A four-month investigation by Sunday World alleges that Gallagher is often seen with “wads of notes” and places thousands of euros of bets in a night. 

When confronted by a reporter, Gallagher claimed: “I don’t come very often, once or twice.” Patrons questioned as part of the paper’s investigation suggest she has been coming for years, and gambling large amounts regularly.

Gallagher founded the House of Prayer on Achill Island in County Mayo in 1993, and has accepted millions of euros in contributions, claiming she regularly receives messages from the Virgin Mary and Jesus. 

The House of Prayer had its tax exemption revoked as part of the Irish Revenue Commission’s crackdown on organizations purporting to pursue charitable aims in 2005. In 2008, it emerged that Gallagher lived in a €4 million house in Malahide, County Dublin, despite having no visible income.

Gallagher’s House of Prayer claims to have achieved “miracle cures”, such as having a baby pronounced dead in the uterus come back to life, and another claiming she was cured of pancreatic cancer. 

The Sunday World also reports that several elderly people who followed the House of Prayer would not take the Covid-19 vaccine because of messages Gallagher purported to have received from Jesus.

Positions of Power Fund Gambling Habits

Although the House of Prayer has no official status within the Catholic church, there have been several other examples of using religious donations to fund gambling habits.

Last month in Thailand, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat (lay name: Yaem Intrangkrungkao), a long-serving head monk of Wat Rai Khing was publicly disrobed over gambling and embezzlement allegations.

The former abbot admitted to embezzling 300 million baht (approximately $9 million) in temple funds, which was believed to have been used to place bets on online gambling sites. 

Hypocrisy in Preaching a Common Theme

A common trend with the use of funds contributed to organizations either directly or indirectly affiliated with religion is hypocrisy in preaching.

A Maryland pastor was charged earlier this year with stealing approximately $135,000 from his church, with funds allegedly being used on sports betting, as well as food deliveries.

The Christian Post reported that the accused pastor, Gregory Champ, preached about a passage of the bible and condemned preachers who are proclaiming the Gospel “for monetary gain, for some kind of gain for ourselves.” 

He said in his sermon: “They’ll come, and they’ll preach to you, and even though some of what they say is truth, they’re doing it out of the wrong heart.” 

He continued: “They’re not doing it sincerely because they care about your soul. They’re doing it because the more people they get on their side, the more money they make.” 

The post Preaching Virtue, Practicing Vice: When Faith Leaders Gamble with Devotion appeared first on CasinoBeats.

Last week, Phra Thamma Wachiranuwat (lay name: Yaem Intrangkrungkao), the long-serving head monk of Wat Rai Khing, in Thailand’s Nakhon Pathom Province, turned himself in to police.

Officers had been preparing a warrant for his arrest. The former abbot admitted to embezzling 300 million baht (over $9 million) worth of temple funds. Investigators think he used the money to place bets on online betting sites.

Reporters watched as the 70-year-old was officially disrobed before a Buddhist statue on May 15.

Thai Abbot, Broker, and Others Arrested

Police have since widened the scope of their investigation. The Nation Thailand reported that officers arrested Yaem’s aide Ekkapot Phukhang. The latter is accused of helping the former abbot place online bets with temple funds.

Investigators say Ekkapot has admitted to helping send money, received from Yaem, to an online gambling broker named Aranyawan Wangthapan.

Officers in Pattaya also arrested the broker. Police suspect Aranyawan of further money laundering offences. They believe the broker helped launder over 800 million baht ($24.2 million) through three companies.

According to reports, the funds may have ended up on the platform of the online gambling website LAGALAXY911. The site was the subject of a cyberpolice probe in 2024.

Officers are making a concerted bid to shut down the platform permanently and have asked a court to grant arrest warrants for 24 suspects. Investigators want to arrest the site’s financial managers, developers, accountants, and various cash and card mules.

In an editorial piece, the Bangkok Post called for “meaningful and fundamental reform” to prevent an erosion of public trust. The newspaper stated: “Temples are legal entities, and abbots are effectively public officials. Many, including major temples like Wat Rai Khing, receive state funding through stipends and maintenance grants.”

The newspaper concluded: “When religious institutions rely on public resources and shape national morality, financial accountability is not optional. It is essential.”

The scandal comes amid a police crackdown on illegal gambling in border areas and controversy over the government’s plans to legalize casinos in special entertainment complexes.

Claw Machine Crackdown

Elsewhere in the country, police in Nakhon Si Thammarat have begun seizing coin-operated claw machines, also known as crane grabbers.

In a separate report, the Bangkok Post explained that police say the machines are drawing schoolchildren into gambling-like behavior patterns.

Parents have complained that their children spend their pocket money on unregistered devices.

A spokesperson claimed many of the machines have been installed near schools and tutoring centres.

The spokesperson added that many of these operate without proper permits or ownership identification.

The Deputy Superintendent of Tha Sala Police Station said the machines may be classified as gambling devices under Thai law, and machine owners who try to reclaim their seized machines would face legal action.

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