The picture of gambling in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) is shaped by strong cultural and religious beliefs, changing laws, and the constant pull of taking risks for money. In many Islamic countries, gambling has long been seen as forbidden, but things are slowly starting to change in some places. This article looks closely at gambling in MENA: it clears up common myths, explains the main risks, and describes the clever – but often risky – workarounds people use to gamble anyway.
Gambling in the MENA Region: Legal Landscape and Cultural Influences
Which Countries in MENA Allow or Prohibit Gambling?
For many years, most MENA countries have banned gambling because of strong Islamic teaching and social pressure. Many states have strict laws that reflect religious rules against games of chance. Still, the situation is not the same everywhere, and the legal picture is mixed.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a key exception and may signal bigger changes. Even though gambling is still officially banned across much of the Middle East, the UAE is working on a full gaming regulation system. The plan is for each of the seven emirates to have at least one large integrated resort with casinos, hotels, restaurants, and entertainment. Wynn Resorts, for example, is building a $3.9 billion integrated resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah, planned to open in 2027. Dubai and Abu Dhabi are also expected to host similar casino resorts. Analysts think that only three such properties in the UAE could bring in around $8.6 billion in gaming revenue each year, more than the Las Vegas Strip generated in 2023. This shows a strong move away from older bans, driven mainly by economic and tourism plans.
In contrast, Israel allows only limited gambling through state-approved operators, such as the National Lottery (“Mifal Hapais”) and the Israel Sports Betting Board (ISBB) for sports betting. All other forms are illegal, even though underground gambling, including poker and animal betting, still exists.
What Cultural and Religious Values Shape Attitudes toward Gambling?
Strong cultural and religious beliefs are at the center of the MENA region’s cautious attitude to gambling. Islam, the main religion in the region, clearly forbids gambling (maisir), seeing it as harmful and likely to lead to addiction, money problems, and social conflict. This ban is deeply woven into daily life and guides both laws and social norms. Because of this, gambling often carries heavy social shame, and those who take part may face rejection or serious family consequences.
This deep religious and cultural resistance explains why even countries like Israel, which allow some legal gambling, still keep a strict approach. Efforts to open casinos or legalize poker tournaments in Israel have mostly failed, largely because of strong religious parties. The UAE’s move into gaming is therefore a careful balancing act, trying to respect traditional beliefs while also chasing modern tourism and income.
How Do Laws Differ between Online and Land-Based Gambling?
The line between online and land-based gambling is becoming less clear and more tangled in MENA. Where gambling is banned, that ban usually covers both physical venues and online sites. But the nature of the internet makes it much harder to control online gambling.
In Israel, where a small amount of legal gambling exists, approved operators offer both land-based and some online betting (for example, the Israel Sports Betting Board). Still, a large grey zone remains. “Club lottery groups” collect money online to buy official lottery tickets on behalf of players, a practice the official operator tries to stop, but with limited success. This shows how hard it is to control online gambling, even with dedicated laws. Easy internet access, fast play, and lower costs can also speed up the development of gambling problems. In countries where gambling is illegal, offshore online platforms are a constant problem for regulators, as they are hard to track and control. The expected legal changes in the UAE will likely put in place a strong regulation system for both land-based resorts and, possibly, approved online gambling, which may serve as a model for other countries in the region.
Popular Myths about Gambling in MENA
Does Everyone Who Gambles Become Addicted?
Many people believe that everyone who gambles will eventually become addicted. This is wrong. While gambling can lead to addiction, most people who gamble do so casually and never develop serious problems. For example, an Israeli study found that 60% of gamblers were “non-problem gamblers” and another 25% were “low-risk gamblers.” So, while addiction is a real and serious danger, it does not affect every person who gambles.
However, even low or moderate-risk gambling can cause harm, both to the gambler and to family members and friends. The change from fun to harm can be slow and hard to see at first. It is better to focus on responsible gambling and clear understanding of the risks than to believe that addiction is either guaranteed or impossible.
Can Skill or Strategy Guarantee Wins in Casino Games?
A common myth is that skill or a smart strategy can guarantee wins in casino games. For most games, this is wrong. Games of pure chance – such as lotteries, roulette, and slot machines – are random. Players cannot control the outcome, no matter how much they plan or study. Each spin, draw, or bet is a new event, and past results do not change the odds. Your chances of winning the lottery are the same every time, no matter which numbers you choose.
Some games, like poker, do involve skill and strategy, but luck is still a major part of the outcome. Believing that you can beat pure chance over time is a thinking error known as the “gambler’s fallacy,” and it often leads to higher losses and risky behavior. The house always keeps an advantage, and over time, regular players are more likely to lose money than gain it.
Does Illegal Gambling Remain Unnoticed by Authorities?
Another myth is that illegal gambling is invisible to the authorities. While some secret games or sites may avoid detection for a while, police and regulators are getting better at finding and breaking up illegal gambling groups. From street betting to organized rings, such activities rarely stay hidden forever.
The internet has turned illegal gambling into a cross-border problem. Many offshore sites accept players from MENA, but they are still open to investigation and legal steps from various countries, even if direct enforcement is hard. Large illegal operations often involve complicated money flows, bribes, or threats against officials, which tend to attract attention and lead to serious penalties. In some MENA states, illegal gambling does lead to raids and arrests, showing that participants face real legal risks.
Are Online Betting Sites Accessible and Safe in MENA?
People often overestimate how safe and acceptable online betting sites are in the MENA region. Many international sites are easy to reach online, but their legal status and safety inside MENA countries are very questionable. In countries where gambling is banned, these sites operate outside the law. Players then have no legal protection if the site refuses to pay winnings, changes the rules unfairly, or suffers a data breach. Many of these platforms are unregulated and lack consumer safeguards or responsible gambling tools.
Using such sites may also put players at risk of legal trouble at home. Some forms of state-regulated online gambling exist in a few countries (for example, sports betting in Israel), but most international platforms are not approved. Their ease of access hides serious legal and financial dangers. They do not follow local rules and are not answerable to local regulators. One reason the UAE is moving toward a regulated market is to offer a controlled, safer environment, unlike the unregulated offshore sites that dominate now.
Do Workarounds Make Gambling Legal or Risk-Free?
Many people in MENA use “workarounds” to gamble despite bans, but believing these methods make gambling legal or safe is a serious mistake. Tools like VPNs and proxies, or taking part in private gambling events, may reduce the chance of being noticed, but they do not change the law. If gambling is illegal in your country, it stays illegal no matter how you access it.
These methods can add new risks. For example, using VPNs to reach offshore sites may expose your device and data to hackers. Private social gambling can lead to money disputes, shame if discovered, and possible legal action. The feeling of safety or anonymity can make people take bigger risks, making them more open to problem gambling and scams.
Major Risks of Gambling in MENA Countries
Legal Penalties and Criminal Charges
In many MENA countries, gambling can lead to serious legal punishment, including large fines and jail time. Because religious and social bans are strong, the law is often enforced quite strictly. Anyone caught gambling illegally – in a physical location or online – may face criminal charges. These can affect their future, harming their reputation, job chances, and even travel options.
Even where some gambling is legal, all other forms stay illegal. In Israel, for example, only the national lottery and certain sports betting are allowed through official bodies. Other types of gambling are still banned. While such cases may sometimes be treated as minor offenses, the results can still be heavy. Legal risk is one of the main reasons many people avoid gambling outside official channels.
Financial Losses and Debt Accumulation
Money loss and rising debt are the most obvious dangers of gambling. Gambling always involves risking money with no promise of getting it back, and over time the odds favor the operator, not the player. This is worse in unregulated settings, where games may not even be fair. People can burn through savings, rack up debt, and end up in serious financial trouble.
The dream of easy money often hides the truth that gambling is a poor way to try to make a living. Some people try to “win back” their losses by betting more, which usually leads to a downward spiral: larger bets, greater losses, and deeper debt. This can damage not just the gambler, but also their family, leading to poverty, bankruptcy, or the inability to pay for essentials like food, rent, and education.
Social and Familial Consequences
In MENA, where family and community ties are very important, the social fallout from gambling can be severe. Gambling is widely disapproved of, and being exposed as a gambler can lead to shame, gossip, and rejection. Family members may feel deeply hurt, especially if money was hidden or misused.
Possible outcomes include divorce, loss of child custody, broken relationships with relatives, and exclusion from social groups. Hiding gambling usually involves lies and secrecy, which weaken trust and create an atmosphere of doubt at home. Fear of social judgment can also stop people from reaching out for help, allowing the problem to grow unchecked.
Risk of Problem Gambling and Addiction
One of the most serious risks is the development of problem gambling or a full gambling addiction. Gambling disorder is a recognized mental health condition. It involves repeated gambling behavior that causes major problems in a person’s life. Medical guides now list it next to substance use disorders, underlining how serious it is. Studies in places like Israel show that many gamblers fall into low-risk, moderate-risk, or problem gambling groups.
The move from casual play to addiction can be fast and hard to spot, especially with easy access to online gambling. Games that give instant results or make players feel they need skill (even when chance is strong) tend to be more addictive. Problem gamblers often lose control over how much they bet, think about gambling all the time, and keep playing even as their lives fall apart. This can lead to serious stress, health problems, and major life damage.
Exposure to Fraudulent or Unregulated Operators
Where gambling is banned or tightly restricted, many players end up using unregulated or illegal operators. This brings a high risk of scams and exploitation. These operators do not follow legal or ethical rules. They may cheat by rigging games, refuse to pay winnings, or steal personal and financial data.
Security is often weak, leaving users open to hacking and identity theft. With no regulator watching over them, there is no fair way to complain or settle disputes. If something goes wrong, the player is usually left with no help. Offers of high bonuses or “better odds” often hide dishonest practices aimed at taking advantage of vulnerable people.
Common Workarounds: How People Gamble in MENA Despite Restrictions
Using VPNs, Proxies, and Other Digital Tools
Modern technology gives people many ways to get around country blocks on gambling sites. Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) are widely used. They hide the user’s real IP address and make it seem like they are connecting from a different country where gambling is allowed. Proxies do something similar by routing traffic through another server.
These tricks can bypass some blocks, but they are far from risk-free. Some MENA governments monitor and block VPN traffic, and using such tools for illegal purposes can still draw attention. Free or low-quality VPNs often come with serious security threats, such as malware or data leaks. The idea that “no one can see me” is often wrong, especially when large money transfers are involved.
Betting via Offshore or International Platforms
Many people in the region use betting sites based in other countries where online gambling is legal. These offshore platforms often welcome players from many nations, even where gambling is banned. They may offer many games, sports markets, and tempting promotions.
But there are big downsides. From a legal viewpoint, playing on such sites from a country that bans gambling is still breaking the law. From a financial viewpoint, your money is outside your country’s legal protection. If the site refuses to pay or closes suddenly, recovering funds is very hard or impossible. Payments in and out may require workarounds like e-wallets or crypto, which can bring extra fees or trigger questions from banks.
Social Gambling: Private Events and Informal Games
Offline, many people turn to social gambling. This might mean casual card nights, betting games among friends, or private events in homes or hidden venues. These games may feel friendly, safe, and less exposed than public casinos or online play.
But the law usually does not distinguish clearly between public and private gambling. Police raids on private games do occur, and participants can still face punishment. On a personal level, disputes over money, accusations of cheating, and broken trust are all common. Because there are no formal rules or oversight, players are more open to unfair behavior.
Risks and Limitations of These Methods
None of these workarounds remove the basic dangers of gambling in restricted environments. They do not change the law, and they do not protect against legal action. They often push money into unregulated systems, with no safeguards against fraud, theft, or manipulation.
These methods can also make problem gambling worse. Easy, private access through phones and laptops makes it simple to hide heavy gambling from family and friends. Offshore sites often lack tools such as deposit limits or self-exclusion. This can let the problem grow faster, leading to more harm over time.
Warning Signs and Impacts of Problem Gambling
Recognizing the Shift from Entertainment to Harm
The move from fun to harm in gambling is often slow and hard to see. What starts as a game “for fun” can turn into a serious problem. Warning signs include thinking about gambling most of the time, planning the next bet, or replaying past wins and losses in your mind. People may begin spending more money and time than they planned and “chase losses” by betting more after losing.
Other signs are feeling anxious or annoyed when trying to cut down, lying to loved ones about how much time or money was spent, and risking important relationships, jobs, or studies for the sake of gambling. Many problem gamblers deny there is an issue, telling themselves they can “win it all back” or that luck will turn soon, even when their situation keeps getting worse.
Mental Health and Substance Abuse Connections
Problem gambling often appears together with other mental health and addiction issues. Many people with gambling problems also struggle with depression, anxiety, or high stress. Some use gambling as a way to escape from difficult feelings, only to find that the stress from gambling makes things worse. Research in Lebanon, for example, has shown links between probable pathological gambling, higher levels of depression, and more harmful alcohol use.
There is also a strong overlap between gambling problems and use of alcohol, cannabis, and other drugs. These combined issues can be harder to treat and may need support from both mental health and addiction services. Recognizing this mix is key to choosing the right type of help.
When to Seek Help: Key Indicators
Knowing when to ask for help can prevent deeper harm. Some clear signs that support may be needed include:
- Gambling causing serious money problems or debt
- Hiding gambling from family or friends or lying about it
- Missing work, school, or important duties because of gambling
- Strong urges to gamble that are hard to control
- Borrowing or stealing money to gamble or to pay gambling debts
- Continuing to gamble even after clear negative consequences
If you see these patterns in yourself or someone close to you, reaching out for support early can reduce harm and help recovery start sooner.
Seeking Support for Gambling Issues in MENA
Available Helplines and Counseling Services
Support for gambling problems may not be as visible in MENA as in places with big legal gambling markets, but it does exist. Many countries have general mental health services that also deal with addictive behaviors, including gambling. These can be public clinics, psychiatric hospitals, private therapists, or NGOs that offer counseling for addictions. In Israel, for example, following work by an inter-ministerial committee, more treatment options for gambling addiction have been created, and new centers now operate under the Ministry of Welfare and Social Services and the Ministry of Health.
For people living where local help is very limited, international helplines and online counseling can be a lifeline. Many organizations provide confidential, remote support by phone, chat, or video, including advice, therapy, and tools for managing urges and rebuilding life after addiction.
Confidentiality and Legal Protections for Seeking Help
Fear of exposure or legal trouble often stops people in MENA from seeking help, especially where gambling is banned. But doctors, psychologists, and counselors are usually required by professional ethics and, in many cases, by law, to protect patient privacy. Information shared in sessions is normally kept confidential and is not passed to the police, unless there is a serious risk of harm to someone’s life or safety.
While the legal environment can feel harsh, the main aim of treatment services is to protect health, not to punish. Good providers work hard to create a safe, non-judgmental space where people can talk openly. Before starting, you can ask a clinic or counselor to explain exactly how they handle confidentiality and what the local rules are.
Community and Online Support Networks
Community and peer support are also important in recovering from gambling problems. Groups like Gamblers Anonymous (GA) offer a 12-step approach and regular meetings where people share experiences and support one another. Even if physical groups are rare in some MENA countries, there may be informal local meetings or online GA rooms open to anyone worldwide.
Online forums, chat groups, and social media communities focused on gambling recovery also provide places to talk, learn, and receive encouragement, often with the option to stay anonymous. For those living in strict or conservative settings, these online spaces can be a key way to get help without drawing attention.
Responsible Gambling: Recommendations for MENA Residents
Setting Limits and Self-Exclusion Options
For people who gamble in places where it is legal, responsible habits are very important. A basic rule is to set clear limits on both time and money before you start. Decide how much money you can afford to lose and how long you will play, and stop when you reach those limits. Never try to chase losses by increasing your bets.
Where they exist, self-exclusion tools are very helpful. Many licensed operators allow players to ban themselves from websites or venues for a set period. This can help people who notice their gambling is getting out of hand but feel unable to stop. In countries without formal self-exclusion systems, people can create their own barriers, such as installing blocking software, avoiding gambling friends or environments, or asking a trusted person to help manage their money.
How to Identify Safe, Regulated Platforms (If Any Exist)
With legal changes on the horizon in places like the UAE, it becomes more important to know how to spot a regulated platform. A regulated operator usually shows its license details clearly on its website, including the name of the authority that issued it. Licensed sites must follow rules about fair games, secure payments, and responsible gambling. They may offer tools for setting limits, temporary breaks, and self-exclusion, plus clear complaint procedures.
If gambling is illegal or unregulated in your home country, then from a legal standpoint no platform can be completely safe for you. However, if you travel to areas where gambling is legal, it is better to use operators licensed in strong regulatory markets (for example, in parts of Europe) than unknown offshore sites. Always research a site’s license, reputation, and player reviews before depositing money.
Educating Families and Young People about Gambling Risks
Education is one of the strongest ways to reduce long-term harm from gambling in MENA. Families, schools, and community leaders can help by talking openly about what gambling is, how odds work, and what can go wrong. Young people often see gambling through sports sponsorships, influencers, and online ads, and may think of it as a normal way to make money or add “fun” to games.
Effective education should explain that:
- Gambling is a form of paid entertainment, not a reliable income source
- Most players lose money over time
- Skill cannot change the basic odds in most games of chance
- Gambling can damage mental health, finances, and relationships
Teaching healthy ways to handle stress and boredom – such as exercise, hobbies, social activities, and counseling – can also make young people less likely to turn to gambling as an escape. Honest, ongoing conversations can help build a more aware and resilient community that is better able to resist the harm caused by problem gambling.
About Ahmed Rahman
