Is gambling legal in Qatar?

No. Articles 274 to 277 of the Penal Code of 2004 punish playing any gambling game and running or organising gambling, and no law provides a licence for any form of gambling. There are no casinos and no lottery.

How does Qatar enforce the ban?

Through Ministry of Interior raids authorised by the Public Prosecution. In May 2023 it arrested 19 people at a house run as a gambling venue, and in December 2023 it arrested 50 people for online gambling at a residence. Six money laundering investigations with gambling as the predicate were opened in 2020 and 2021.

Are prize draws allowed in Qatar?

Only as sales promotions licensed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under Decision No. 312 of 2018. Entry must be free, the prizes must be specified in advance, and the draw is held in public in the presence of a judicial officer.

← Back to the regulatory map

Sovereign state

Asia

ISO QA

Qatar: gambling regulation and licensing

Online sports bettingProhibited
Online casinoProhibited
Online pokerProhibited
Lottery and iLotteryProhibited
Land-based (reference)Prohibited

Regulator: Not yet verified
Headline tax: Not yet verified
Licence required: No
Last verified: 14 Oct 2026

Summary

Qatar prohibits gambling in every form and has no gambling regulator, no gambling licence and no lottery. Article 1 of the Constitution makes the Sharia the principal source of legislation, and the operative rules are Articles 274 to 277 of the Penal Code of 2004. A gambling game is any game in which winning or losing depends on luck rather than controllable factors and the loser pays the winner money or another benefit. Qatar punishes the player wherever he plays: up to three months in prison and a fine of up to QAR 3,000, rising to six months and QAR 6,000 in a public place or a place prepared for gambling. Running a gambling place or organising gambling carries up to a year and QAR 5,000, and the court must confiscate the money and close the premises. No law mentions online gambling, but Article 13 treats an offence as committed in Qatar if any part of it, or its result, occurs there, and the 2023 FATF-MENAFATF evaluation records that online gambling is prohibited throughout the country, including the Qatar Financial Centre. The Ministry of Interior enforces the ban through raids, including the arrest of 50 people playing online at a residence in December 2023. The only lawful draws are free-entry sales promotions licensed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under Decision No. 312 of 2018. No bill to legalise or regulate gambling was found.

Common pitfalls

Assuming only public gambling is an offence: Article 275 punishes anyone who plays any gambling game, and the Ministry of Interior arrests players at private residences, including for online gambling. Reading the FATF figure of QAR 5,000 as the player fine: that is the organiser maximum under Article 276; players face up to QAR 3,000, or QAR 6,000 in aggravated cases. Treating the Qatar Financial Centre as a separate regime: the FATF evaluation records that gambling is prohibited there too. Confusing licensed free-entry promotional draws with a lottery licence.

Key facts

Regulator: Not yet verified
Regulator type: No dedicated regulator
Headline tax: Not yet verified
Licence required: No
Minimum age: Not yet verified
Tax base: Not yet verified

How to get a gambling licence in Qatar

Online casino and online sports betting are prohibited in Qatar, so no licence currently permits offering them. The licensing regime as recorded is set out below.

Our record shows no gambling licence requirement in Qatar.

Qatar has no dedicated gambling regulator.

Applications: Closed at present

Built from the record on this page, last verified 14 Oct 2026. The Licensing and Taxation sections carry the full detail and sources.

Legal framework

Primary statutes

Penal Code, issued by Law No. 11 of 2004
قانون رقم (11) لسنة 2004 بإصدار قانون العقوبات
Year
2004
In force
Yes
Summary
Dated 10 May 2004, published in Official Gazette No. 7 of 30 May 2004 and in force fifteen days after publication; it repealed the Penal Code of 1971 (Law No. 14 of 1971). Chapter Three (drinking, gambling and begging) contains the gambling offences. Article 274 defines a gambling game as any game in which the chance of winning or losing depends on luck, not on factors that can be identified and controlled, and in which each party agrees to pay the winner a sum of money or any other agreed benefit if he loses. Article 275 punishes anyone who plays any gambling game with up to three months' imprisonment and a fine of up to QAR 3,000, or either; the maximum rises to six months and QAR 6,000, or either, where the offence takes place in a public place, a place open to the public, or a place or house prepared for gambling. Article 276 punishes anyone who prepares, equips, opens or manages a place for gambling, and anyone who organises any gambling game in a public place, a place open to the public or a place or house prepared for the purpose, with up to one year and a fine of up to QAR 5,000, or either. Article 277 requires the court in every case to confiscate the materials, money and tools obtained from or used in the offence and to close the premises, which may reopen only for a lawful purpose with the approval of the Public Prosecution. Under Article 13 the Code applies to anyone who commits an offence in Qatar, and an offence is treated as committed in Qatar if any act constituting it took place there, or its result occurred or was intended to occur there.
Permanent Constitution of the State of Qatar, Article 1
الدستور الدائم لدولة قطر، المادة 1
Year
2004
In force
Yes
Summary
Qatar is an independent sovereign Arab State; its religion is Islam and the Sharia is the principal source of its legislation.
Law No. 14 of 2014 on Combating Cybercrimes, Articles 21 and 53
قانون رقم (14) لسنة 2014 بإصدار قانون مكافحة الجرائم الإلكترونية
Year
2014
In force
Yes
Summary
Dated 15 September 2014. It does not mention gambling. Article 21 requires service providers to block links on the information network on orders from the judicial authorities and to keep subscriber information for one year. Article 53 requires the court, on conviction for an offence under this law, to confiscate the equipment and proceeds and to close the premises or block the website through which the offence was committed.

Secondary instruments

Ministerial Decision No. 312 of 2018 regulating the promotion of goods and services through advertising, prize draws or gifts
قرار وزير الاقتصاد والتجارة رقم (312) لسنة 2018 بتنظيم ترويج بيع السلع والخدمات عن طريق الإعلانات أو السحب على جوائز أو توزيع هدايا
Year
2018
In force
Yes
Summary
Shops may promote sales through prize draws, scratch-and-win or gifts only under a Ministry licence (Article 3), applied for at least 30 days in advance (Article 4) and valid for up to 12 months (Article 6). The entry card must be free, the prizes owned by the shop and specified by type and number (Article 7). The draw must be public, at the time and place in the licence, in the presence of a judicial officer (Article 8(13)). The owner, partners, staff and their relatives to the fourth degree may not take part (Article 9). The Ministry may cancel the licence for any breach (Article 11). It replaced Decision No. 19 of 2002. The Hukoomi portal lists the licence fee as QAR 200.

Licensing

Licence required: No
Application window: Closed
Local establishment required: Not yet verified
Local server required: Not yet verified
Barriers to entry: There is nothing to apply for. No Qatari law provides a licence for betting, casino, poker or lottery; Articles 275 and 276 of the Penal Code make playing and organising gambling offences, and the 2023 FATF-MENAFATF evaluation records that gambling, including online gambling, is prohibited throughout the territory including the Qatar Financial Centre. The only lawful draws are free-entry sales promotions licensed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry; they are marketing permits, not a gambling licence.

Compliance

Minimum age: Not yet verified
National self-exclusion: Not yet verified
AML regime: There is no gambling AML regime because there is no lawful gambling sector. Law No. 20 of 2019 on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing covers the designated non-financial businesses except casinos, which are banned (FATF-MENAFATF 2023, criteria 22.1 and 28.1). Gambling is a predicate offence: the evaluation records 14 illegal gambling reports passed by the Qatar Financial Information Unit to the Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department, and six money laundering investigations with gambling as the predicate in 2020 and 2021, none of which went to a money laundering trial. Money laundering carries up to ten years and a fine of QAR 2 million to QAR 5 million or twice the amount laundered, whichever is greater (AML/CFT Law, Article 78).
KYC requirements: Not yet verified
Stake limits: Not yet verified

Advertising

Advertising permitted: Not yet verified
Penalties for breach: For licensed promotions, the Ministry may cancel the licence on any breach, publish the cancellation on the shop front and its website, and refuse the shop future draw licences (Decision No. 312 of 2018, Article 11). No statute specific to gambling advertising was found.

Restrictions

Promotional prize draws and scratch-and-win campaigns need a Ministry of Commerce and Industry licence under Ministerial Decision No. 312 of 2018; entry must be free and the licence number and campaign period must appear in the advertising
The advertisement for a licensed promotion may not contain exaggeration or misleading claims, and its approved wording may not be changed during the licence without new approval (Decision No. 312 of 2018, Articles 7 and 8)

Payments

Credit card ban: Not yet verified
Crypto stance: Prohibited
Payment blocking regime: No gambling-specific payment blocking rule was found. Suspicious transaction reports linked to illegal gambling reach the Qatar Financial Information Unit, which passed 14 of them to the Economic and Cyber Crimes Combating Department (FATF-MENAFATF 2023, Table 3.9).
Currency restrictions: As recorded in the 2023 FATF-MENAFATF evaluation, Qatar prohibits virtual assets and virtual asset service providers, in the State and in the Qatar Financial Centre (Qatar Central Bank Circulars 19, 21, 23 and 46 of 2019 and Circular 2 of 2022); financial institutions may not carry out virtual asset activities, on pain of up to three years and a fine of up to QAR 5 million.

Enforcement

ISP blocking: Not yet verified
DNS blocking: Not yet verified
Payment blocking: Not yet verified
App store takedowns: Not yet verified
Criminal penalties: Playing any gambling game: up to three months and up to QAR 3,000, or either; up to six months and up to QAR 6,000, or either, in a public place, a place open to the public or a place prepared for gambling (Penal Code Article 275). Preparing, opening or managing a gambling place, or organising gambling in such a place: up to one year and up to QAR 5,000, or either (Article 276). In every case, confiscation of the money and tools and closure of the premises (Article 277). Laundering the proceeds: up to ten years and a fine of QAR 2 million to QAR 5 million or twice the amount laundered (AML/CFT Law, Article 78).
Operator liability: Anyone who prepares, opens or manages a place for gambling, or organises gambling in a public place or a place prepared for it, commits an offence under Article 276. Under Article 13 an offence is treated as committed in Qatar if any act constituting it, or its result, occurs there or is intended to occur there. No prosecution of an offshore online operator was found; the reported cases target people who host or run gambling in Qatar.
Player liability: Playing any gambling game is an offence under Article 275, wherever it takes place, with a higher penalty in public places and places prepared for gambling. The Ministry of Interior has arrested players of online gambling at private residences and referred them to the Public Prosecution.

Notable actions

50 people engaged in online gambling at a residence8 Dec 2023
Arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department after a search authorised by the Public Prosecution; a significant amount of gambling money and alcohol seized, and the suspects referred to the prosecution
19 people of Arab, Asian and European nationalities, including the man running a house used for gambling27 May 2023
Arrested by the Al Rayyan and North Security Departments after an authorised search; QAR 174,508, USD 10,200 and other currencies, gambling equipment and alcohol seized, and the suspects handed to the Public Prosecution, according to the Ministry of Interior as reported by Gulf Times
A man filmed gambling in a labour accommodation area10 Feb 2022
Identified from a video circulating online and arrested by the Criminal Investigation Department, where he confessed

Timeline

30 May 2004
Penal Code (Law No. 11 of 2004) published in the Official Gazette, with Articles 274 to 277 on gambling; it replaced the Penal Code of 1971
8 Jun 2004
Permanent Constitution issued; Article 1 makes the Sharia the principal source of legislation
15 Sept 2014
Law No. 14 of 2014 on Combating Cybercrimes issued, obliging service providers to block links on judicial orders
22 Oct 2018
Ministerial Decision No. 312 of 2018 regulates promotional prize draws, requiring a licence and free entry
2019
Law No. 20 of 2019 on Combating Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing replaces the 2010 law; Qatar Central Bank circulars prohibit virtual assets
10 Feb 2022
Ministry of Interior arrests a man filmed gambling in a labour accommodation area
Feb 2023
FATF adopts the Qatar mutual evaluation, recording that gambling, including online gambling, is prohibited and no casinos may operate
27 May 2023
Ministry of Interior breaks up a gambling operation at a house and arrests 19 people
8 Dec 2023
Ministry of Interior arrests 50 people for online gambling at a residence

Outlook

Nothing points to legalisation: no bill, consultation or licensing plan on gambling was found, and Articles 274 to 277 of the Penal Code remain unamended. What to watch is enforcement: further Ministry of Interior raids on gambling at residences and online, and whether money laundering cases with gambling as the predicate, six of which were opened in 2020 and 2021, reach trial.

Frequently asked questions

Is gambling legal in Qatar?: No. Articles 274 to 277 of the Penal Code of 2004 punish playing any gambling game and running or organising gambling, and no law provides a licence for any form of gambling. There are no casinos and no lottery.
Is online gambling legal in Qatar?: No. The Penal Code does not mention online play, but Article 275 punishes anyone who plays any gambling game, Article 13 treats an offence as committed in Qatar if any part of it or its result occurs there, and the 2023 FATF-MENAFATF evaluation records that online gambling is prohibited, including in the Qatar Financial Centre.
What are the penalties for gambling in Qatar?: A player faces up to three months in prison and a fine of up to QAR 3,000, rising to six months and QAR 6,000 in a public place or a place prepared for gambling. Running a gambling place or organising gambling carries up to one year and up to QAR 5,000. The court must also confiscate the money and tools and close the premises.
How does Qatar enforce the ban?: Through Ministry of Interior raids authorised by the Public Prosecution. In May 2023 it arrested 19 people at a house run as a gambling venue, and in December 2023 it arrested 50 people for online gambling at a residence. Six money laundering investigations with gambling as the predicate were opened in 2020 and 2021.
Are prize draws allowed in Qatar?: Only as sales promotions licensed by the Ministry of Commerce and Industry under Decision No. 312 of 2018. Entry must be free, the prizes must be specified in advance, and the draw is held in public in the presence of a judicial officer.
Who regulates gambling in Qatar?: Qatar has no dedicated gambling regulator.

Glossary and directory

Glossary terms for this profile

AML (Anti-Money Laundering)

iGT coverage of Qatar

Wynn Resorts Reportedly Planning Second UAE Casino, Eyeing Wider Middle East Expansion

Corporate

10 Sept 2025

Wynn Resorts Reportedly Planning Second UAE Casino, Eyeing Wider Middle East Expansion

In a sign of immense confidence in the future of the Middle Eastern gaming market, Wynn Resorts is reportedly already making plans for a second casino

UAE, Gibraltar Delisted from EU AML Risk Lists: Major Boost for Gaming Sector

Regulatory

18 Jun 2025

UAE, Gibraltar Delisted from EU AML Risk Lists: Major Boost for Gaming Sector

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has received a significant boost with its recent removal from the European Union’s list of high-risk third countries with

UAE Supplier Market Expands With New GCGRA License, Hints at GCC Passporting Potential