Is Gambling Kosher
Although gambling is not expressly addressed by the Torah itself, regular gambling is prohibited by Jewish law as a form of stealing. One common explanation is that both parties expect to win and certainly didn’t want to lose. Gambling in the Talmud The primary source in the Mishnah ( Sanhedrin 24b) is a statement that dice players are invalid witnesses, and a debate in the Gemara over why this is the case. Rav Sheishes says that the problem is asmakhta, a failure to truly commit to paying a bet because of a reliance on winning.
The pursuit of one’s passion can be a fun and profitable venture. However, like most good things life, it comes with a lot of pitfalls one should be cautious of, and one might even end up losing everything.
And with that being said, it is safe to infer that going after a passion is a lot like gambling. But as a person who loves the thrill, Bernie placed a bet on his dreams and followed his heart.
Bernie Waldman, more prominently known as “Kosher Capper,” is one of the most sought-after sports consultants in the industry. And hailing from the broad and fiery streets of New York City, he has a spunk that allows him to render unrivaled expertise in crafting strategies for making bets and placing wagers.
Bernie’s passion for sports became the impetus of a career that unfolded when he was just sixteen years old. At that time, sports betting was already a common pastime gaining more and more attention each day. Some people bet for entertainment purposes while others wager based on the profit potential. But for the sixteen-year-old, it was a mixture of both.
So combining his fascination for sports and his determination to make ends meet, Bernie kickstarted his exciting career. And as he was getting the hang of the craft, it became apparent that the odds were in his favor. For this reason, he took his chance and plunged right into the pool of sports betting.
Young as he was, he did not really have the experience to go neck and neck with the other players in the industry. However, he only needed his sharp set of skills and the blazing drive to make it to the big leagues. And proving that he really has what it takes, he reached his first breakthrough when he came up with his sportsbook at the age of twenty-one.
Bernie initially created the sportsbook with only one goal in mind – to provide an avenue where people in his Brooklyn neighborhood can happily wager on various sports competitions. But when his brilliant idea became a huge hit, he realized that sports betting would be the one to catapult him to the summits of success.
As the years went by, Bernie was able to hone his strategy-making skills to perfection. Day and night, he diligently tried to master the tips and tricks that would come in handy for wagers and bets. On top of that, he did some in-depth analysis regarding what matchups he would like to focus on and even went as far as looking into weather reports. And when he felt that he was ready to swim with the big fish, he dove into selling sports picks for major events like NFL, NBA, MLB, and NHL.
And although Bernie kicked off his career at a young age, it was not until he was thirty years old when he got the nickname, “Kosher Capper.” He earned the title due to the fact that he was born Jewish and that he always wore his kippah on his head; thus, the name proved to be fitting for him. Soon enough, “Kosher Capper” became a household name in the realm of sports betting.
Going after a dream is a noble pursuit. And while not everybody is up for the challenge, those who are brave enough are already rewarded for trying. But because Bernie dedicated every second and every resource into his journey, victory is his.
To know more about “Kosher Capper,” you may visit his website and Instagram page.
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Question submitted to“Ask the Rabbi” by:
Name: Leanne
City: Pompano Beach, Florida
Is Gambling Kosher Meat
Full Question:
“Can you please tell me if gambling is a sin. I like to play bingo and sometimes the slots. I now have a greater understanding of the whole Torah, but I cannot find the answer to that question in the Torah”
Rabbi Tully Bryks responds:
Although gambling is not expressly addressed by the Torah itself, regular gambling is prohibited by Jewish law as a form of stealing. One common explanation is that both parties expect to win and certainly didn’t want to lose. As such, when one party does lose money, even though they had verbally agreed to the terms, it is still considered theft according to the Jewish law, since they never really wanted to part with their money. Based on this rationale, some would permit gambling under certain circumstances. Here are three examples:
- Gambling in a Casino – If someone wins money gambling in a casino, we don’t need to worry about the losses to the casino, since they come out ahead overall. The problem is that most people lose money at a casino. So the potential way around this would be for a person to stipulate a specific amount of money that they are prepared to spend (lose) for a fun day (or hour) at the casino. Just as it is common for people to pay $50-$100 for a good day at an amusement park, or $20 for a hour or two of fun playing arcade games, it would be reasonable for a person to proclaim that they are willing to spend $50 for the joy of playing games with all of the frills associated with a casino (the stipulation must be sincere). Such a person would have to stick with their preset daily spending, no matter what. It is worth noting that even though such a strategy would address the theft concern, many authorities would still prohibit gambling in a casino due to the negative overall environment and damage that is done to society. Unfortunately, it is often poor people who lose the most, and gambling addictions have destroyed families.
- Purchasing a Lottery Ticket – If a person is sad every time they don’t win, then it could be a problem. But if a person focuses on who is being helped by the lottery, such as schools or hospitals, and is perfectly happy to spend (or donate) that $1 towards helping that particular cause, then even the loss could be considered a gain and not theft.
- Bingos and Raffles to support Tzedakah (charities) – If a person’s main focus is supporting the institution and any incidental winnings are looked at merely as a side benefit, then this would be the least problematic of all all forms of gambling. It is worth noting that if a person wishes to deduct their raffle ticket from their Maaser account (obligation to donate 10-20% of our earnings to Tzedakah), this would complicate things if someone actually wins the prize. In such a case, one recommendation would for the winner to re-donate both the price of the raffle ticket (since retroactively the original raffle ticket now became an investment instead of a donation) plus 10-20% of the prize winnings back to the Tzedakah.
Is Gambling Kosher Definition
Despite all of the points made above, there are some authorities who prohibit gambling for money under all circumstances. As such, everyone is advised to consult their personal rabbi for guidance.