Ahead of this weekend’s Super Bowl — and the surge in sports betting that comes with it — Lifeway Research is shining a spotlight on religious opposition to gambling.
The organization’s latest survey reveals that most Protestant pastors in the U.S. (55%) believe sports betting is morally wrong.
“Most pastors see moral hazards in sports betting and believe American society would be better off without it,” said Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, in a press release.
It should be no surprise, then, that most faith leaders oppose efforts to legalize sports betting nationwide. Fully 75% of survey respondents told Lifeway Research that they oppose nationwide legalization.
Where is sports betting legal?
Since the Supreme Court cleared the way for states to legalize sports betting in 2018, dozens of states have done exactly that, allowing for the rise of gambling apps like FanDuel.
Today, nearly 40 states allow for sports betting, which explains why many major sports companies, including ESPN, promote betting shows or podcasts and even run their own sportsbook.
From 2009 to 2023, the share of Americans who said gambling is morally acceptable rose from 58% to 69%, according to Gallup.
A study released this week by the American Gaming Association predicts that around 26% of U.S. adults — that’s 67.8 million people — will bet on this weekend’s Super Bowl. It suggests that more than $23 billion worth of wagers will be placed.
“Both figures — the number of bettors and the amount wagered — are up significantly from last year’s survey,” ESPN noted in its report on the study.
The article highlighted two Super Bowl bets that have been recorded already — one notable for its size and the other for its subject.
“Caesars Sportsbook reported last week taking a $1 million bet on the 49ers to win the game straight up and a $100,000 wager on the Super Bowl coin flip to land tails,” per ESPN.
Religious views on sports betting
Although most religious leaders are unhappy about the rise of sports betting, few see working to reverse the trend as part of their core mission.
Protestant pastors might offer gambling-related counseling sessions or privately discourage sports betting, but fewer than 10% told Lifeway Research that they speak about the issue from the pulpit (7%) or get involved in efforts to pass stricter gambling regulations (8%).
“Most pastors (56%) now say they haven’t felt the need for their church to address the issue in the last year,” Lifeway Research reported.
John Litzler, director of public policy of the Christian Life Commission for the Baptist General Convention of Texas, is among those working to change that view.
He recently spoke to Religion News Service about his efforts to stop the spread of sports betting and convince other faith leaders to join him.
“What you have to do is say, I know it doesn’t seem like it’s harming you, but here’s how it’s harming your neighbor,” he said.
Texas, where Litzler is based, is among the states that has not yet legalized sports betting.
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