Can a Christian Buy Lottery Tickets

Official answer 2026-08-22

There is no verse forbidding lotteries, so state that plainly: this is not an explicit sin, and Christians judge it differently. But Scripture does have several relevant teachings worth reading together. On greed: the New Testament treats it seriously, going as far as equating covetousness with idolatry. Buying a ticket is not necessarily greed, but that desire is precisely what the product is sold on, and that deserves honest acknowledgement. On where money comes from: Scripture repeatedly affirms earned work, and also gift and provision. It is broadly unenthusiastic about gain that requires other people loss. The structure of a lottery is exactly that: what very few win comes from what very many lose. On contentment: be content with what you have, and do not love money — that is direct New Testament teaching. People buying repeatedly are usually not being entertained; they are maintaining a fantasy that things will change. Some questions more useful than is it allowed. If this money were not spent here, where would it go? Have I increased my spending after a win, or after a long run of losses? Both reactions are signals. Have I ever concealed this from my family? Concealment usually precedes the problem becoming visible. One further layer: in many places lotteries function as a hidden tax on the poor — the highest proportional spending comes from the lowest incomes. For a Christian that is worth sitting with: the business you are participating in is built on other people desperation. And if you cannot stop, that is not a willpower failure but an addiction; it deserves professional help and deserves telling one person.