Is Playing Poker for a Living a Sin – God And Poker

Is Playing Poker for a Living a Sin

Yes, it is a sin to play poker for a living.

How about is it a sin to gamble for fun?

In today’s society, poker, gambling, and other types of it are typically considered acceptable.

There are now gaming halls on primetime television, while earlier there were simply gambling halls.

Poker is no longer just a Las Vegas thing; it’s available in California, on the internet, and pretty much everywhere else in the country.

Playing poker for a living

The person should not consider poker as the source of daily bread.

So let’s talk about poker for a minute.

The objective is the same no matter what type of poker game you’re playing.

Players are seated at a table and competing for the chips of their opponents.

The entire point of the game is to defraud your opponents of their money.

Theft in Poker

You must not commit theft. Verse 20:15 of the Book of Moses (NKJV).

Poker is a game of stealing, just like in real life.

While a poker player may insist that the game is one of talent, let’s take a closer look at how it is actually played to see whether that is the case.

Blinds can be “stolen” by one player from another.

Another player will be duped out of their money by a third.

When it comes to poker, a competent player knows how to use bluff and trap.

Bluffing is the art of deceiving another player or group of players into believing that their money in a pot is worthless and should be surrendered to the house.

The art of deception is used in trapping, the second most important poker skill.

When a player has a strong hand, he will pretend to have a weak one in the hopes of making another player wager all of his money on him.

Don’t let evil win; instead, use good to defeat it.

Poker is a bad habit to get into, so instead of just breaking the bad habit, we should replace it with a healthy one.

Instead, there are numerous constructive actions we can take (study, pray, share with others, spend time with friends or family, read the Bible, workout, help others, these are just a few suggestions).

Is Poker Evil

Bluffing is technically theft, according to various blog articles I’ve read.

When I hear the word “stealing,” I immediately conjure up images of someone obtaining something via deception.

The dictionary describes the action as “taking another’s property without their consent or right.”

People that sit down at a poker table grant you the opportunity to compete for their funds.

That’s when you can go after their personal belongings.

As long as you’re not doing anything illegal or FRAUDULENT, I doubt that your poker wins constitute “stolen” money.

Poker is a game of deception, where you try to hide the strength of your hand from the other players.

If you ask certain people, they’ll say this is “lying and fraud.”

When a baseball pitcher uses the curveball to confuse the batter, is this any different?

In what way am I lying if I place a $500 bet on the river and someone asks if I’m bluffing and I don’t answer?

If you’re worried about your opponents, consider the possibility that some of them have gambling addictions and are consequently losing their jobs.

 There is a strong correlation between “love of money,” “covetousness,” and “selfish ambition.” 

Covetousness and Selfish Ambition

No one can serve both God and money, but we all require a source of income to get by.

It’s easy to get caught up in the idea of being wealthy.

However, when I play poker, I’m not hoping to become rich soon.

Even after putting in numerous hours of research and effort to ensure that my judgments are sound, I only expect to see a modest return on my investment.

When my opponents are sitting on large stacks, I’m not envious of them.

I’ve mastered the art of being content in every situation “whatever happens at the table, whether I lose $5,000 or win it all, is up to me.

We are instructed to be content with the bread we eat and the garments we wear every day. I’m not looking to become wealthy; rather, my goal is to make ends meet.

Poker is a predatory game

Weaker players making lots of basic blunders is the only way to gain money at the table.

A predator is someone who takes advantage of others for their own gain or profit.

According to Scripture, we aren’t even allowed to charge interest on the loan principal.

In poker, the only way to win money is by taking advantage of someone else.

However, isn’t this the case for the vast majority of things in a market economy?

It says in the Bible that we should “do nothing out of competition or conceit but in humility esteem others more significant than yourselves, in Philippians chapter two, verse 3.”

The answer is yes, you’re making money off of the faults of others.

However, companies like Cold Stone, McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and others make money by taking advantage of people’s bad health decisions.

The word “predator” implies that the prey is gullible or unwilling, which isn’t the case when playing poker.

In a legal sense, you’re a recreation and amusement provider. In addition, a set percentage of your winnings can be donated to charity.

In Christ, we have freedom, but that doesn’t mean we may engage in immoral behavior.

I’ve asked for advice from pastors and other Christians and have received conflicting and strong responses on both sides of the issue.

What’s Next

For us to be given certain sins may be a difficult assignment.

The person should not consider poker as the source of daily bread.

 The truth is that some vices, such as poker, can actually be profitable.  

Giving up something that can earn you more money or offer you more power may seem like a loss.

You may feel as if you’re missing out on an opportunity to make money.

Those who want to hang on to their monetary wealth, on the other hand, are the ones that lose out.

Gambling and poker in general are evil, according to the vast amount of biblical evidence we’ve examined, and not something that God wants us to do.

We owe it to Him to take a stance for Him and let go of the past life we’ve known.

I encourage you to seek God’s help and forgiveness in this area right now and to give thanks to Him for His ability to triumph.

Ask Him to assist you in gaining the triumph over sin in all areas of your life.