Pope Francis condemned gambling as a “scourge” in a December 29, 2025 address to Italian mayors, highlighting online sports betting as particularly predatory, with less than 5% of participants withdrawing more than they deposit. The industry, projected to generate $1 trillion over the next decade, has driven addiction rates upward; Virginia helpline calls surged 387% post-legalization, while New Jersey reports 6% of residents suffering from gambling disorder. The pontiff urged local leaders to confront this public health crisis through moral stewardship, drawing parallels to tobacco and opioid epidemics that devastated communities through similar cycles of financial exploitation and social harm.
Pope Leo XIV delivered a pointed address to the National Association of Italian Municipalities on December 29, 2025, calling gambling a scourge that is ruining families across Italy and demanding that local leaders confront the crisis alongside other pressing social challenges. He also urged approaches rooted in stewardship and generosity as moral responses to economic harm caused by gambling.
The pontiff cited official statistics showing a sharp increase in gambling activity in recent years, particularly following legalization in various regions. A Caritas report on poverty linked the escalation to broader issues including education, mental health, and declining social trust.
The address focused notably on online sports betting, which the Pope described as mathematically guaranteed to produce losses for users while absorbing massive revenue for platforms. He noted that fewer than five percent of online sports gamblers withdraw more than they deposit, and that skilled bettors often face bans from platforms that target vulnerable populations through algorithms. The industry is predicted to generate one trillion dollars in revenue over the next decade.
Health data underscores the severity of the problem. A Lancet commission identified gambling as a considerable public health threat, while estimates suggest that six percent of New Jersey residents struggle with gambling disorder. In Virginia, calls to helplines rose 387 percent following legalization, indicating rapid growth in addiction rates.
Pope Leo XIV drew parallels between the gambling industry and previous public health crises involving tobacco and opioids, emphasizing predatory cycles that lead to financial devastation, poverty, and social exclusion. He also highlighted the connection between gambling and usury, noting that high-interest lenders prey on addicts already facing medical bills and unexpected costs, sometimes driving victims to suicidal thoughts. The Pope’s remarks to municipal leaders also referenced other societal challenges including the demographic crisis, youth challenges, elderly loneliness, poverty, environmental pollution, and social conflicts.
The papal address echoed themes from Pope Francis’s Jubilee year, including calls to address marginalization, violence, and loneliness in cities. Drawing on the example of Giorgio La Pira, the Pope emphasized that mayors have a duty to alleviate suffering through active intervention in their communities. The Vatican has been promoting social alliances for the common good through initiatives like the global debt relief Jubilee Commission 2025 and the St. John Paul II Council’s anti-usury efforts.
