According to a survey from Lifeway Research, many Evangelical pastors in the U.S. are opposed to sports betting, viewing the practice as being “morally wrong.” This comes just ahead of the Super Bowl where many people will participate in sports betting as it has become legalized in many states. The survey was conducted August 29th – September 20th, 2023 where 1,004 Protestant pastors were interviewed. It found that 13 percent of pastors support the nationwide legalization of sports betting while 55 percent consider the practice to be morally objectionable. “Anything can happen in sports, and many Americans want the same allure of an unexpected win in sports to translate into an unexpected financial windfall,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research. “Most pastors see moral hazards in sports betting and believe American society would be better off without it.”

Miles Mullin, vice president and chief-of-staff of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, noted that gambling is not something that is explicitly condemned in the Bible. Mullin did, however, note that Scripture advocates for prudent financial stewardship and warns against the broader social repercussions of sin. “While the Bible does not explicitly say, ‘thou shall not gamble,’ biblical principles regarding work and wealth indicate that gambling is unwise,” he said. “The Bible teaches that sin has a ripple effect that harms not only the participant but those around him. This seems particularly true for addictive behaviors, and gambling is no different.”

In May 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which had effectively banned commercial sports betting in many states. However, since then a growing number of states have passed legislation to legalize sports betting. Some of the states include, Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Tennessee, Virginia, Delaware, New York and West Virginia.