when does gambling become a mortal sin?

A real life example.

A man I know has now gone before the Judge. He had a faithful wife who was burdened with all the worries of living with a gambler. They had nine children, one of whom died of alcoholism, and one by his own hand.

I don’t know on how many occasions the whole family was forced to move from home to home, because of his gambling, but more than a few.

Gambling irresponsibly is a great cause of suffering and heartache for the loved ones, in fact, a real tragedy.

Gambling is not a good thing. I wonder why are you asking? If it pertains to your own person you should approach your priest.

CHAPTER XXXII. Of Forbidden Amusements.

DICE, cards, and the like games of hazard, are not merely dangerous amusements, like dancing, but they are plainly bad and harmful, and therefore they are forbidden by the civil as by the ecclesiastical law. What harm is there in them? you ask. Such games are unreasonable:—the winner often has neither skill nor industry to boast of, which is contrary to reason. You reply that this is understood by those who play. But though that may prove that you are not wronging anybody, it does not prove that the game is in accordance with reason, as victory ought to be the reward of skill or labour, which it cannot be in mere games of chance. Moreover, though such games may be called a recreation, and are intended as such, they are practically an intense occupation. Is it not an occupation, when a man’s mind is kept on the stretch of close attention, and disturbed by endless anxieties, fears and agitations? Who exercises a more dismal, painful attention than the gambler? No one must speak or laugh,—if you do but cough you will annoy him and his companions. The only pleasure in gambling is to win, and [color=var(--ccel-red)]255this cannot be a satisfactory pleasure, since it can only be enjoyed at the expense of your antagonist. Once, when he was very ill, S. Louis heard that his brother the Comte d’Anjou and Messire Gautier de Nemours were gambling, and in spite of his weakness the King tottered into the room where they were, and threw dice and money and everything out of the window, in great indignation. And the pure and pious Sara, in her appeal to God, declared that she had never had dealings with gamblers.[/font][/size][/color]