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WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS The Bible makes no significant mention of
gambling. Yet, it does offer a number of guiding principles that reveal how God
feels about gambling.
The basic nature of gambling—winning money at the expense of others—is at
odds with the Bible’s warning to “guard against every sort of greed.” ( Luke
12:15 ) Gambling is, in fact, fueled by greed. Gaming institutions advertise big
jackpots, while downplaying the poor odds of winning, because they know that
dreams of wealth prompt players to wager large amounts at the casinos. Rather
than helping a person guard against greed, gambling promotes the desire for
easy money.
Gambling is based on an inherently selfish goal: winning money that other
players have lost. However, the Bible encourages a person to “keep seeking, not
his own advantage, but that of the other person.” ( 1 Corinthians 10:24 ) And
one of the Ten Commandments states: “You must not desire . . . anything that
belongs to your fellow man.” ( Exodus 20:17 ) When a gambler sets his heart on
winning, he is, in essence, hoping that others will lose their money in order for
him to profit.
The Bible also cautions against viewing luck as a mystic force that might
bestow blessings. In ancient Israel, there were some who lacked faith in God
and began “setting a table for the god of Good Luck.” Was such devotion to
“the god of Good Luck” acceptable to God? No, he said to them: “You kept
doing what was bad in my eyes, and you chose what displeased me.”— Isaiah
65:11, 12 .

The Bible does not place any limit on how long private or public prayers should be. They may range from a brief prayer before a meal to a long private prayer in which we pour out our heart to Jehovah. (1 Samuel 1:12, 15) However, Jesus condemned self-righteous individuals who made long, showy prayers before others. (Luke 20:46, 47) Such prayers do not impress Jehovah. What is important is that we pray from our heart. Hence, the length of acceptable prayers may vary according to needs and circumstances.