Arab Gambling Countries: The Law State by State

Gambling law in Arab countries: one pattern, many exceptions

Everywhere in the region gambling is banned by the criminal law, by Sharia-based public policy, or by both. Where states differ is in what they tolerate, whom the rules reach and how hard they are enforced. Several run state lotteries or horse-race betting, a few allow land casinos for foreign visitors, and one has a single licensed casino open to its own residents. As far as we know, no state licenses online gambling for residents, so the word 'legal' rarely fits an online casino anywhere in these countries.

Enforcement usually starts with supply: websites are blocked, payment channels squeezed and advertisers pursued. Individual players are targeted less often, but that describes practice; it grants no permission.

The Gulf states

Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman prohibit gambling, and their telecoms regulators block gambling websites. The United Arab Emirates is changing in one respect: in 2023 it set up a federal authority for commercial gaming, aimed at lotteries and at resort projects, but that does not extend to online casinos for residents. The pages for the UAE and the other Gulf states describe the statutes and the practical risks, and the Saudi Arabia page explains why the position there rests mainly on religious law.

The Levant, Iraq and Yemen

Lebanon is the outlier. It has a state-licensed casino and a national lottery, while online casinos remain unlicensed, which the Lebanon page discusses. Jordan and Iraq prohibit gambling under their penal codes, and Yemen does so under Sharia-influenced law, with conflict reducing enforcement without creating any legal permission.

North Africa

Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia have different histories. Morocco and Tunisia license land-based casinos in tourist areas, and Morocco and Tunisia run state lotteries and betting. Egypt and Algeria restrict gambling more tightly, and Libya prohibits it under a legal system based on Sharia. In none of these does a licence for a land casino cover an online casino aimed at residents.

Reading the country pages

Every country page covers three things: the legal position, the practical risks for a player and where to find help. None of them is legal advice; laws change, and our knowledge has limits. The overview of online gambling legality explains the enforcement pattern the states share. Gambling is restricted to adults and can do real harm, and the responsible gambling guide lists tools and support.

In this section

• Algeria
• Bahrain
• Egypt
• Iraq
• Jordan
• Kuwait
• Lebanon
• Libya
• Morocco
• Oman
• Qatar
• Saudi Arabia
• Tunisia
• UAE
• Yemen