In 1976 approximately 1.1 million people in the United States were probable compulsive gamblers. This figure represented less than 1 percent of the population. Yet the mental health community did not officially diagnose and take seriously this excessive problem until 1980. That was the year that measurable characteristics for diagnosing gambling addiction were presented in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 3d Edition (DSM-III 1980). How many individual lives and families do you suppose had been devastated by then? Yet more than twenty years later, and though many people have been awakened to the addictive cycle involved with gambling, the church is still asleep. The church has been lulled into thinking it is “those people out there,” not the members of our own congregations. Those in bondage (including Christians) will compromise their values and their biblical principles. They may even seek benevolence (money from the church) to pay their overdue bills as a bailout from financial devastation.

This chapter will provide education and awareness of this escalating problem. It will also include information to equip the church to make a proper assessment and referral or to do an intervention.

For the past nine weeks, except for the week that she was in the hospital for inflammatory arthritis, Mabel (not her real name) faithfully attended the Friday night bingo games. Most of the women in her auxiliary played. Since her husband’s death two years ago, she was lonely and tired of being home alone. She looked forward to seeing her friends at their favorite table in the fellowship hall and playing her lucky board. Like the other ladies, Mabel was happy that they could help the church raise money for the new playground. She didn’t even mind when she lost, because the money was going to a good cause. When the church offered free transportation to the casino on Saturdays, Mabel’s group was the first to board the bus. She could now get back the money she lost playing bingo and win even more on the slot machines. This was now her third trip, and she had big donation plans, despite the fact she had already lost $3,700. In less than three months, Mabel’s weekend outings had cost her more than she could afford. She was certain it would only take her a few more trips to win back her savings. According to her, things were going fine—until her daughter-in-law found out. Mabel couldn’t believe that her family thought she had a problem. Why would they think she was a gambler?

It is possible to win a bet, to have winning days, and in extremely rare cases to have winning years; but over any considerable period of time, the statistical probabilities dictate that everyone must lose! Whether gambling or gaming, a person still doesn’t have a chance. Consider the following list of activities. Can you tell the difference between gambling and gaming? (See table on next page.)

According to Rogers (1997), Dr. Samuel Johnson in the Dictionary of the English Language (1755), gives no noun use for gamble, but gambler is defined as “a knave whose practice it is to invite the unwary to game and cheat them.” To game was defined by Johnson as “to play wantonly and extravagantly for money.”

This would describe the behavior of many in our culture. Current statistics show that 3–4 percent of the U.S. population, a little over 10 million people, can be identified as problem, compulsive, or pathological gamblers.

There are still others whose level of functioning has been impaired, although they may not be labeled pathological.

Gambling has become the vice of choice for the masses. According to Rogers in Seducing America: Is Gambling a Good Bet? (1997), gambling expenditures each year exceed the amount of money spent on films, books, amusements, and music entertainment combined. He indicated that studies show the following statistics on gambling for U.S. citizens:

• 95% have gambled at some time in their lives

• 89% approve of casino gambling

• 82% have played the lottery

• 75% have played slot machines

According to Custer and Milt (1985), there are six different types of gamblers: professional, antisocial personality, casual social, serious social, relief-and-escape, and pathological/compulsive. These gamblers range from those who are very controlled and patiently wait for the best bet, to those who cannot stop (without intervention/treatment) no matter how hard they try. In When Luck Runs Out (1985), Custer and Milt provide brief descriptions similar to those listed below for each type of gambler:

Within the six types of gamblers, there are also two subtypes. The classic pattern found to be common in the early years of treatment and recovery was the action gambler. Action gamblers were usually domineering, controlling, manipulative men with large egos. They saw themselves as friendly, sociable, gregarious, and generous. Their average IQ was over 120. They were energetic, assertive, persuasive, and confident. In spite of all this, they usually had low self-esteem. Historically, they started gambling at an early age (often in their teens) by placing small bets on sporting events or playing cards with friends or relatives. They progressed through the phases of the disorder over a ten-to-thirty-year time span.

Action compulsive gamblers gamble primarily at skill games such as poker or other card games, craps or other dice games, horse and dog racing, and sports betting. These gamblers dominate both legal and illegal sports betting. They gamble to beat other individuals or the “hous...