Condemning Gambling and Lotteries

Dionigi Cardinal Tettamanzi

Function: Archbishop of Milano, Italy

Title: Cardinal Priest of Ss Ambrogio e Carlo

Birthdate: Mar 14, 1934	Country: Italy

Elevated: Feb 21, 1998	More information: www.catholic-hierarchy.org

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Condemning Gambling and Lotteries
Sept 18, 2004
Cardinal Dionigi Tettamanzi of Genoa has taken a strong position against gambling, lotteries, and games of chance.

(5 March 2002) Speaking at a gambling convention organised by his own archdiocese, the Genoa prelate said the opposition to games of chance was an obvious matter of common sense, and therefore should be recognised as a universal moral law. He argued that government and society at large should undertake a drive to stop gambling.

"Man is not made for games games are made for man," Cardinal Tettamanzi said. He acknowledged that games can offer a source of relaxation and enjoyment which are "necessary and sometimes essential." But he argued that "when the game is motivated by profit," the results can "dominate" individuals, "depriving them of their freedom to act and chaining them in servitude."

He also observed that gambling discourages honest work.

The cardinal said that society takes "a contradictory and schizophrenic position" when public expenses are subsidised by lotteries. He said the same contradictory attitude is on display when some forms of gambling are prohibited, but others receive official sanction and even encouragement.

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