Somalia: gambling regulation and licensing
- Online sports bettingProhibited
- Online casinoProhibited
- Online pokerProhibited
- iLotteryProhibited
- Land-based (reference)Prohibited
- Regulator
- Not yet verified
- Headline tax
- Not yet verified
- Licence required
- Not yet verified
- Last verified
- 24 Sept 2026
Summary
Somalia prohibits gambling and has no gambling regulator, licence or tax. The Penal Code of 1962, still in force, punishes anyone who holds or facilitates a game of chance in a public place, a place open to the public or a private club with imprisonment of three months to one year and a fine (art. 553), doubles the penalty for a gaming house, heavy stakes or players under 14 (art. 554), punishes players caught taking part (art. 555) and confiscates the stakes (art. 557). There is no authorisation exception and no lottery law. The Code does not mention remote gambling, but on 16 November 2023 the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee, chaired by the Minister of Finance, declared gambling prohibited throughout the Federal Republic as contrary to religious beliefs and national laws, declared the online betting service 1XBET illegal and ordered banks and mobile money providers to stop serving it, freeze related accounts and report to the Financial Reporting Center. Three months earlier the Ministry of Communications and Technology had ordered internet providers to shut off 1XBet. Puntland State issued its own ban on 1xBET in November 2024. The Provisional Constitution of 2012 makes Islam the state religion and bars laws that do not comply with the principles of Shari'ah. No advertising rule specific to gambling was found. The main change pending is a new Penal Code, adopted by the Council of Ministers in December 2025 to replace the 1962 Code and codify Islamic criminal law; it was submitted to Parliament in January 2026 and had a first reading, then stalled. Its gambling provisions could not be checked because the draft was not found.
Common pitfalls
Treating the absence of any mention of online gambling in the Penal Code as leaving it open: the government declared in November 2023 that gambling is prohibited throughout the country and acted against an online operator through the payment system and internet providers. Equally, the Penal Code offence for players applies to play in public places, places open to the public and private clubs; no statute punishing online play was found. Federal decisions and member state measures run in parallel: Puntland issued its own ban in 2024.
Key facts
- Regulator
- Not yet verified
- Regulator type
- No dedicated regulator
- Headline tax
- Not yet verified
- Licence required
- Not yet verified
- Minimum age
- Not yet verified
- Tax base
- No gambling tax or gambling licence fee was found, and no form of gambling can be offered lawfully. On conviction, the money staked and the gaming equipment are confiscated (Penal Code art. 557).
Legal framework
Primary statutes
Penal Code, Legislative Decree No. 5 of 16 December 1962
- Year
- 1962
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Approved by the President on 16 December 1962 and in force six months after publication in the Official Bulletin (approving decree, art. 1). Part IV of the contraventions, relating to morals and decency, deals with gambling. Art. 553 punishes holding or facilitating a game of chance in a public place, a place open to the public or a private club with imprisonment of three months to one year and a fine of not less than So.Sh. 2,000. Art. 554 doubles the punishment for keeping a gaming house, acting in a public establishment, heavy stakes or participants under 14. Art. 555 punishes a person caught taking part with imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to So.Sh. 5,000, increased on a surprise inspection of a gaming house or for high stakes. Art. 556 defines a game of chance as one played for gain in which success depends entirely or nearly entirely on chance, and a gaming house as any place where people meet to play such games, however disguised. Art. 557 requires confiscation of the stakes and equipment. Art. 558 covers games that are not of chance but are forbidden in licensed billiards rooms. The English text renders "chance" as "change" in several places.
Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia, 2012
- Year
- 2012
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Adopted 1 August 2012. Islam is the religion of the State and no law can be enacted that is not compliant with the general principles and objectives of Shari'ah (art. 2). After the Shari'ah, the Constitution is the supreme law (art. 4(1)). It contains no provision on gambling. Later amendments were not checked in this run.
Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, 2016
- Year
- 2016
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Lists casinos among the designated non-financial businesses and professions subject to the Act's preventive obligations (art. 4(2)(e)), which is formal only, since no casino can lawfully operate. Establishes the Financial Reporting Center as the financial intelligence unit, with power to supervise reporting entities that lack a designated supervisor (arts. 21.10 and 23), and the National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Committee (art. 24). The Act takes effect on signature by the President and publication in the Official Bulletin (art. 54).
Secondary instruments
NAMLC decisions of 16 November 2023 on gambling and 1XBET
- Year
- 2023
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Taken at the NAMLC meeting held at the Ministry of Finance on 16 November 2023. Gambling is declared prohibited throughout the Federal Republic of Somalia as contrary to religious beliefs and national laws; 1XBET is declared an illegal service; banks, mobile money providers and other financial service providers must not provide services to persons or companies associated with 1XBET, and those already doing so must stop, freeze related accounts and report to the FRC. The NAMLC website records the meeting but not the gambling decision; the decision is reported by SONNA, and its full text is reproduced by Hiiraan Online.
Ministry of Communications and Technology order to internet service providers, August 2023
- Year
- 2023
- Summary
- Statement by the Minister of Communications and Technology, issued on Sunday 20 August 2023, ordering internet service providers to shut off 1XBet, TikTok and Telegram by 23:30 on 24 August 2023, on security and moral grounds. Known from press reports; the order itself was not found on the ministry website.
Pending legislation
Draft Somali Penal Code (to replace the Penal Code of 1962)
- Stage
- Adopted by the Council of Ministers in December 2025 (RSF) and submitted to Parliament in January 2026, where it had a first reading before the government shelved it amid the electoral and constitutional dispute (Sahan, 3 July 2026). RSF reported in August 2026 that Parliament was preparing to examine it.
- What it changes
- Would replace the 1962 Penal Code, add cybercrime and economic crime offences and codify Islamic criminal law (hudud, qisas and ta'zir). The draft text was not found, so its treatment of gambling could not be checked.
Licensing
- Licence required
- Not yet verified
- Application window
- Not yet verified
- Local establishment required
- Not yet verified
- Local server required
- Not yet verified
- Barriers to entry
- There is nothing to apply for. The Penal Code makes holding games of chance in public places and clubs an offence with no authorisation exception (arts. 553 to 557), no gambling licence or regulator exists, and the NAMLC declared in November 2023 that gambling is prohibited throughout the country and ordered financial institutions to cut off the one online operator it named.
Taxation
- Headline GGR tax
- Not yet verified
- Effective date
- Not yet verified
- Tax base
- No gambling tax or gambling licence fee was found, and no form of gambling can be offered lawfully. On conviction, the money staked and the gaming equipment are confiscated (Penal Code art. 557).
Compliance
- Minimum age
- Not yet verified
- National self-exclusion
- Not yet verified
- AML regime
- The AML/CFT Act 2016 applies customer due diligence and reporting duties to financial institutions and designated non-financial businesses, including casinos (art. 4(2)(e)), though no casino can operate lawfully. The FRC is the financial intelligence unit and the NAMLC, chaired by the Minister of Finance, oversees the regime. The FRC reports amendments to the Act and new regulations on targeted financial sanctions, electronic know-your-customer, supervision of non-financial businesses, mobile money transaction limits and risk-based supervision. Somalia's mutual evaluation is run by MENAFATF: its technical compliance report was adopted at the 40th plenary in Amman on 7 May 2025, and the on-site visit for the effectiveness assessment was postponed on security grounds. In 2025 the FRC received 309 reports, including suspicious and large cash transaction reports. Somalia is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring published on 19 June 2026.
- AML supervisor
- Central Bank of Somalia for financial institutions; the FRC for reporting entities without a designated supervisor (AML/CFT Act 2016, arts. 21.10 and 23).
- KYC requirements
- Not yet verified
- Stake limits
- Not yet verified
Payments
- Credit card ban
- Not yet verified
- Crypto stance
- Not yet verified
- Payment blocking regime
- NAMLC directive of 16 November 2023: all banks, mobile money service providers and other financial service providers operating in Somalia must not provide financial services to individuals or companies associated with 1XBET; those already doing so must stop immediately, freeze related accounts and report the action to the FRC. The directive names only 1XBET; no general blocklist of gambling merchants was found. The same NAMLC meeting discussed implementing the Mobile Money Limitation Procedure, and the FRC reports regulations on mobile money transaction limits.
Enforcement
- ISP blocking
- Not yet verified
- DNS blocking
- Not yet verified
- Payment blocking
- Yes
- App store takedowns
- Not yet verified
- Criminal penalties
- Holding or facilitating a game of chance: imprisonment of three months to one year and a fine of not less than So.Sh. 2,000 (Penal Code art. 553), doubled in the aggravated cases of art. 554. Taking part: imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to So.Sh. 5,000 (art. 555), increased on a surprise inspection or for high stakes. Stakes and equipment are confiscated (art. 557). The fines are in 1962 Somali shillings and have not been updated in the text read.
- Operator liability
- Organisers and facilitators of games of chance in public places, places open to the public and private clubs are liable under Penal Code arts. 553 and 554. No provision addresses a remote operator; the government has instead acted through the NAMLC payment directive and the August 2023 order to internet providers.
- Player liability
- Penal Code art. 555 punishes anyone caught taking part in a game of chance in a public place, a place open to the public or a private club. No provision punishing online play was found.
Notable actions
- 1XBet (with TikTok and Telegram)20 Aug 2023
The Minister of Communications and Technology ordered internet service providers to shut off access by 24 August 2023, citing security, the spread of harmful content and, for 1XBet, betting that he said was distracting soldiers.
- 1XBET and the financial institutions serving it16 Nov 2023
The NAMLC declared gambling prohibited nationwide and 1XBET an illegal service, and ordered banks, mobile money and other financial service providers to stop serving it, freeze related accounts and report to the FRC.
- 1xBET in Puntland State24 Nov 2024
The Puntland State administration issued a decree banning 1xBET, effective immediately, together with a ban on unregistered SIM cards, and instructed local enforcement agencies to apply it.
Timeline
16 Dec 1962
Penal Code approved by Legislative Decree No. 5; arts. 553 to 557 punish holding and taking part in games of chance
1 Aug 2012
Provisional Constitution adopted: Islam is the state religion and laws must comply with the principles of Shari'ah
2016
AML/CFT Act 2016 establishes the FRC and the NAMLC and lists casinos as reporting entities
20 Aug 2023
Ministry of Communications and Technology orders internet providers to shut off 1XBet, TikTok and Telegram by 24 August
16 Nov 2023
NAMLC declares gambling prohibited nationwide and orders financial institutions to cut off 1XBET
24 Nov 2024
Puntland State decree bans 1xBET
7 May 2025
MENAFATF plenary in Amman adopts Somalia's technical compliance report; the on-site visit is later postponed on security grounds
Dec 2025
Council of Ministers adopts a draft Penal Code to replace the 1962 Code
Jan 2026
Draft Penal Code submitted to Parliament and given a first reading, then shelved
19 Jun 2026
FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring published; Somalia is not on it
Outlook
The draft Penal Code adopted by the Council of Ministers in December 2025 was submitted to Parliament in January 2026 and stalled after its first reading; if enacted it would replace arts. 553 to 558 of the 1962 Code. MENAFATF has still to schedule the on-site visit that completes Somalia's mutual evaluation, postponed on security grounds after the technical compliance report was adopted in May 2025.
Frequently asked questions
- Is online gambling legal in Somalia?
- No. No licence exists, and on 16 November 2023 the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee declared gambling prohibited throughout the Federal Republic of Somalia and declared the online betting service 1XBET illegal. The Penal Code offences in arts. 553 to 557 cover games of chance in public places, places open to the public and private clubs and do not mention remote gambling.
- Is there a gambling regulator or licensing authority?
- No. The authorities that have acted on gambling are the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee, the Financial Reporting Center and the Ministry of Communications and Technology, none of which licenses gambling.
- What are the penalties?
- Holding or facilitating a game of chance carries imprisonment of three months to one year and a fine of not less than So.Sh. 2,000, doubled for a gaming house, heavy stakes or players under 14. Taking part carries imprisonment up to six months or a fine up to So.Sh. 5,000. Stakes and equipment are confiscated (Penal Code arts. 553 to 557).
- Can Somali banks and mobile money providers process payments to betting sites?
- Not to 1XBET: the NAMLC directive of November 2023 requires banks, mobile money and other financial service providers to stop serving it, freeze related accounts and report to the Financial Reporting Center. No broader list of blocked gambling merchants was found.
- Is gambling law about to change?
- A draft Penal Code to replace the 1962 Code and codify Islamic criminal law was adopted by the Council of Ministers in December 2025, submitted to Parliament in January 2026 and given a first reading, but has stalled. Its gambling provisions could not be checked.
- Is Somalia on the FATF grey list?
- No. Somalia is not on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring published on 19 June 2026. Its MENAFATF mutual evaluation is incomplete: the technical compliance report was adopted in May 2025 and the on-site visit was postponed on security grounds.
Sources
- Penal Code, Legislative Decree No. 5 of 16 December 1962 (English text), approving decree arts. 1 to 3 and arts. 553 to 558 (Part IV, contraventions relating to morals and decency)
Government of the Somali Republic, copy held by the UNODC SHERLOC database
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 16 Dec 1962 - The Federal Republic of Somalia Provisional Constitution, adopted 1 August 2012, arts. 1 to 4
Federal Republic of Somalia, copy held by the University of Minnesota Human Rights Library
This is the text as adopted in 2012. Later amendments to the Provisional Constitution were not checked in this run, so art. 2 is cited only as background, not as the legal basis for any status.
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 1 Aug 2012 - Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism Act, 2016 (English version), arts. 4, 21, 23, 24, 25 and 54
Financial Reporting Center (FRC), Federal Republic of Somalia
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 2016 - About NAMLC: the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee, its members and mandate
Financial Reporting Center (FRC), Federal Republic of Somalia
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026 - The Ministry of Finance held a meeting with members of the National Anti-Money Laundering & Terrorist Financing Committee (NAMLC), 16 November 2023
National Anti-Money Laundering Committee (NAMLC), Federal Republic of Somalia
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 16 Nov 2023 - Somalia bans the use of 1XBET in the country (21 November 2023)
Somali National News Agency (SONNA), the state news agency
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 21 Nov 2023 - Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 22 Nov 2023
- Somalia Orders TikTok, Telegram Shut Down (20 August 2023)
Voice of America
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 20 Aug 2023 - Somalia: Puntland Bans 1xBET, Unregistered SIM Cards to Curb Gambling, Security Issues (24 November 2024)
Garowe Online
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 24 Nov 2024 - MENAFATF Adopts Somalia's Technical Compliance Report (40th MENAFATF Plenary, Amman, 7 May 2025)
Financial Reporting Center (FRC), Federal Republic of Somalia
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 7 May 2025 - Financial Reporting Center Annual Report 2025, pages 21 to 23 and 27 to 29 (mutual evaluation, National Compliance Forum, reports received)
Financial Reporting Center (FRC), Federal Republic of Somalia
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published May 2026 - Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring, 19 June 2026
Financial Action Task Force (FATF)
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 19 Jun 2026 - Somalia: The new Penal Code risks further criminalising journalism under the guise of reform (19 August 2026)
Reporters Without Borders (RSF)
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 19 Aug 2026 - Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 3 Jul 2026