Gambling is "playing a game of chance for stakes" (Webster). It involves the "betting of money or valuables on, and often participation in, games of chance" (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001).

Compulsive gambling (or pathological gambling) is "a psychological disorder characterized by a persistent inability to resist the impulse to gamble. The disorder is progressive and typically results in difficulties in one's personal, social, and work life; it may lead to bankruptcy or criminal activity to obtain money. The prevalence of compulsive gambling in the United States has increased with that of gambling itself, and it has been estimated that up to 3% of the adult population may gamble pathologically (The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition, 2001).
An example of gambling is found in John 19:23-24. Here, the soldiers who crucified Jesus divided his garments into four parts, one part for each soldier. But since Jesus' tunic was seamless, they gambled for it by casting lots. From this example, we see some of the common sins involved in gambling such as greed and covetousness.

Now, let's briefly consider a few of the sins involved in gambling.
Covetousness (1 Cor. 5:10-11) is "a desire to have more" (Vine's) and is "a strong desire after the possession of worldly things" (Easton's). People who are covetous are unrighteous and will not enter into heaven (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

The love of money (Ec. 5:10; 1 Tim. 6:10) is a form of covetousness. Many people, if not all people, who gamble love money (wealth). The love of money is a root of all sorts of evil (1 Tim. 6:10). One of the evils resulting from the love of money is gambling and all the evil associated with it - hatred, crime, divorce, alcoholism, drug addiction, poverty, homelessness, prostitution, suicide, etc.

Not loving our neighbor (Matt. 22:39) is sin. When we love our neighbor, we do him no harm (Rom. 13:10). The gambler "desires the property of his neighbor without any compensation, and thus works ill to him. The dealer in lotteries desires property for which he has never toiled, and which must be obtained at the expense and loss of others" (Barnes). See the Topical Scripture Guide: Love.

Lust and licentiousness (1 Jn. 2:16; 2 Cor. 12:20-21) are sins involved in gambling. See the Topical Scripture Guide: Lust and Licentiousness.

Gambling, on any level, is a sin. Gambling associated with a church (e.g., bingo), gambling associated with a civil government (e.g., the lottery), and gambling associated with a school (e.g., raffle tickets) is as sinful as gambling at a casino associated with organized crime. God does not permit us to engage in a "little" sin. We cannot covet a little or love money a little and go to heaven. Therefore, we cannot gamble a little and expect to go to heaven.

God commands us to abstain from every form of evil (1 Th. 5:22). Gambling is a form of evil from which we must abstain.

Gambling is a bad example to others.
1 Corin 10:31-33

Christians are called to a walk of holiness (separation from the world).
Eph 5:3
1 Thes 5:22