Q&A from the Bais HaVaad Halacha Hotline

Revolving Credit

December 11, 2025

Q Is there anything wrong with playing dreidel for money?

A Playing dreidel on Chanukah is a well-established Ashkenazi minhag, particularly among Chasidim. Its exact origin is unclear, but Chasidishe sfarim offer various theories. It was also a common practice on Chanukah to play cards, which early poskim like the Chavos Ya’ir (126) and Mor Uketziah (670) strongly condemned. (The Biur Halacha (670:1) reiterates the objection.) They deemed it a waste of precious time and particularly improper on the holy days of Chanukah. It is unclear whether their disapproval was also directed at dreidel playing.

Playing dreidel for money is a different story. The Mishnah (Sanhedrin 24b) disqualifies gamblers from serving as witnesses, and the Gemara cites two views as to the reason; one considers it theft. According to that opinion, each player’s consent that he will surrender his money if he loses is not genuine but an asmachta (insincere commitment), so the taking of his money by the winner is theft.

The other view in the Gemara maintains that gamblers are disqualified as eidim because they aren’t oseik beyishuvo shel olam (i.e., they are socially unproductive). But that only applies to professional gamblers; occasional gambling is permitted. This view considers gambling a legitimate arrangement, because winning or losing is primarily about luck rather than skill, and both players understand and accept the risk.

The Shulchan Aruch (C.M. 370:2) seems to rule like the first view, forbidding even occasional gambling. The Rama (ibid. 3) allows it but imposes certain conditions: All monies at stake should be laid out in advance, with no promise to pay later (Rama C.M. 207:13). Some even require that the money be placed on a board that is owned (or formally borrowed for use) collectively by the players, to deposit the money into the future winner’s domain before the game, thus eliminating the asmachta factor.

The Mishnah Brurah (322:22) inclines toward the Mechaber’s view and discourages gambling games due to the concern of gezel.

There are some rationales for permitting dreidel playing for money. If all players are part of one household and the money is distributed by the head of the household, there is no issue of theft, because all the money is essentially his (Mishnah Brurah ibid.).

Also, for those who have the minhag to play dreidel, because it is a well-established practice, it can be assumed that all players give wholehearted consent in deference to the minhag Yisrael, thus eliminating asmachta. (See a similar idea in Erech Shai C.M. 173:2 regarding raffles). The Klausenburger Rebbe (Shefa Chaim, Chanukah ner 3 p. 42) says that during a purposeful dreidel game, the players connect as one with ahavas Yisrael, and they genuinely rejoice in each other’s wins as if they were their own.

For those who choose to play for money, it is advisable to use only modest sums so that there is real consent and no regrets (Nit’ei Gavriel,