Cedarville University professors Dr. Jared Pincin (Economics) and Dr. Greg Thompson (Criminal Justice) sat down with ChurchLeaders to warn that legalized sports betting has created a rapidly growing spiritual and social crisis.
As sports enthusiasts, Pincin and Thompson are sounding the alarm even louder than before following the recent scandals in both the NBA and MLB that are linked to sports betting.
The professors argued that mobile betting has normalized gambling for young men and exposed them to addiction-level behaviors by putting “a casino in your pocket.” They shared that research has shown that gambling disorder mirrors substance addiction, driven by dopamine, risk-taking, and chasing losses.
Ohio legalized sports betting on Jan. 1, 2023, after Governor Mike DeWine signed House Bill 29 into law on Dec. 22, 2021. Today, the state ranks fourth among the nation’s top gambling states.
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The professors explained that the State of Ohio has accelerated the problem with massive advertising budgets, prop bets, and parlays that push users toward increasingly risky habits. Pincin and Thompson don’t believe this situation will slow down any time soon because both the states and leagues profit heavily from tax revenue and sponsorships.
The professors stressed that the church must address gambling directly, help those caught in secrecy and shame, and embrace discipleship over silence. While they differ slightly on whether gambling is inherently sinful, both agree it is deeply unwise, spiritually dangerous, and an “explosive issue” that Christians must confront with clarity, compassion, and biblical grounding.
“I think the church is caught off guard,” Thompson said. “So first, we want to educate people to be careful. And second, we tell churches: This will be a problem in your congregation.”
Pincin shared that the difference between “sports gambling compared to other gambling is that it combines something people genuinely enjoy—athletics—with something the medical profession treats like substance abuse.” He explained, “Gambling disorder is diagnosed like substance addiction. And now we’re taking young males, who already have high risk tolerance, and putting them into a high-risk behavior.”
One statistic that Pincin came across in his research was there is a “67% increase in Google searches for help with gambling addiction.” He said, “That suggests people are struggling privately. The devil works in secrecy. It’s sold as, ‘Everyone’s doing it. What’s wrong with you?’”
ChurchLeaders asked, “Is gambling a sin?“
“Sticky question,” Pincin replied, “I tell students: ‘At worst, it’s sinful. At best, it’s unwise.’ I’m not sure putting $5 on a Thursday night game is a sin.” But he clarified, “Once you start chasing money, any activity can become sinful…it’s not a behavior you should be getting yourself into.”
“I’m not willing to bet on” the fact that gambling is a sin, Pincin joked, “because Scripture doesn’t anywhere directly say, ‘No.’ But you can build a case that it is not wise.”
Thompson said for him, gambling is a “sin” because he is convicted by the “Holy Spirit” not to do so.
But they both agreed they aren’t going around pointing at people telling them they need to repent because they gamble.
“Fantasy football among friends for five bucks is not what we’re talking about,” Thompson said. The professors are sounding the alarm on the fast-paced, non-stop world of online sports betting. This isn’t a small issue, they warned, but rather “an explosive” one.
Read the professors’ report here. Watch the full interview below:
