Biblical Answer

Is gambling explicitly forbidden in the Bible?

No, the Bible does not explicitly forbid gambling. While the Bible does speak to the issue of risk and uncertainty, it does not specifically address the subject of gambling. The argument against gambling is often based on the sovereignty of God and the potential for sin, such as covetousness or greed, but these arguments are not explicit in the Bible.

The Bible does speak to the issue of risk and uncertainty in the context of making decisions, such as when to plant or harvest (Matthew 25:14-30). In these cases, humans are finite and cannot know the future, so they must trust in God's sovereignty and make decisions based on the information available. This principle could be applied to gambling, but it is not an explicit prohibition.

The only mention of gambling in the Bible is in the context of the Pharisees accusing Jesus of being a drunkard and a glutton, where Jesus responds that a drunkard is someone who is consumed by drink, not someone who drinks occasionally (Matthew 11:19; Luke 7:34). This passage does not address the issue of gambling, but rather uses it as an example of a sinful attitude. Overall, the Bible does not explicitly forbid gambling, and the issue is left to individual interpretation.