Gambling Laws in the Middle East: An Overview
From outright bans to a single licensed casino, the rules on gambling across the Middle East vary more than many people expect. A country-by-country overview.
Most countries in the Middle East restrict gambling heavily, and many ban it outright. The background is partly religious: Islamic law prohibits maysir, games of chance played for stakes, and that principle shapes legislation in most Muslim-majority states. But the details differ, and in recent years a few governments have moved in new directions. This overview is general information and may not reflect the latest changes; laws are amended, so check current official sources.
Iraq and the Kurdistan Region
Iraqi law prohibits operating gambling venues, and as far as we are aware there are no licensed casinos anywhere in the country, including the Kurdistan Region. Board games such as tawla, dominoes and cards are a normal part of café life, but playing for money is illegal and socially frowned upon in many circles.
Lebanon
Lebanon is the long-standing exception in the Arab Levant. The Casino du Liban, opened in 1959 on the bay of Jounieh north of Beirut, holds an exclusive licence for casino gaming in the country and is also a famous venue for concerts and shows. Lebanon also has a national lottery.
Egypt
Egypt permits casinos, usually inside large hotels in Cairo and resort towns, but under long-standing rules they are open to holders of foreign passports rather than to Egyptian citizens. The country also has state-run lottery and sports pools in various forms over the years.
The Gulf
- Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain and Oman prohibit gambling, including betting and lotteries in general.
- The United Arab Emirates has changed course. In 2023 it set up a federal regulator for commercial gaming, and a national lottery was launched in late 2024. A large integrated resort with a casino is being built on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah and is expected to open in the second half of the decade.
Turkey, Iran and Israel
Turkey closed its casinos in 1998, but retains a state lottery and a licensed sports betting system. Iran has banned gambling since 1979. Israel prohibits casinos but runs a national lottery and a state-regulated sports betting body. In Northern Cyprus, by contrast, casinos are legal and numerous, and they draw many visitors from Turkey and elsewhere.
Online gambling
Across most of the region, online betting and casino sites are illegal, and many governments block access to them. Penalties for players and operators vary. The legal position of an offshore site does not change the law that applies to a person in their own country.
Why it matters for travellers
Visitors sometimes assume that rules familiar from Europe or North America apply everywhere. They do not. If you are curious about casino travel from the region, our article on casinos abroad looks at where travellers actually go.