Mormon Leader Speaks Out Against the Boom in Sports Gambling and Prediction Markets

A leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave a strong warning on Saturday about the rapid growth of gambling in the United States. D. Todd Christofferson said that online sports betting and prediction markets are spreading quickly, especially among teenagers and young adults. He called gambling morally wrong and said it creates nothing of value. He spoke at the church's twice-yearly general conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Christofferson is one of the three most powerful leaders in the Mormon Church. He said that smartphones have made it easy for young people to place bets anywhere, at any time. He worries this is pulling teenagers away from their studies and friendships. 'Gambling is built on the desire to obtain something for nothing,' he said during his speech.

Prediction markets are websites or apps where people can bet money on whether something will happen. For example, users can bet on whether it will rain in a certain city, or whether the United States will go to war. Some platforms even allow bets on unusual events. Christofferson joked about one extreme example, asking about betting on 'the timing of the Second Coming,' then said, 'Where do you go to collect on that bet?'

The church's position puts it on the opposite side of President Donald Trump. His administration has argued that prediction market platforms, like Kalshi and Polymarket, are not really gambling. Because of that, the administration says these platforms should not face state gambling bans. But Utah passed a law this year banning such platforms, and the church supports that ban.

The Mormon Church is not alone in opposing gambling. The Methodist Church calls gambling 'a menace to society,' and the Southern Baptist Convention has condemned it many times. In 2025, Southern Baptists said that sports betting goes against biblical teaching. Gambling is also forbidden in Islam and seen as a vice in Hinduism, while the Catholic Church says it can lead to serious problems.

Utah has kept gambling out of the state for more than 100 years. There are no casinos, no lotteries, and no horse racing tracks where bets are allowed. This strict ban comes from the Mormon belief that gambling leads to selfishness and addiction. It is one of the strongest anti-gambling laws in the entire country.

Matthew Bowman, a professor of religion and history at Claremont Graduate University in California, said gambling is a growing issue for many groups. 'The rise of predictive markets, and the legalization of sports gambling, this is just really taking off all across the country,' he said. He added that religious groups, states, and other organizations are all trying to figure out how to respond.

The Mormon Church has been getting more involved in political topics lately. Its top leader, Dallin Oaks, became president of the church last October and was once a justice on the Utah Supreme Court. This year, church leaders also spoke out against ballot measures in Idaho and Nevada that would create rights to abortion. Bowman said the church is now more careful about how it enters political debates, preferring public statements over direct campaigns.