Gambling Prohibited in Qatar, Fans Be Warned!

Fans that have gone to watch the world cup in Qatar will have to be careful not to go against the law, as gambling is prohibited in Qatar, writes John Bamidele

Located in the northeast part of Qatar boasts a well-developed economy largely driven by oil and natural gas exports. As of 2020, the country was home to 2.8 million people and generated a gross domestic product (GDP) of $146.4 billion. Qatar also has one of the highest GDP per capita, ranking eleventh in the world according to data compiled by Statista. Qatar would undoubtedly make for a very lucrative gambling market, considering how developed its economy is. However, Islam is the official religion of Qataris. Islam prohibits gambling participation.

If you expect to find casinos, card rooms, bookmaking shops, or bingo venues here, you will be bitterly disappointed. The general prohibition on betting extends to online casinos and sportsbooks as well. The country does not offer legal options for those interested in wagering over the web. Many offshore gambling operators comply with the ban and decline registrations from Qatar. Few are willing to accept betting action from the country, which renders Qataris’ choice a bit limited. 

Qatar outlaws gambling: No locally authorised online casinos and betting sites exist. The country has no licensing regime in place due to the illegal status of gambling. Locals keen on placing an occasional bet can do so at foreign online sites willing to accept action from Qatar.

Offshore operators generally respect Qatari laws: Gambling websites carry licences issued in other jurisdictions where gambling is legal and regulated. That said, locals face a slightly limited choice and refuse to take bets from within Qatar. Qataris can theoretically suffer financial penalties for online gambling. However, the Qatari government considers individual bettors of low priority and rarely presses charges against them for playing with offshore operators. The risk for such players is typically low, provided they wager discreetly from the comfort of their homes.

Internet censorship system: Another thing worth mentioning is that the Qatari government filters inappropriate content like political criticism, pornography, and religious criticism. The system is fairly transparent – users see a message stating the page they want to visit has been blocked. The Ministry of Information and Communications Technology licenses and regulates telecommunication services providers in the country. The Qatari government has attempted to implement the widespread practice of blocking offshore betting sites but with little effectiveness. Local players try to bypass the restrictions by using virtual private networks (VPNs), allowing them to place online wagers discreetly.

No gambling advertisements:  With the 2022 FIFA World Cup holding in the country, the Qatari authorities might resort to more thorough blocking of betting sites operated by foreign companies. Logically, the marketing of gambling businesses and products is illegal in the country. All advertisers in Qatar must adhere to the provisions of Law № 1 of 2012 on the Regulation and Control of the Placement of Advertising.

Illegal Gambling in Qatar

One would think the penal code sanctions for gambling would have completely uprooted these activities in Qatar, but this is hardly the case. Since individual gamblers are a low priority to the authorities, some Qataris place occasional bets illegally. Qatar’s penal code makes no distinction between games of pure chance and those involving elements of skill. The illegal status does not prevent crime syndicates from running illicit card rooms in the country. Over the years, there have been reports of groups operating underground gambling dens from private homes. Most seem to prefer running poker games. One example comes from 2006: news outlets reported that two criminal groups hosted illegal games on private properties without their owners’ knowledge. After bribing the empty houses’ caretakers, the organisers would contact their potential customers via text messages shortly before the illegal poker sessions started. Regularly changing the properties enabled the groups to avoid detection for around eight years until they were eventually brought to justice.

Legal Forms of Gambling in Qatar

There are hardly any legal types of gambling in Qatar, as even lotteries are against the law here. The only legal game that comes close to gambling is a raffle organised by the Qatar Duty-Free division of Qatar Airways. The raffle originally came to be in 2006 but continues to enjoy great popularity among the airline’s customers.

The maximum number of tickets sold per draw stands at 5,000, with passengers having the option to purchase them online at the official website of Qatar Duty-Free. Three raffles are available: luxury car draws, motorbike draws, and millionaire draws. The latter awards monetary prizes of $1 million and has turned 38 people into instant millionaires.

The tickets are available for sale to all passengers who depart, arrive, and transit through the Hamad International Airport. Participants in the raffles must provide their passport numbers, contact information, and nationality so that airport authorities can contact the winners. The Duty-Free raffle may not sound as exciting as playing blackjack or roulette, but at least participants can feel safe knowing they are not violating Qatari law.

Conclusion

As you can see, Qatar is rather tough on gambling, banning all forms of betting one can think of. The country uses a dual legal system where civil and religious laws combine to prohibit gambling. The only recourse for locals who seek to gamble online is registering with offshore sites that accept players from the country despite the prohibition. The opposition to such activities is deeply embedded in Qatar’s culture and official religion, similar to Islamic nations like Kuwait, Oman, and UAE. The country shows no signs of relaxing its restrictions on gambling anytime soon, even though it is hosting the world cup.