Overview
- President D. Todd Christofferson spoke Saturday morning, Oct. 3, 2026, and publicly denounced gambling while urging Latter‑day Saints to refrain and to use the time and money saved "for doing good."
- He said smartphones and online markets — including sports betting, casino‑style apps and prediction markets — have made gambling continuous and private, which raises particular risk for teenagers and young adults.
- Christofferson cited data saying about 46 percent of adults (roughly 2.3 billion people) have gambled and that the global gambling industry generated an estimated $758 billion in 2025, which he described as gamblers’ losses; reporting noted variation in how the participation figure’s timeframe was described.
- He framed the industry’s business model as dependent on customers losing money and contrasted that taking dynamic with church teachings about stewardship and giving, citing past remarks by President Dallin H. Oaks on opportunity cost.
- The remarks, reported the same day by Church News and Deseret News, signal a clear institutional priority at General Conference and could strengthen church guidance to members, affect family financial choices, and shape future church messaging on digital gambling risks.