The prospects of gambling legalisation in Arab countries
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The interest in gambling is increasing. Many countries are changing their perspective on the industry to avoid gambling addiction and loss of profits. New legal frameworks have been created for casino play and sports betting in the past few years. Arab countries have the chance to do the same.
Arab people forbid gambling for religious purposes. In the Quran, games of chance are described as a grave sin. It is challenging to change the legal framework of something considered to be haram.
Currently, there are four Arab countries where casino play is permitted to attract tourists: Morocco, Egypt, Tunisia and Lebanon.
In Morocco, many gambling activities were legalised in 1930. Online casinos are illegal in Morocco but residents can still register on offshore websites and place bets. In Egypt, most gambling is illegal for residents but accessible to tourists. Land-based gambling and remote betting are still illegal. In Lebanon, people can access online casinos and sports betting platforms under certain conditions.
Arab gamblers are not explicitly following the law. Most choose to bet their money at offshore online casinos. Online gambling is illegal in several Muslim countries.
There are no gambling authorities in any Arab country, but several have gained a good reputation globally. UKGC is a well-reputed licence. Small steps are being taken among the Arab countries toward gambling legalisation, although they don't have much force against the Islamic Sharia law.
Independent audit companies compile lists of reliable online casinos. UKGC has a good reputation globally. It's possible to register as a player at a well-reputed licence.
