Why Did This Gambling Ad Tell Me to Call for Help? (Matthew 18:7)

I was watching television when a commercial appeared for a gambling app. It had everything one would expect: excitement, competition, the possibility of winning, and the suggestion that placing a bet would make watching the game even more enjoyable.

Then I noticed a message scrolling across the bottom of the screen:
*If you have a gambling problem, call this number.*

I found myself paying more attention to the warning than to the commercial. These messages are often required by state regulations, and there is a good reason for putting one there. If you want to reach people who may have a gambling problem, a gambling commercial is a logical place to do it. The people who need help are probably more likely to see that advertisement than almost anyone else. Someone who realizes he is losing control might notice the number, make the call, and receive the help he needs. I certainly would not want the warning removed.

Still, the commercial seemed strangely contradictory. Nearly everything on the screen was designed to make gambling attractive. The music, images, promotions, and excitement encouraged the viewer to place a bet. Meanwhile, the small line at the bottom acknowledged that gambling could become destructive. The commercial seemed to be saying, “We want you to gamble, but if gambling becomes a problem, here is someone you can call.”

Most people who gamble do not become addicted. Adults are responsible for their own choices, and a company cannot be blamed for every poor decision made by someone using its product. That is a reasonable argument. But does personal responsibility remove all responsibility from the person or company encouraging the choice?

As a physician, I regularly explained the risks of medications and procedures to my patients. Providing that information was important, but the warning did not relieve me of my other responsibilities. I still had to decide whether the treatment was appropriate, whether the possible benefit justified the risk, and whether a particular patient might be especially vulnerable to harm. A disclosure was part of responsible medical care. It was not a substitute for it. A gambling company is obviously not practicing medicine, but the underlying principle is similar. A warning may be necessary and helpful without settling the larger moral question.

Jesus said:

Temptations to sin are sure to come, but woe to the one through whom the temptation comes!
Matthew 18:7 (ESV)

Jesus was not speaking specifically about gambling, and the Bible does not say that every wager is sinful. His statement addresses a broader issue. We are responsible for the choices we make, but we also bear some responsibility for the influence we have on others. The person placing the bet cannot blame the commercial for every decision. At the same time, the company creating the commercial cannot pretend that its influence ends when the required warning appears at the bottom of the screen.

The same issue appears in our own lives. We repeat a damaging story and add, “I don’t know whether it is true.” We encourage someone toward a questionable decision and then say, “It is entirely up to you.” We make a hurtful remark and excuse it with, “I was only joking.” We place something tempting in front of another person and assume that whatever happens next is solely that person’s responsibility. Sometimes those qualifications are sincere. We may genuinely want the other person to be careful. At other times, they allow us to participate while distancing ourselves from the consequences.

The gambling helpline belongs in the commercial. It may reach someone at exactly the moment help is needed. But displaying the number does not answer every question about the way gambling is being promoted.

It is easy to notice the contradiction in someone else’s advertisement. The more difficult question is whether I ever do the same thing. Do I encourage something through my words, conduct, or example, then rely upon a small disclaimer to excuse my part in what follows?

Sometimes the most revealing part of a message is found in the fine print.

Love and trust the Lord; seek His will in your life.

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