Online Casinos in Qatar – Legal Status of Gambling in 2024

Overview of Gambling in Qatar

As Qatar follows Islamic law, it strictly prohibits any type of gambling, whether it be in a land-based casino, online casino in Qatar, or betting on any types of sports. This being said, there is still a lot of illegal gambling taking place in the country, with betting on camel racing a popular pastime alongside online wagers on football (soccer) and handball.

Current Legal Situation

According to Law No. 11 of 2004 Issuing the Penal Code 11 / 2004, all forms of gambling in Qatar are illegal. The law further defines gambling as “any game in which the probability of gain and loss depends on the luck and not on controlled factors and each party agrees to give the amount of money, in case of loss, to the winning party”. This includes all types of Qatar online casinos, sports betting and lotteries, though there are a handful of legal raffles, such as the Qatar Duty-Free Raffle. Tickets to enter the raffles cost QAR 950, and can be purchased online, at the airport and elsewhere. Telecommunications company, Vodafone, also holds a ‘World of Prizes’ competition each year, which is open to its customers to enter for free via SMS. The law extends to gambling online on offshore casino websites, and the penalties can include both monetary fines and jail time. For this reason we cannot recommend any Qatar casino sites.

Gambling Responsibly in Qatar

As it is completely illegal to partake in any type of gambling in Qatar, it is best to steer clear of any operations, whether land-based betting or in Qatar online casinos. Of course, you won’t find a legal casino in Qatar, so anything claiming it is a safe place to wager on sports or partake in casino games is incorrect. There are no responsible gambling associations or authorities in Qatar, as any and all wagering is punishable with prison sentences and fines. This is true for all citizens, residents and tourists to the country.

History of Gambling in Qatar

There has never been a time when operating an online operator, be it a national or one of the foreign online casinos in Qatar was legal, nor hosting casino games anywhere in the country. Of course, just because it is illegal doesn’t stop people from continuing to gamble, with a number of illegal betting houses constantly in place and on the move in the country. In line with the population’s appreciation of the sport, illegal wagers are often placed on camel races.

The total ban on sports betting has led to some questions about the location as a host for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. According to FIFA, the 2018 World Cup in Russia had an estimated global betting turnover of €7.2 billion (QAR 29.9 billion), which is a tidy profit it would likely not want to miss out on for the next tournament. Considering that FIFA had the power to change Brazil’s law banning alcohol at football matches during the 2012 World Cup, there could be a similar power play for the 2022 edition in Qatar.

Casino Resorts Based in Qatar

No location in Qatar, whether online or on soil, is allowed to host any type of gambling activities, therefore, there are no casino resorts based in the country, let alone famous ones. The closest thing would potentially be the ever-moving illegal gambling dens, which are the option that risk-taking law-breakers have when wishing to partake in gambling in Qatar.

The Most Famous Qatari Gambler

Unsurprisingly, there are no famous poker players from Qatar. As there is no legal way to practice the game since there is no casino in Qatar, and it is also illegal to gamble in private, it would be tough to gain any skills in the game. Likewise, there have never been any headline-making prizes won from any types of casino games in the country.

Conclusion: The Best Online Casino Site for Qatar Gambling

There are zero legal online casinos in Qatar, due to strict Islamic law which forbids any forms of gambling. If you want to partake in any type of money-based risk-taking, the only options are the Qatar Duty-Free raffles and Vodafone World of Prizes competitions. There are many online casinos that can be accessed from Qatar as the country’s blacklisting and blocking technology is not widely enforced. However, any persons choosing to partake in any forms of betting or wagering, even in offshore casinos, should know they are breaking the law and will be subject to fines and prison time if caught.

Frequently Asked Questions About Gambling in Qatar

We have reached the end of our guide to casino sites in Qatar. If you still have any questions about the topic, then this section is just for you. We have collated the most commonly asked questions about gambling in Qatar and provided the answers that you need. Furthermore, we will be following the situation and in case something changes, we will update you as well!