Topic reference
What does the Bible say about gambling?
Does the word appear in the Bible?
The word "gambling" does not appear in the Bible.
The English word 'gambling' does not appear in the Bible. The activity in its modern form — staking money on an uncertain outcome for the chance of gain — is not directly named in any biblical text. Passages cited in modern gambling discussions typically address wealth, the desire for wealth, or the casting of lots as a method of decision-making.
Every relevant passage
1 Timothy 6:9-10
Those who want to be rich, however, fall into temptation and become ensnared by many foolish and harmful desires that plunge them into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. By craving it, some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many sorrows.
But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.
1 Timothy 6:9–10 appears in Paul's first letter to Timothy, written to a younger associate addressing teaching in the church at Ephesus. The passage addresses the love of money rather than gambling specifically. It is frequently cited in modern discussions of gambling because the act of gambling is often framed as an expression of the desire to gain wealth, but the passage itself does not name gambling.
Proverbs 13:11
Dishonest wealth will dwindle, but what is earned through hard work will be multiplied.
A standalone proverb from the wisdom literature, contrasting wealth obtained through unspecified 'dishonest' means with wealth gained through labour. Translations vary on the rendering of the Hebrew word הֲבָל (havel/havol), which the BSB renders 'dishonest' and other versions render 'hastily' or 'in haste.'
Proverbs 28:20
A faithful man will abound in blessings, but one eager to be rich will not go unpunished.
A wisdom proverb pairing faithfulness with blessing and 'eagerness to be rich' with punishment. Like 1 Timothy 6:9–10, it addresses the disposition toward wealth rather than any specific transaction.
Proverbs 28:22
A stingy man hastens after wealth and does not know that poverty awaits him.
A second wisdom proverb in the same chapter, on a similar theme. The Hebrew describes a man 'with an evil eye' — an idiom for stinginess or covetousness — who pursues wealth quickly.
Matthew 27:35
When they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments by casting lots.
The casting of lots by Roman soldiers at the crucifixion is the most well-known instance of what would today be called gambling in the New Testament. The text describes the action without comment.
Acts 1:26
Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
The early Christian community casts lots to choose between two candidates to replace Judas as an apostle. Casting lots in the Hebrew Bible and early Christian usage is portrayed as a method of decision-making rather than a wager. See Proverbs 16:33 for the wisdom-literature framing.
Proverbs 16:33
The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD.
A proverb on the nature of casting lots. The text frames the practice as a means of revealing divine decision rather than as a transaction of risk for gain.
Original language
Original language
The Bible has no single Hebrew or Greek word that corresponds to the modern English word 'gambling' as an activity category. Casting lots — Hebrew גּוֹרָל (goral), Greek κλῆρος (klēros) — appears more than 70 times across the Old and New Testaments, but the texts describe it as a method of decision-making (dividing land, selecting officials, choosing between candidates) rather than as a wager. The Greek noun κλῆρος is the source of the English word 'clergy,' which originally referred to those chosen by lot.
What the text does not say
Passages commonly cited in this discussion that, in full context, are about something else.
- Matthew 27:35 (soldiers casting lots)
The casting of lots by Roman soldiers at the crucifixion is descriptive narrative, not a teaching for or against gambling. The text reports the action without evaluating it.
- Acts 1:26 (selection of Matthias)
Casting lots to select an apostle is a method of decision-making, not a wager. The text does not comment on gambling as a category.
- Proverbs 16:33
The proverb addresses the casting of lots as a means of receiving a decision attributed to the LORD, not as gambling for gain.
What we are showing you
This page lists every Bible passage commonly cited in discussions of gambling. Each is presented in full, with a factual note about its surrounding context and what the passage does and does not address. We do not draw a conclusion about whether gambling is permitted, prohibited, or anything between.
Two things to know about the texts
First, the modern English word “gambling” — staking value on an uncertain outcome for the chance of gain — has no direct vocabulary equivalent in biblical Hebrew or Greek. The activity is not named as a category.
Second, “casting lots” appears more than 70 times in the Bible (Hebrew goral, Greek klēros). It is portrayed as a method of decision-making — dividing land, selecting officials, choosing between candidates — rather than as a wager. Proverbs 16:33 frames the casting of lots as a means by which the LORD makes a decision. The Roman soldiers’ casting of lots for Jesus’ garments at the crucifixion (Matthew 27:35, John 19:23–24) is reported as narrative description without commentary.
The passages most often cited in modern gambling discussions are wisdom-literature warnings about eagerness to be rich and Pauline material about love of money. They address dispositions toward wealth, not any specific transaction.