The UAE regime is relatively straight-forward: subject to the exceptions we set out below, gambling and any gambling-related advertising in any way, shape or form is prohibited. Our view is that this includes offering online gambling services to UAE residents from offshore. Is online gambling legal in Dubai? Asked by Wiki User. Wiki User Answered. 2016-06-13 11:-06-13 11:37:35. Each and every online gambling site. Answer 1 of 8: Hello everyone, i am off to Dubai on Sunday and have never been, i was wondering if there are any casino's in Dubai?? Many thanks and all the best - Al. As mentioned earlier, gambling is not legally permitted in Dubai, as is the case with anywhere in UAE. The government and culture of the UAE strictly goes by the Islamic law, considering indulging in games of chance a huge sin. However, that doesn’t mean that Muslims don’t gamble ever.

Let’s clarify this at the outset that all types of gambling is considered illegal throughout the United Arab Emirates. Even advertisements related to gambling and sports betting are frowned upon in the country.

However, please note, there are still certain means that expats and tourists can possibly try, to bet on their favourite sports without being found on the wrong side of the law. Furthermore, please keep in mind that if you choose to do so, you must place your bets only with reputed and reliable bookmakers such as Sbat.

The reasons behind illegality of sports betting and gambling in UAE

Why do you think gambling is illegal in UAE despite the Emirates having some of the wealthiest families of the world?

There are certain rules and laws based on Quran (the holy book in Islam) passages, applicable all over the United Arab Emirates. There are specific laws related to gambling activity too, the primary reason why no such activity as allowed in UAE.

Talking a bit more about these passages, there are precisely three that UAE government uses to exclude any form of gambling from its long list of legalised games. Each one of these three excerpts equates gambling with sin, and emphasise that it’s a work of Satan to create enmity and hatred among family and friends. In reality, it comes down to moral values and the idea that one should earn money only through diligent effort and honest work, not just by luck.

However, all through the Islamic history, Muslim scholars have agreed with the idea of taking part in sports, competitions and challenges, as all these activities are reasonable, fine and virtuous, as long as there is no gambling involved. This is also the reason you won’t find any brick and mortar casinos anywhere in the Emirates and not even online gambling portals.

Can foreign visitors continue to play sports bets in UAE?

It cannot be denied that UAE is a highly rich country where visitors and citizens are encouraged to enjoy their lives to the most. It shouldn’t come as a surprise that many foreign tourists visiting the country look for the different ways and means to enjoy sports betting. That’s the reason why some specific types of sports betting have barely managed to stay legal in three rich areas of UAE, including Dubai.

Everyone knows that horse racing as extremely popular all through the UAE, and the Dubai World Cup continues to be one of the most talked about and loved horse races of the world. It’s also one with the maximum purse, as its prize money is in the vicinity of $ 10 million. The event attracts thousands of tourists from different parts of the world.

As many as 50,000 people reach the Meydan Racecourse to witness this popular event featuring the best horses on a 2 km track. While you may not find any on-site bookmakers anywhere near the track and anywhere in the Emirates, non-natives are technically allowed to indulge in bet placements through offshore bookmakers. The same logic is applied to other types of sports betting, including on games like football, tennis, cricket etc.

So, even though sports betting and gambling may be strictly illegal in Dubai and all over the UAE, foreign tourists might still be able to technically engage in it through offshore entities.

Related

9 comments

Is Online Betting Legal In Dubai

Thousands of Americans gamble online. But is online gambling legal? We break it down to show you what you can do, what you can't do, and what's still up in the air.

by Katherine Butler
updated September 03, 2020 · 2min read

The legality of online gambling is ever-changing. But one thing is constant: it makes a lot of money. Online gambling industry makes an estimated $1 billion dollars annually. This is a huge business, and a lot of people have cashed in on it. But it has led to some ambiguous legal issues, as the legality of online gambling is constantly being challenged.

There are differences in the legality of making bets, taking bets, facilitating payments to casinos, and advertising on websites. And there are constantly new legal challenges. So here is a breakdown of the law on online gambling.

Legal Forms of Gambling

Is Online Gambling Legal In Dubai Uk

There is no federal law against placing a wager online. So, you can legally place a bet online. However, a wager must not be placed on a site located in the United States. There is a small chance players might run afoul of state law, but there is little chance of prosecution. The only case cited where a person got into trouble with a state was in 2003. Jeffrey Trauman of North Dakota paid a $500 fine on over $100,000 of online sports bet winnings.

Sites that are set up outside of the United States are legal. Therefore, gambling on websites located in areas like Australia, the Caribbean, and Latin America is legal. Just be very clear that the site you are playing on is not based on U.S. soil.

Definitely Not Legal Forms of Gambling

It is never legal to gamble on a website based in the United States. Also, if you are planning to operate an online gambling site, stay outside of the United States. You must also deal only with casino and poker wagers (not sports bets) from people in the US. And you cannot take bets over the phone from people in the United States.

Accepting online gambling advertising is also illegal. If you are a small publisher, you are less likely to be prosecuted, but why risk it? As of early 2009, only large and mid-size publishers had faced prosecution. In 2007, the three big search engines (Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft) each paid a fine for accepting online gambling ads, but did not face criminal charges. Other publishers, such as Esquire Magazine, have been warned by the government not to take online gambling advertising.

Facilitating the transfer of funds to online casinos is also a bad idea. As of 2006, it became illegal for American banks to process transactions originating from or directed toward any online gambling operator. Because of this, several sites then refused to take bets from American players. But as the law seems difficult to enforce, it has not turned the tide completely for American players.

Still up in the Air

Advertisers who promote sports books in magazines and on billboards may or may not face prosecution. So far, sports books have never been scrutinized for advertising online. And online casinos, poker rooms, and sports books have never been prosecuted for buying ads.

Online casinos and operators still accept American players. And international financial parties have continued to process their transactions. The legality is always changing and there have been attempts to declare online wagering against the law, but for now, U.S. citizens who simply place bets online are in the clear.