the way, there are state officials trying to stop “gambling addict” from buying $30,000 in lottery tickets for this week’s Powerball drawing. There’s no one at the tribal casinos in charge of policing the ATM’s to stop those who have had too much to drink. There are no state officials at the local card rooms checking bank accounts to make sure players aren’t losing their rent and grocery money. To say otherwise is at best ignorance and a complete lack of common sense… and at worst an outright lie.

The regulation of online gambling in the United States will create a database of player activity to identify and help addicts. It would create an age verification process that will protect children. It will create over site to ensure fair gaming. It will create electronic fingerprints on all transactions to prevent money laundering. It will create a system of player protection, dispute resolution, and accountability on all sides. It will keep the 50 billion dollars a year wagered on this activity right here in this country and our economy. And let’s not forget about the huge tax base. This is not speculation, it’s fact. These things are happening right now in the UK and Europe, and it works.

It’s time the opponents of gambling realize that they are not the final authority on what is acceptable human behavior and stop hiding behind the lies of “child protection” and “stopping the addicts” that are only a thin attempt at hiding their moral objectives. If you truly want to protect people then don’t shove this activity underground, or offshore to corporations beyond the reach of law enforcement… that’s where the criminals want it to be! Bring the activity into the light where everything is monitored, transparent, tracked, and checked.

Let’s remember that gambling is not a sin. There is, however, enough scripture to show that hypocrisy and judgement are.