Changes

'''Gambling''' is a [[demon]]ic habit of betting on uncertain outcomes, which typically robs the poor for the benefit of a few rich exploiters of the [[addiction]].  Sometimes the game entails a bit of skill to entice the ego of the participant, as in [[poker]]. '''''Gambling [[addiction]] is devastating to society and families affected by it''''', often harming those who can least afford it.  Illustrating gambling's [[demonic]] source, those who crucified [[Jesus]] divided his clothes by gambling among themselves for them.<ref>[[Matthew 20-28 (Translated)#27:35|Matthew 27:35]]; ''see also'' [[Mark 9-16 (Translated)#15:24|Mark 15:24]].</ref>  '''''[[Unplug the NFL]] to reduce harmful [[gambling]]'''''.  

'''Gambling''' is a [[demon]]ic habit of betting on uncertain outcomes, which typically robs the poor for the benefit of a few rich exploiters of the [[addiction]].  Sometimes the game entails a bit of skill to entice the ego of the participant, as in [[poker]]. '''''Gambling [[addiction]] is devastating to society and families affected by it''''', often harming those who can least afford it.  Illustrating gambling's [[demonic]] source, those who crucified [[Jesus]] divided his clothes by gambling among themselves for them.<ref>[[Matthew 20-28 (Translated)#27:35|Matthew 27:35]]; ''see also'' [[Mark 9-16 (Translated)#15:24|Mark 15:24]].</ref>  '''''[[Unplug the NFL]] to reduce harmful [[gambling]]'''''.  

Televised sports games, such as [[football]], are now filled with commercials advertising for sports gambling, unlike ten years ago. Gambling on games such as [[chess]] may be driving very sophisticated schemes for cheating at it.  ''See [[chess cheating scandal]]''.

Televised sports games, such as [[football]], are now filled with commercials advertising for sports gambling, unlike ten years ago. Gambling on games such as [[chess]] may be driving very sophisticated schemes for cheating at it.  ''See [[chess cheating scandal]]''. Gambling is also increasingly overtaking politics: in 2023, $30 million was spent by gambling interests on the gubernatorial election in [[Kentucky]], which was not discovered until months after the election.<ref>https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/02/12/gambling-interests-put-big-money-on-kentucky-governors-race-via-party-governors-associations/</ref>

In 2018, [[American]]s lost $118 billion of their own money to [[government]]-sponsored gambling, such as state lotteries.<ref>https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-is-how-much-americans-lost-on-state-sanctioned-gambling-last-year-2018-05-15</ref>  The overall harm is even far greater, '''''as [[emotional gambling]] leads to [[addiction]] that wastes massive amounts of time, such as watching [[NFL]] games'''''.  The odds are greater of being attacked by a shark than winning a major lottery.<ref>https://www.grunge.com/314416/lottery-winners-who-lost-all-their-money/</ref>

In 2018, [[American]]s lost $118 billion of their own money to [[government]]-sponsored gambling, such as state lotteries.<ref>https://www.marketwatch.com/story/this-is-how-much-americans-lost-on-state-sanctioned-gambling-last-year-2018-05-15</ref>  The overall harm is even far greater, '''''as [[emotional gambling]] leads to [[addiction]] that wastes massive amounts of time, such as watching [[NFL]] games'''''.  The odds are greater of being attacked by a shark than winning a major lottery.<ref>https://www.grunge.com/314416/lottery-winners-who-lost-all-their-money/</ref>