Online casinos accepting players from Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the fifth-largest country in Asia and the second-largest in the Arab world. Also known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), it is the only country with a coastline along both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.

Being an Islamic country, Saudi Arabia strictly prohibits all forms of gambling. Locals are not permitted to take part in any form of land-based or online gambling. An individual caught in these activities is severely punished.

It’s interesting to mention that Saudi Arabia is among the countries with the highest internet penetration rate in the world, alongside Norway, Ireland, and United Arab Emirates. Although this represents an important precondition for the development of the iGaming industry, it is hard to believe that any regulation, let alone legalization, will ever take place.

Laws and Regulations

As mentioned in the introductory part, all forms of gambling (maisir) are strictly prohibited in Saudi Arabia. Such a situation is common in countries where Islam is dominant, as this religion classifies gambling as sinful activity.

Maisir, which encompasses games of chance, represents an activity in which an individual acquires wealth by chance, not an effort, which is not in line with Islamic law. In Quran, all games of chance ate considered a "grave sin" and "abominations of Satan's handiwork".

Shoulder to shoulder with alcoholism, recreational gambling represents an addictive pastime. People involved in such activities neglect their responsibilities to their families and society. Obtaining wealth through games of luck and chance, instead of through hard work is not in accordance with the Islamic religion.

Having all that in mind, it doesn’t come as a surprise that there aren’t any brick-and-mortar gambling venues or interactive betting platforms. Every now and then, rumors emerge about establishing a casino hotel in Riyadh, the country’s capital, meant for foreigners only, but it is highly unlikely that this project will ever come to life.

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Player Protection and Responsible Gambling Measures

Countries with an unregulated and non-existent gambling industry, such as Saudi Arabia, have no player protection measures. There’s a commission that is in charge of blocking the gambling websites, and other sites with inappropriate content. Plus, every user can report online gambling sites, minimizing the chances for others to get involved in sinful activities.

Worth pointing out is that the gambling ban applies not only to locals but to tourists and foreigners as well. They are not permitted to gamble either and risk being prosecuted if caught doing so.

If traveling to Saudi Arabia, pay attention to the list of items banned from bringing into Saudi Arabia. Games of gambling such as chess, dice, backgammon, poker chips, Roulette, and similar are prohibited items according to KSA customs.

Players who try to circumvent the law and gamble at foreign online casinos cannot rely on any institutions to protect them in case they have issues with the withdrawal of winnings. As said earlier, they can be prosecuted and punished for doing so.

While people generally are advised to refrain from any form of gambling, some are still curious to explore it. That’s why we prepared a couple of useful tips, to help such consumers protect themselves from ending up in an unpleasant situation:

• Always check whether a casino has a license; its status can be verified by clicking on the seal which is usually displayed at the bottom of the operator’s main page
• See if there’s a “Responsible gambling” page and which tools are offered
• Take a look at customer support options- a huge plus if multiple channels (e-mail, phone, and live chat) are offered

Of course, it is important to mention that numerous online casinos list Saudi Arabia among the restricted countries. This means that players who register, deposit, and claim bonuses despite the restrictions do so at their own risk. Most often, the operator refuses to cash out winnings to such consumers. In such situations, a customer cannot submit a complaint, as the rules are on the operator’s side.

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Payment Methods and Banking

The official currency of Saudi Arabia is the riyal (SAR) and it is subdivided into 100 halalas. This currency is pegged to the US dollar at a constant rate of exchange. Due to the abovementioned prohibitions and the country’s stringent attitude toward gambling, no online casinos supports it.

With regard to cryptocurrencies, some Islamic scholars classify it as halal, and some say it’s haram. Those referring to it as “haram” note that it hasn’t earned enough credibility as traditional currencies, plus it contains the element of uncertainty, wagering, and harm. On the other hand, those who interpret the situation from a different point of view note that cryptocurrencies are "halal" because they are transparent and decentralized.

One of the divisions we encountered states that Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Dogecoin are halal, while crypto assets such as Shiba Inu (SHIB), Alpha, and PancakeSwap (CAKE) are considered haram.

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What Should Players from Saudi Arabia Pay Attention to When Selecting a Casino?

Knowing that it's explicitly illegal and punishable to gamble in Saudi Arabia, there’s not much point in talking about aspects to take into account when choosing an online casino. Yet, regardless of this ban, some enthusiasts still like to try interactive games once in a while, so here’s what they should analyze:

• Selection of games genres and content providers- see if the library is simple to navigate and whether games can be launched in fun mode
• Available promos and bonuses plus the accompanying rules on rollover requirements, cashout policy, duration of the bonus campaigns, cashout limits, and similar
• The list of payment methods and maximum and minimum amounts for both deposits and withdrawals, as well as potential feels, and rules for cashing out larger sums
• ID verification process- check whether notarized documents, photos next to a local landmark, or phone call may be requested, and find the info on pending and processing time

Of course, the license is the first and foremost to check. If the operator doesn’t have one, simply leave the (digital) premises and look for another website. Due to the entire situation, gambling in KSA already represents a huge risk, but gambling at an unlicensed online casino is even riskier.

Gamble responsibly!