Of the three impulses behind gambling – the desire for gain, the desire for a thrill and the desire for competition, the moral and ethical problems are focused on the desire for gain.
As has been said: “Gambling is a kind of robbery by mutual agreement but it is still robbery, just as duelling, which is murder by mutual agreement, is still treated as murder.” There are three legitimate ways in which wealth may change hands – by giving, by working for it, or by genuine exchange: anything else is virtual theft and so a breaking of the 8th commandment. Creative effort, useful skills, and responsible investment are not integral factors. Such activities include betting, fruit machines, lotteries, casino games, scratchcards and card games. Gambling is any activity in which wealth changes hands, mainly on the basis of chance and with risk to the gambler.
Kenneth Ferguson and Stirling Free Church.
