Patron Saint of Gambling and Gamblers: St. Cajetan

The saint popularly called the patron saint of gamblers is St. Cajetan (1480–1547), an Italian priest who trusted so completely in God’s providence that he would not let his religious community own anything, and who founded charitable banks to rescue the poor from loan sharks. The link with gambling is a folk tradition, not an official patronage: a popular story says he made friendly wagers with people he counseled, paid in candles for the altar. He is also the patron of job seekers and the unemployed, and his feast day is August 7. Below are his story, what the Church teaches about gambling and “luck,” and prayers for those who gamble and for those who struggle to stop.

A short prayer for freedom from gambling, written for this page:

St. Cajetan, you trusted God for everything.
Pray for me, that I may stop chasing luck and rest in God’s providence,
be free from the pull of gambling, and use what I have to care for the people I love. Amen.

Who was St. Cajetan?

Gaetano dei Conti di Thiene was born in Vicenza, Italy, in October 1480. He studied law at Padua, worked in the papal court in Rome, and was ordained a priest in 1516. Troubled by the worldliness of many clergy, he founded with Gian Pietro Carafa, the future Pope Paul IV, a community of priests called the Theatines (1524), who lived in strict poverty, would not even beg, and relied on whatever God’s providence sent them.

In Naples, Cajetan saw poor families ruined by moneylenders charging crushing interest. He supported the founding of a monte di pietà, a charitable pawn bank that lent small sums at little or no interest, which grew into one of the great banks of Naples. He cared for the sick in hospitals, and he died in Naples on August 7, 1547. He was canonized in 1671. In Argentina, where he is San Cayetano, crowds pray to him every August 7 for “bread and work.” See the St. Cajetan prayer.

Why is St. Cajetan the patron of gamblers?

No document of the Church names him patron of gambling. A popular story, repeated in books on patron saints, says that when people came to him for advice, he would make a friendly bet: if his advice worked, they would light candles before the altar, and if it did not, he would light them himself. The story fits his trust in providence, and over time gamblers and people hoping for good fortune began to ask for his prayers. For a Christian, the best way to ask for St. Cajetan’s help is to ask for what he trusted in: God’s providence, not luck.

What does the Church teach about gambling?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (2413) teaches that games of chance and wagers are not wrong in themselves. They become morally unacceptable when they take away what a person needs to support himself and his family, and the Catechism warns that the passion for gambling can become a form of slavery. Cheating and unfair wagers are seriously wrong.

Catholics also do not believe in luck as a power of its own. Charms and “lucky” objects used to control the future are a form of superstition; instead, we entrust the future to our Father, who knows what we need. Scripture puts it simply (Hebrews 13:5, Douay-Rheims):

Let your manners be without covetousness, contented with such things as you have; for he hath said: I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee.

Casting lots in the Bible

The apostles once “cast lots,” the ancient way of leaving a decision to God, when they chose St. Matthias to take the place of Judas, after praying first (Acts 1:26, Douay-Rheims):

And they gave them lots, and the lot fell upon Matthias, and he was numbered with the eleven apostles.

Prayers for gamblers and their families

Written for this page.

For someone who cannot stop gambling

Lord Jesus, I am caught in a habit I cannot break by myself.
Free me from the rush, the chasing and the lies.
Give me the courage to tell the truth, to ask for help, and to begin again today.
St. Cajetan, pray for me. Amen.

For a family hurt by gambling

Lord, our family is hurting because of gambling.
Give us honesty, wisdom and forgiveness,
protect us from despair and debt, and bring healing to the one we love. Amen.

Instead of praying for luck

Lord, I do not ask for luck; I ask for your providence.
Give me what I need, keep me from greed,
and make me generous with whatever I receive. Amen.

If gambling is hurting you or someone you love, help is available. In the United States you can call or text the National Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER. See also the Catholic prayer for addiction and the Catholic prayer for financial help.

Frequently asked questions

Who is the patron saint of gambling?

St. Cajetan is popularly called the patron of gamblers, though this is a folk tradition and not an official patronage.

Is there a patron saint of good luck?

The Church does not have a patron of luck. Catholics ask St. Cajetan, the saint of providence, to pray that God will provide what they need.

Is gambling a sin for Catholics?

Not in itself. It becomes sinful when it takes what a person or family needs, involves cheating, or becomes an addiction.

More patron saints

Texts and sources

Hebrews 13:5 and Acts 1:26 (Douay-Rheims).
Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2413 (summarized).