Two new studies reveal there are multiple ways religion can help deter gambling even as the ever-expanding industry gains increasing legitimacy from local governments searching for new forms of tax revenue. But varying approaches may be most effective in confronting different forms of gambling from lotteries to on-line betting.

The multibillion dollar gambling industry keeps racking up political victories as states expand lotteries and make way for casinos in the hopes of raising revenue that do not require tax hikes. However, efforts to oppose the personal and social ills of gambling by religious groups have not been in vain, according to a developing body of research. People who attend church regularly and have a high percentage of close friends in the congregation are among the least likely Americans to have gambling problems, according to a new study on religion and gambling among U.S. adults.