# Church basement bingo.. how isn't this gambling? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 31, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682 "2007-10-31T06:16:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Chrismoody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Chrismoody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrismoody)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/1 "2007-10-31T06:16:00Z")
While reading [this](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=442033) thread I thought back to an odd thought I’ve always had… Saturday evenings all the blue haired ladies gathered to chain smoke in the lobby and pull their pull tab things while playing bingo… waiting for someone… oh… maybe that guy upstairs… to make the HBHBL (head blue haired bingo lady) call the magic “B 14”. How… exactly… isn’t this gambling? In the house of God, no less. I mean… If a casino was to open up next door to a church… an outcry! Such a debauchery of society! An off site horse betting place next door? My Lord! We have to write letters to the editor about this one! Back when I was a kid… Anyway… How isn’t this bullshit? Even legally (let alone morally)… How is this not hypocritical bullshit? ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/2 "2007-10-31T06:55:11Z")
Because presumably the money goes to the church, or at least towards Pastor Bob’s new Cadillac. ---
**Author:** ![Chrismoody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Chrismoody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrismoody)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/3 "2007-10-31T07:05:15Z")
So if I bet on which whore could give me a better blowjob and give half the profit to St. Peter’s I’d be ok? ---
**Author:** ![tonedef](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f05b48/32.png) [@tonedef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tonedef)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/4 "2007-10-31T07:20:47Z")
I dont know about where you are referring to but it is classified as gambling where I am. You need to be over 18 to play and also its regulated by some gaming commission. ---
**Author:** ![Chrismoody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Chrismoody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrismoody)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/5 "2007-10-31T07:25:38Z")
Ok then… Morally? I’m betting. Putting money on the table hoping I get far more back. IN GOD’S HOUSE. Didn’t his son kick some ass over something similar once? ---
**Author:** ![A.R.Cane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee7513/32.png) [@A.R.Cane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/A.R.Cane)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/6 "2007-10-31T08:51:32Z")
That’s an age old question. It’s been used by comedians for decades. The answer is, “But it’s for charity”, wink, wink. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/7 "2007-10-31T08:56:43Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] Ok then.. Morally? I’m betting. Putting money on the table hoping I get far more back. IN GOD’S HOUSE. [/QUOTE] The Bible does not specifically condemn gambling, betting, or the lottery. ---
**Author:** ![Chrismoody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Chrismoody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrismoody)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/8 "2007-10-31T09:07:06Z")
Then why all the “crumbling of society” and such when a new casino opens? I’ve seen lots of older people who condemn them but would put off their grandkid’s birthday party if it was bingo day, and they’re devout Christians. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/9 "2007-10-31T09:12:12Z")
Gambling is condemnable on many grounds other than religious ones. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/10 "2007-10-31T09:13:22Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] Morally? I’m betting. Putting money on the table hoping I get far more back. IN GOD’S HOUSE. [/QUOTE] And how is that different from tithing to the church? After all, isn’t it in the Bible that “anything you give, God will return to you tenfold”? And in the Koran, too, I think. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/11 "2007-10-31T09:25:41Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] Then why all the “crumbling of society” and such when a new casino opens? I’ve seen lots of older people who condemn them but would put off their grandkid’s birthday party if it was bingo day, and they’re devout Christians. [/QUOTE] Could it be just a different set of people making the ‘crumbling of society’ alarm calls from the folks running the bingo for the blue-rinse ladies? Of course they might all be considered to be part of the same group, but it’s not really very unusual for religious subgroup A to do something that religious subgroup B happens to frown upon. ---
**Author:** ![denquixote](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9bd4f/32.png) [@denquixote](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/denquixote)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/12 "2007-10-31T09:26:51Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] So if I bet on which whore could give me a better blowjob and give half the profit to St. Peter’s I’d be ok? [/QUOTE] As long as you did not personally evaluate the evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Chrismoody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f6c823/32.png) [@Chrismoody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chrismoody)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/13 "2007-10-31T09:47:31Z")
[QUOTE=denquixote] As long as you did not personally evaluate the evidence. [/QUOTE] Heh.. that made me laugh.. I think **Walloon** pretty much answered this one a few posts back.. I was just posting for the comedy factor here.. Anyway.. I believe this can be closed. ---
**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/14 "2007-10-31T09:54:26Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] Then why all the “crumbling of society” and such when a new casino opens? I’ve seen lots of older people who condemn them but would put off their grandkid’s birthday party if it was bingo day, and they’re devout Christians. [/QUOTE] I’d also suggest that if people are concerned about the effects that gambling can have on people’s lives, they might see a great qualitative difference between a big impersonal casino that’s just out to suck as much money as it can out of people’s pockets, and a friendly game of church bingo, where hopefully some kind-hearted souls are in charge and can intervene if they perceive that somebody is spending more than they can afford to lose. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/15 "2007-10-31T13:48:35Z")
Sure it’s gambling. But (in [New York State](http://www.racing.state.ny.us/charitable/char.home.htm), at least), it’s legal. ---
**Author:** ![sugar\_and\_spice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e8c25b/32.png) [@sugar\_and\_spice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sugar_and_spice)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/16 "2007-10-31T14:48:17Z")
[QUOTE=Mangetout] Could it be just a different set of people making the ‘crumbling of society’ alarm calls from the folks running the bingo for the blue-rinse ladies? Of course they might all be considered to be part of the same group, but it’s not really very unusual for religious subgroup A to do something that religious subgroup B happens to frown upon. [/QUOTE] To give a specific example, the Catholic faith does not preach that gambling is, with no exception, a sin. IME churches that have bingo night are generally Catholic (this is of course due to my location). Do you have a specific example of a church of another denomination with a Bingo night? It shouldn’t take us long to figure out if that denomination prohibits gambling. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/17 "2007-10-31T15:01:36Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] Ok then.. Morally? I’m betting. Putting money on the table hoping I get far more back. IN GOD’S HOUSE. Didn’t his son kick some ass over something similar once? [/QUOTE] No. ---
**Author:** ![Gfactor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9de053/32.png) [@Gfactor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gfactor)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/church-basement-bingo-how-isnt-this-gambling/424682/18 "2007-10-31T15:04:47Z")
[QUOTE=Chrismoody] I believe this can be closed. [/QUOTE] Thread closed at the request of the OP. **Gfactor** General Questions Moderator