A leader of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints warned Saturday that a Explosion in gambling The development driven by online betting markets and sports betting is fueling greed, particularly among young people, while producing “nothing of value”.
D. Todd Christofferson, one of the top three leaders of what is commonly known as the Mormon Churchsaid rampant betting among teenagers and young adults is robbing them of time for studies and relationships as smartphones make gambling possible anywhere.
“For us as Latter-day Saints, the fact that gambling is morally wrong is more important than any other concern. Gambling is based on the desire to get something for free,” Christofferson said at the twice-yearly faith event General Conference.
Declaring that prediction markets are games of chance puts the conservative church at odds with President Donald Trump. The Republican government has argued that platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket do not constitute gambling and therefore should not be subjected to gambling restrictions in states like Utah, where the church is based.
Utah has been at the forefront of the legal battle over who regulates the markets and whether they should be considered financial or gambling markets. A federal judge ruled in August that Utah officials could do so enforce its strict anti-gambling laws in prediction markets.
This year, a law was passed to tighten Utah’s gambling laws and change some language to almost certainly apply to prediction markets.
In prediction markets, you can bet on everything from whether it will rain in Los Angeles to whether the United States will go to war.
“Or even, if you can imagine, the timing of the Second Coming,” Christofferson said Saturday. “Where are you going to collect on this bet?”
Opposition to gambling is widespread in religious organizations. The United Methodist Church describes it as “a threat to society.” The Southern Baptist Convention, the largest Protestant denomination in America, has repeatedly condemned gambling and in 2025 declared sports betting incompatible with biblical principles.
Gambling is forbidden in Islam and is considered a vice among Hindus. In the Catholic Church, gambling is not inherently sinful, but is viewed as potentially problematic.
For more than a century, Utah kept gambling almost exclusively outside the state. There are no casinos, no lotteries, and no racetracks where betting can take place. The ban is rooted in the ideals of members of the Latter-day Saint Church, who view gambling as a path to selfishness and addiction.
“The rise of prediction markets and the legalization of sports gambling is really taking off across the country,” said Matthew Bowman, a professor of religion and history at Claremont Graduate University in California. “And many institutions – religious, governmental and others – are struggling with this problem.”
Saturday’s speech comes as the church addresses political issues President Dallin Oaksa former Utah Supreme Court justice who was named the religious group’s top leader last October. Church leaders have opposed state ballot measures in Idaho and Nevada this year that would establish abortion rights.
But the institution’s approach to political issues — public statements and behind-the-scenes lobbying to get its message across — has become more calculated in recent years, Bowman said.
The postponement came after public opposition to the church’s stance California’s Proposition 8a 2008 ballot measure that sought to ban gay marriage. In this case, church leaders encouraged their members to get involved directly, Bowman said.