Is online gambling legal in Lebanon?

No statute regulates it. The only online offer is Casino du Liban's BetArabia platform, which relies on amendments to the casino's 1995 contract; the Court of Audit found in Opinion 32/2023 that extending the concession online requires a law. Organising games of chance otherwise is a crime under Penal Code art. 633.

Who regulates gambling in Lebanon?

There is no dedicated regulator. The Ministry of Finance is the concession authority for Casino du Liban, together with the Ministry of Tourism, and runs the national lottery through its National Lottery Directorate. The ISF Gambling Suppression Bureau handles enforcement.

Can a private operator get a gambling licence in Lebanon?

No. Casino gaming is an exclusive statutory right of Casino du Liban under Law 417/1995 and lotteries belong to the Ministry of Finance. A bill that would create an online gambling regulator and licences cleared a parliamentary subcommittee in June 2025 but has not been enacted.

What does Casino du Liban pay the state?

A share of its gross annual gaming income, set by Decree 6919/1995 at 50% for the final ten years of the concession. The state received LBP 7,654 billion from Casino du Liban in 2025, according to the Ministry of Finance.

What are the penalties for illegal gambling in Lebanon?

Organisers and staff face three months to two years in prison and a fine of LBP 200,000 to 2,000,000 (Penal Code art. 633). Players caught in an illegal venue are fined LBP 50,000 to 400,000 (art. 634).

What is the minimum age at Casino du Liban?

21. The Law of 4 August 1954 (art. 7) bars under-21s from the casino, as well as public and municipal employees, military personnel and bank and company cashiers.

Sovereign state

Asia

ISO LB

Lebanon: gambling regulation and licensing

Land-based (reference)Monopoly
Online casinoMonopoly
Online sports bettingMonopoly
iLotteryMonopoly

Regulator: Ministry of Finance
Headline tax: 50% GGR
Licence required: Yes
Last verified: 23 Sept 2026

Summary

Lebanon has no licensing regime for private gambling operators. The Penal Code (arts. 632 to 634) makes organising games of chance an offence punishable by three months to two years in prison, and fines players caught in illegal venues. Legal gambling runs through two state channels. Casino du Liban holds an exclusive right to operate games of chance at its single casino in Maameltein under Law 417 of 1995 and Decree 6919 of 1995, which set a 30-year term and a state share of gross annual gaming income that reaches 50% in the final decade. The national lottery belongs to the Ministry of Finance's National Lottery Directorate under Legislative Decree 142 of 1959, with Loto and Zeed operated by La Libanaise des Jeux. The Ministry of Finance is the concession authority; there is no dedicated gambling regulator. Online gambling has no statute. Casino du Liban offers online casino and sports betting through the BetArabia platform, run since November 2022 by its contractor OSS, relying on 2008 and 2023 amendments to its contract. The Court of Audit found in Opinion 32/2023 that only a law can extend the concession online. A bill creating an online gambling regulator, licences, taxes and penalties cleared a parliamentary subcommittee on 17 June 2025 but has not been enacted, and in September 2025 the Cabinet asked the Ministry of Finance for a wider gambling law. The state received LBP 7,654 billion from Casino du Liban in 2025. Enforcement against offshore betting is active: the Internal Security Forces froze more than 331 digital wallets used for illegal betting between July and September 2026.

Common pitfalls

Treating BetArabia as a licence that a foreign operator can partner into: it rests on contract amendments that the Court of Audit found need a law, and its operator's managers have faced criminal proceedings. Reading the Ministry of Finance tax page's 40% as the current casino rate: Decree 6919/1995 sets 50% for the third decade and the Court of Audit cites 50%. Assuming offshore play is tolerated: organising games of chance is a crime and the ISF freezes the wallets used to pay offshore sites.

Key facts

Regulator: Ministry of Finance (MoF)
Regulator type: Government ministry
Headline tax: 50% GGR
Licence required: Yes
Minimum age: Not yet verified
Tax base: Casino du Liban pays the state a share of its total gross annual income from games (majmuʿ al-dakhl al-sanawi ghayr al-safi), with no deduction for its operating costs (Decree 6919/1995 arts. 3 and 7). The rate is 50% for the third ten years of the concession, and the Court of Audit described the state share as 50% in 2023.

Legal framework

Primary statutes

Penal Code, arts. 632 to 634 (gambling)
قانون العقوبات، الفصل الثالث: في المقامرة
Year
1943
In force
Yes
Summary
Defines games of chance as games where chance prevails over skill, naming roulette, baccarat and open poker. Organising prohibited games of chance in a public place or a private house used for the purpose carries three months to two years in prison and a fine of LBP 200,000 to 2,000,000, with confiscation and possible closure; players caught in such places are fined LBP 50,000 to 400,000.
Gambling Law of 4 August 1954
قانون القمار تاريخ 4 آب 1954
Year
1954
In force
Yes
Summary
Authorised a single gambling club on the coast (the casino at Maameltein), set the minimum state share at 40% of gross annual gaming income, and barred under-21s, public employees, military personnel and bank and company cashiers from entering (art. 7).
Law 417 of 15 May 1995 granting Casino du Liban an exclusive right to operate games of chance
القانون رقم 417 تاريخ 15/5/1995
Year
1995
In force
Yes
Summary
A one-article law giving Casino du Liban an exclusive right to operate games of chance at the single club in Maameltein, after Law 320/1994 authorised the government to license the company.
Legislative Decree 142 of 12 June 1959 on the National Lottery Directorate
المرسوم الاشتراعي رقم 142 تاريخ 12/6/1959
Year
1959
In force
Yes
Summary
Gives the National Lottery Directorate an annex budget within the Ministry of Finance, allows tickets to be sold through a contracted operator, exempts tickets, prizes and lottery advertising from all taxes and fees, and requires the lottery committee's approval for any other lottery.
Law 44 of 24 November 2015 on Fighting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing
القانون رقم 44 تاريخ 24/11/2015
Year
2015
In force
Yes
Summary
Art. 5 makes casinos reporting entities that must keep records of operations above thresholds set by the Special Investigation Commission and apply its customer due diligence rules.

Secondary instruments

Decree 6919 of 29 June 1995 on the Casino du Liban licence
المرسوم رقم 6919 تاريخ 29/6/1995
Year
1995
In force
Yes
Summary
Licenses Casino du Liban to operate games of chance exclusively at Maameltein for 30 years from the start of operation under the investment contract; sets the state share of gross annual gaming income at 30%, 40% and 50% for the first, second and third ten years; the company bears all costs and the site passes to the state at the end of the term.

Key amendments

20 Feb 2008First amendment to the 1995 investment contract, signed by the finance and tourism ministers, adds online gambling and betting on local and international sports to art. 10.
22 Mar 2023Second contract amendment grants Casino du Liban all present and future games of chance, by exceptional approval.
16 Sept 2025Cabinet decisions of 11 and 16 September 2025, as reported from a Ministry of Finance meeting, require the contract to be amended so that the state receives at least 35% of online betting revenue, the performance bond rises to USD 700,000, and Casino du Liban stops sports betting once the National Lottery Directorate can take it over. The decisions themselves were not found in a primary source.

Pending legislation

Proposed law regulating online gambling (iqtirah qanun tanzim alʿab al-maysir ʿabr al-internet)
Stage
Approved by all members present of the subcommittee of Parliament's joint committees on 17 June 2025; still needs the joint committees and a plenary vote
What it changes
Would create a regulator for online gambling, a licensing system, financial and tax provisions and penalties (arts. 71 to 98 as amended in subcommittee), with protection of minors as a stated aim.
Government draft law to regulate the gambling sector
Stage
Requested by the Council of Ministers from the Ministry of Finance on 11 September 2025; no draft found
What it changes
A modern framework for the whole gambling sector, as announced by the Information Minister.

Case law

Court of Audit Advisory Opinion 32/2023 on the award of online games of chance
3 Oct 2023
Held that extending Casino du Liban's concession to online gambling requires a law amending Law 417/1995, that the amended art. 10 of the investment contract is not sufficient legal cover, and recommended a legal and regulatory framework for online gambling without delay and action by the security and judicial authorities against unlicensed sites. It also found that sports betting falls within the national lottery games rather than the casino concession, and, by majority, that Casino du Liban is not subject to the Public Procurement Law.
BetArabia case, Mount Lebanon Indictment Chamber
17 Jun 2026
Dismissed charges of embezzlement of public funds, money laundering and illicit enrichment against Casino du Liban's former chairman and the head of OSS, and sent lesser offences, including the failure to verify customers' real identity under art. 5 of the AML law, to the single criminal judge in Jounieh.

Licensing

Licence required: Yes
Application window: Closed
Local establishment required: Not yet verified
Local server required: Not yet verified
Notable licensees: Casino du Liban, La Libanaise des Jeux
Barriers to entry: There is no licensing route for private operators. Casino gaming is an exclusive statutory right of Casino du Liban, lotteries belong to the Ministry of Finance, and any other organisation of games of chance is a criminal offence (Penal Code art. 633).

Licence types

Casino du Liban exclusive gaming concession
Scope
All games of chance at the single casino in Maameltein; extended by contract to online casino and sports betting, which the Court of Audit found needs a law
Term
30 years from the start of operation under the 1995 investment contract
Fee basis
State share of gross annual gaming income: 30% in years 1 to 10, 40% in years 11 to 20, 50% in years 21 to 30, with all operating costs borne by the company
National lottery operating contract
Scope
Sale and operation of national lottery games on behalf of the National Lottery Directorate
Fee basis
Awarded by public tender under the Public Accounting Law against a commission set in the tender conditions (Legislative Decree 142/1959 art. 5)

Taxation

Headline GGR tax: 50% GGR
Effective date: Not yet verified
Player winnings tax: National lottery tickets and prizes are exempt from all taxes and fees (Legislative Decree 142/1959 art. 6). No primary source was found for the tax treatment of casino or online winnings.
Tax base: Casino du Liban pays the state a share of its total gross annual income from games (majmuʿ al-dakhl al-sanawi ghayr al-safi), with no deduction for its operating costs (Decree 6919/1995 arts. 3 and 7). The rate is 50% for the third ten years of the concession, and the Court of Audit described the state share as 50% in 2023.

Scheduled changes

At least 35% of online betting revenue
Proposed
Contract amendment ordered by the Cabinet in September 2025: state share of online betting revenue of at least 35%, as reported from a Ministry of Finance meeting on 3 November 2025; implementation not confirmed in a primary source

Earmarked levies

National lottery revenue (National Lottery Directorate annex budget, for social or charitable projects (Legislative Decree 142/1959 arts. 1 and 2))

Compliance

Minimum age: Not yet verified
National self-exclusion: Not yet verified
AML regime: Casinos are reporting entities under Law 44/2015 art. 5: they must keep records of operations above the thresholds set by the Special Investigation Commission and comply with the customer due diligence obligations of art. 4 and the regulations of the Commission.
AML supervisor: Special Investigation Commission (Banque du Liban)
KYC requirements: At the casino, entry is barred to under-21s, public and municipal employees, military personnel and the cashiers of banks and commercial and industrial firms (Law of 4 August 1954 art. 7). As a reporting entity, the casino must apply customer due diligence under Law 44/2015; in June 2026 the Indictment Chamber held the former chairman responsible for failing to verify customers' real identity and beneficial owners on the online platform.
Stake limits: Not yet verified

Minimum age by vertical

Land-based (reference): 21+

Payments

Credit card ban: Not yet verified
Crypto stance: Not yet verified
Payment blocking regime: No statutory payment-blocking regime. The ISF Gambling Suppression Bureau freezes digital wallets at money transfer companies used to pay illegal betting platforms run from abroad: more than 331 wallets were frozen between July and 22 September 2026, and the accounts of those involved in illegal betting at the Beirut racecourse were frozen in May 2026.

Enforcement

ISP blocking: Not yet verified
DNS blocking: Not yet verified
Payment blocking: Yes
App store takedowns: Not yet verified
Criminal penalties: Organising prohibited games of chance, and working as a cashier, manager or employee of such a game: three months to two years in prison and a fine of LBP 200,000 to 2,000,000, with confiscation, possible closure of the premises and expulsion of foreigners (Penal Code art. 633).
Operator liability: Criminal liability under Penal Code art. 633, with confiscation of equipment and furnishings and freezing of accounts used for the activity.
Player liability: Anyone playing, or caught during play, in a place where prohibited games of chance are organised is fined LBP 50,000 to 400,000 (Penal Code art. 634). The ISF warns that renting out a wallet for illegal betting can bring criminal liability.

Notable actions

Illegal online betting networks using rented digital wallets22 Sept 2026
ISF froze more than 331 digital wallets, arrested 9 people and issued 44 search notices between July and 22 September 2026
Network running secret Paroli games and fixing races at the Beirut racecourse11 May 2026
ISF Gambling Suppression Bureau arrests, search notices, racecourse bans and frozen money transfer accounts
Casino du Liban former chairman and OSS chief executive (BetArabia case)17 Jun 2026
Indictment Chamber dismissed embezzlement, money laundering and illicit enrichment charges and referred lesser offences to the Jounieh criminal judge
Casino du Liban chairman, in the acting financial prosecutor's illegal online gambling inquiry2 Jul 2025
Provisional detention after State Security raids; owners of illegal betting halls arrested and premises closed

Timeline

27 Oct 1943
Penal Code published, making games of chance an offence (arts. 632 to 634)
4 Aug 1954
Gambling Law authorises a single casino on the coast, with a minimum state share of 40% and a minimum entry age of 21
12 Jun 1959
Legislative Decree 142 organises the National Lottery Directorate within the Ministry of Finance
15 May 1995
Law 417 grants Casino du Liban an exclusive right to operate games of chance
29 Jun 1995
Decree 6919 sets a 30-year term and a state share rising from 30% to 50%
20 Feb 2008
Contract amendment adds online gambling and sports betting to the casino's scope
24 Nov 2015
AML Law 44 makes casinos reporting entities
18 Nov 2022
Online operating contract between Casino du Liban and OSS (BetArabia) takes effect
3 Oct 2023
Court of Audit Opinion 32/2023 finds a law is needed to extend the concession online
17 Jun 2025
Parliamentary subcommittee approves the online gambling bill with all members present in favour
2 Jul 2025
Casino du Liban chairman placed in provisional detention in the illegal online gambling inquiry
11 Sept 2025
Cabinet asks the Ministry of Finance to draft a modern gambling law
17 Jun 2026
Indictment Chamber dismisses embezzlement and money laundering charges in the BetArabia case
Jul 2026
Parliament's technology and information committee discusses Casino du Liban and online betting
5 Aug 2026
Finance Minister meets Casino du Liban chairman Charles Ghostine and the board on revenues, governance and action against illegal gambling
22 Sept 2026
ISF reports more than 331 digital wallets frozen for illegal betting since July 2026

Outlook

Three things to watch. First, whether the joint committees and Parliament's plenary take up the online gambling bill approved in subcommittee in June 2025, and whether the Ministry of Finance produces the government draft the Cabinet asked for in September 2025. Second, the contract changes the Cabinet ordered in September 2025, including a state share of at least 35% of online revenue and moving sports betting to the National Lottery Directorate; as late as June 2026 BetArabia was still taking World Cup bets. Third, the concession itself: Decree 6919/1995 gives a 30-year term from the start of operation, and the Court of Audit noted that the online operating contract ran to 4 December 2026. No renewal decision was found in a primary source. The BetArabia criminal case continues before the Jounieh judge.

Frequently asked questions

Is online gambling legal in Lebanon?: No statute regulates it. The only online offer is Casino du Liban's BetArabia platform, which relies on amendments to the casino's 1995 contract; the Court of Audit found in Opinion 32/2023 that extending the concession online requires a law. Organising games of chance otherwise is a crime under Penal Code art. 633.
Who regulates gambling in Lebanon?: There is no dedicated regulator. The Ministry of Finance is the concession authority for Casino du Liban, together with the Ministry of Tourism, and runs the national lottery through its National Lottery Directorate. The ISF Gambling Suppression Bureau handles enforcement.
Can a private operator get a gambling licence in Lebanon?: No. Casino gaming is an exclusive statutory right of Casino du Liban under Law 417/1995 and lotteries belong to the Ministry of Finance. A bill that would create an online gambling regulator and licences cleared a parliamentary subcommittee in June 2025 but has not been enacted.
What does Casino du Liban pay the state?: A share of its gross annual gaming income, set by Decree 6919/1995 at 50% for the final ten years of the concession. The state received LBP 7,654 billion from Casino du Liban in 2025, according to the Ministry of Finance.
What are the penalties for illegal gambling in Lebanon?: Organisers and staff face three months to two years in prison and a fine of LBP 200,000 to 2,000,000 (Penal Code art. 633). Players caught in an illegal venue are fined LBP 50,000 to 400,000 (art. 634).
What is the minimum age at Casino du Liban?: 21. The Law of 4 August 1954 (art. 7) bars under-21s from the casino, as well as public and municipal employees, military personnel and bank and company cashiers.

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Sources

Gambling Law of 4 August 1954 (Qanun al-Qimar)
Lebanese University, Centre for Legal Informatics (legallaw.ul.edu.lb), reproducing the Official Gazette (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 4 Aug 1954
Law 417 of 15 May 1995 granting Casino du Liban an exclusive right to operate games of chance
Lebanese University, Centre for Legal Informatics (legallaw.ul.edu.lb), reproducing the Official Gazette (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 25 May 1995
Decree 6919 of 29 June 1995 licensing Casino du Liban to operate games of chance exclusively at Maameltein and setting the terms and duration
Lebanese University, Centre for Legal Informatics (legallaw.ul.edu.lb), reproducing the Official Gazette (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 6 Jul 1995
Penal Code, Book X, Chapter 3: Gambling (arts. 632 to 634, as amended)
Lebanese University, Centre for Legal Informatics (legallaw.ul.edu.lb), reproducing the Official Gazette (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 27 Oct 1943
Legislative Decree 142 of 12 June 1959: special provisions on the National Lottery Directorate and its budget
Lebanese University, Centre for Legal Informatics (legallaw.ul.edu.lb), reproducing the Official Gazette (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 31 Jul 1959
Law No. 44 of 24 November 2015 on Fighting Money Laundering and Terrorist Financing (English text)
Special Investigation Commission, Banque du Liban
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 24 Nov 2015
Court of Audit Advisory Opinion 32/2023 of 3 October 2023 on the award of online games of chance
Court of Audit (Diwan al-Muhasaba), Lebanese Republic (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 3 Oct 2023
Indirect taxes: Gambling Returns (Casino du Liban), rate of the fee
Ministry of Finance, Lebanese Republic
The page gives the rate as 40% of revenues. Decree 6919/1995 art. 3 sets 40% only for the second ten years of operation and 50% for the third, and the Court of Audit (Opinion 32/2023) describes the state share as 50%. The decree and the later Court of Audit opinion are recorded; the ministry page appears not to have been updated.
Tier 1Accessed 23 Sept 2026
Public Finance Annual Review 2025 (Public Finance Monitor), Table 6: Non-Tax Revenue
Ministry of Finance, Lebanese Republic
Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026
Subcommittee of the joint committees continues study of the proposed law regulating online gambling (session of 2 June 2025)
Lebanese Parliament (Majlis al-Nuwwab) (translated)
Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 2 Jun 2025
Subcommittee of the joint committees approves the proposed law regulating online gambling unanimously (session of 17 June 2025)
Lebanese Parliament (Majlis al-Nuwwab) (translated)
Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 17 Jun 2025
Renting out your digital wallet exposes you to prosecution: ISF warns against its use in illegal betting
Internal Security Forces, General Directorate (translated)
Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Sept 2026
The Gambling Suppression Bureau uncovered a network involved in illegal Paroli gambling games and manipulation of horse racing results
Internal Security Forces, General Directorate
Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 11 May 2026
The phenomenon grows in Lebanon and the Loto "bug" hits most citizens (interview with the Director of the National Lottery)
Lebanese Army, al-Jaish magazine (translated)
Tier 2Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 1 Jun 2006
La Libanaise des Jeux: Loto, Zeed and Yawmiyeh draws
La Libanaise des Jeux
Tier 4Accessed 23 Sept 2026
Casino du Liban CEO placed in custody
L'Orient Today
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 2 Jul 2025
Affaire Betarabia : l'ex-directeur du Casino du Liban et le PDG d'OSS bénéficient d'un non-lieu pour détournement de fonds publics
L'Orient-Le Jour
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 19 Jun 2026
Sports betting fever catches on among Lebanese
L'Orient Today
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 22 Jun 2026
The government asks for a draft law to regulate the gambling sector (statement by Information Minister Paul Morcos)
IMLebanon (translated)
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 11 Sept 2025
Casino du Liban: Jaber insists on implementing the two Cabinet decisions (Ministry of Finance meeting statement)
Lebanon Debate (translated)
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 3 Nov 2025
MP Abi Ramia: online betting via Casino du Liban platform illegal
Daily Beirut
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 7 Jul 2026
Jaber discusses developing Casino du Liban and increasing its revenues
R News LB (translated)
Tier 3Accessed 23 Sept 2026Published 5 Aug 2026