The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches that members should avoid gambling. The church's
web site has the following statement.
The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints is opposed to gambling,
including lotteries sponsored by governments. Church leaders
have encouraged Church members to join with others in
opposing the legalization and government sponsorship of any
form of gambling.
Scientists are studying the effects of gambling, and here are links to some of their research.
Problem gamblers are a hidden population among people with mental health
or substance abuse issues who often don't get the treatment they need, a
new study shows. Anywhere from 10 to 20 per cent of people with
substance abuse problems also have significant gambling problem, yet few
programs are targeted at them and most social service agencies don't
have funds to treat them, the study's main author says.
