Idolatry can come in many forms - from the very simple area of mis-prioritizing certain things in our lives so the the Lord is not in the first place in our lives to engaging in behaviors that put people in bondage; participating in activities that a person cannot quit, even if he or she wants to. When we surrender our will to the will of the ungodly, there are spiritual consequences. In 1st Peter 2 (ESV), we can read:
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.
Emily Washburn, contributor to The Daily Citizen of Focus on the Family, writes this at the end of a recent report on the website: “The Daily Citizen encourages you to caution your children against gambling the same way you do other addictive products, like drugs, alcohol and pornography.”
To illustrate, consider the story of Dane Miller, about which the article states: “Miller did not have a gambling problem when he opened a DraftKings account in October 2020. By the time he excluded himself from gambling apps in December 2024, he had placed more than $2 million in bets on the platform.”
Miller is 32 years old, married and a father. He is suing the platform. The lawsuit contends:
[DraftKings] defectively designed [its] product to addict young adults and vulnerable gamblers, who were particularly unable to appreciate the risks posed by the product, and particularly susceptible to harms from the product.
It goes on to say:
Miller reportedly joined DraftKings to take advantage of the company’s infamous “no sweat bets” and other sign-on bonuses. The city of Baltimore called these promotions “deceptive” when it sued DraftKings last year for violating consumer protection laws…
The city stated: “These tactics prompt users to place larger and more frequent wagers than they might have initially intended when considering their personal limits on reasonable betting, by implanting the false idea that users are obtaining ‘free bets’ or otherwise taking on substantially less financial risk than they actually are.”
The lawsuit also states:
The constant prompts, access and live feeds, along with the rapid-fire pace of bets and the personalized attention direct to Miller fueled an addiction that eventually consumed all aspects of Miller’s life.
This digital platform monitors a user’s activity, and rewards the activity by encouraging that person to gamble more. Washburn says that problem gamblers are viewed as “high-value users.” She relates that, “DraftKings and its compatriots could use their data analytics to impose limits on vulnerable users, Miller’s lawsuit points out. Instead, it makes them members of its VIP program.”
So, after Miller gambled away his wedding money in response to the platform’s enticements, “He also took out personal loans and credit cards. He withdrew money from his 401k. In September 2024, he was fired for his ‘constant sports betting.’” Also:
On October 29, 2024, Northwest Community Hospital admitted Miller for suicidal ideation after he wrote a suicide note. He was diagnosed with “severe gambling disorder,” anxiety and depression.
The bottom line: “Miller’s suit argues DraftKings acted with negligence: It created an addictive product designed to keep people on the platform, then it released it to the public without adequate protection for vulnerable gamblers.'"
This is the type of corporate behavior that some Alabama lawmakers wish to authorize in the state, on top of the fascination with casino gambling and a state lottery. They want to dramatically increase the amount of illicit, addictive behavior so they can raise revenue for the state’s coffers.
On The Meeting House on Faith Radio, I have spotlighted Biblical principles that are violated by participation in gambling. Online sports betting has become yet another front, and is particularly enticing and enslaving young men - you can check out my conversation with Jared Pincin and Greg Thompson, professors at Cedarville University in Ohio, who expressed concern about the proliferation of this dangerous behavior.
I believe that government lawmakers and agencies should protect consumers from predatory behavior, rather than endorse it so they can raise money. But, consumers bear responsibility themselves. While Dane Miller’s lawsuit certainly has merit, and I would certainly like for companies like DraftKings to pay a price for the way they lure users into destructive behaviors - and social media companies, for that matter - there is an element of personal responsibility. Our choices can produce beneficial or harmful consequences.
It’s very tempting to blame others for our victimization, but we can be victimized by our own choices. And, that’s where the Church and the Bible come in. We should be watching out for each other - through the proclamation of the Word, personal knowledge of the Word, and through accountability to one another. The Church can be a protective agent, issuing the call and sounding the alarm against societal trends that don’t produce righteous fruit. The Bible teaches us that as we sow, we shall reap, and the Bible, in Titus chapter 2 (NIV), says:
11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age…”
We have the resolve and strength to say “no,” as believers in Christ. As we say, “yes,” to Jesus and His ways, we can reject the ways of the world that would lead to our destruction.