The Sports Gambling Crisis the Church is Ignoring
By Makella Knowles - Posted at MinistryWatch: Published May 28, 2026 Churches are picking their battles, and this one isn't making the cut. Calvin Ridley, star receiver for the Atlanta Falcons, was suspended for an entire season in 2022 for gambling on NFL games. The following year, 10 NFL and one NHL athlete were suspended for gambling-related infractions. “I saw a TV commercial for a betting app, and for whatever reason, I downloaded it on my phone. I deposited like $1,500 total, literally just for something to do. I was going to bet like $200 on some NBA games that night, but then I just added a bunch more games to a parlay,” Ridley wrote, as part of his article for The Player’s Tribune. Online sports gambling is sweeping the nation, luring Americans with promises of harmless fun, easy money, and community. And Christians are not immune—many have embraced it as morally acceptable. But as addiction rates climb, few ministries or churches appear to be stepping in to help. Ministry...
