Syria: gambling regulation and licensing
- Online sports bettingProhibited
- Online casinoProhibited
- Land-based (reference)Prohibited
- iLotteryNot yet verified
- Regulator
- Not yet verified
- Headline tax
- Not yet verified
- Licence required
- Not yet verified
- Last verified
- 24 Sept 2026
Summary
Syria has no licensing regime for gambling and no gambling regulator. The Penal Code (Legislative Decree 148 of 1949) defines games of chance as those in which luck prevails over skill or judgement, naming roulette, baccarat, faro, petits chevaux and open poker (art. 618). Anyone who runs a gambling place or organises prohibited games in a public place, a place open to the public or a private house used for the purpose, together with its cashiers, managers and staff, faces three months to two years in prison and a fine; foreigners may be expelled, furnishings are confiscated and the premises can be closed (art. 619). Players found there are fined (art. 620). The Civil Code (Legislative Decree 84 of 1949) makes every gambling or betting agreement void and lets a loser recover what was paid within three years (art. 705), with exceptions only for bets between sports competitors and lottery tickets authorised by law (art. 706). The Constitutional Declaration of 13 March 2025 keeps existing laws in force and makes Islamic jurisprudence the main source of legislation. Online gambling is not licensed. On 14 June 2026 the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology stopped access to a number of gambling and betting websites targeting users in Syria, stating that gambling and betting breach the laws in force, formed a committee to examine the sites and asked social media platforms to stop related advertising. The lottery issued with the Damascus International Fair was reported suspended after December 2024, and no official decision on its future was found. No gambling tax and no official market data were found. Syria remains on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring.
Common pitfalls
Reading the silence of the Penal Code on the internet as permission: there is no licence to obtain, and since June 2026 the government has blocked a number of gambling and betting sites, stating that they breach the laws in force. Quoting the 1949 fine amounts at face value: Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011 raised the fine bands across the Penal Code. Assuming the state lottery still runs: it was reported suspended after December 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
- Not yet verified
Legal framework
Primary statutes
Penal Code, Legislative Decree No. 148 of 1949, arts. 618 to 620 (gambling)
قانون العقوبات الصادر بالمرسوم التشريعي رقم 148 لعام 1949
- Year
- 1949
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Art. 618 defines games of chance as those in which luck prevails over skill or judgement, naming roulette, baccarat, faro, petits chevaux and open poker and games derived from or similar to them. Art. 619 punishes running a gambling place or organising prohibited games in a public place, a place open to the public or a private house used for the purpose, with three months to two years in prison and a fine for the organiser, cashiers, managers and staff; they may be banned from residence and foreigners expelled, furnishings are confiscated and the premises may be closed. Art. 620 fines players found there. Art. 746 punishes offering a lottery or other game on the public road without a licence, and art. 597 punishes begging caused by addiction to gambling.
Civil Code, Legislative Decree No. 84 of 1949, arts. 705 and 706 (gambling and betting)
القانون المدني الصادر بالمرسوم التشريعي رقم 84 لعام 1949
- Year
- 1949
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Art. 705 makes every agreement on gambling or betting void and lets a loser recover what was paid within three years, by any means of proof and despite any contrary agreement. Art. 706 exempts bets made between competitors personally in sports, which a judge may reduce if excessive, and lottery tickets authorised by law.
Secondary instruments
Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011 amending the Penal Code
المرسوم التشريعي رقم 1 لعام 2011
- Year
- 2011
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Raises fine bands across the Penal Code and other criminal texts where a law does not set more: contravention fines to SYP 500 to 2,000, misdemeanour fines to SYP 2,000 to 10,000 and felony fines to SYP 10,000 to 200,000.
Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic, 13 March 2025
الإعلان الدستوري للجمهورية العربية السورية
- Year
- 2025
- In force
- Yes
- Summary
- Art. 3(1) makes Islamic jurisprudence the main source of legislation. Art. 51 keeps laws in force until they are amended or repealed, so the 1949 Penal and Civil Code provisions on gambling continue to apply. Art. 52 sets a five-year transitional period.
Key amendments
- 3 Jan 2011Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011 raises the fine bands across the Penal Code where a law does not specify more.
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 no licensing route for sports betting, casino or other commercial gambling, online or land-based. Running a gambling place or organising prohibited games is a criminal offence under Penal Code art. 619, gambling and betting agreements are void under Civil Code art. 705, and since June 2026 the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology has blocked a number of gambling and betting websites targeting Syria.
Compliance
- Minimum age
- Not yet verified
- National self-exclusion
- Not yet verified
- AML regime
- Syria is on the FATF list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring. In February 2010 it made a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and MENAFATF to address strategic AML/CFT deficiencies. The FATF found in June 2014 that Syria had substantially completed the plan at a technical level but has been unable to make an on-site visit because of the security situation, and it still listed Syria on 19 June 2026. No gambling-specific anti-money laundering obligations were found, as commercial gambling is not a lawful business.
- KYC requirements
- Not yet verified
- Stake limits
- Not yet verified
Advertising
- Advertising permitted
- No
- Social media rules
- On 14 June 2026 the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology formally asked social media platforms to stop advertisements linked to gambling and betting websites that target users in Syria.
Restrictions
- No lawful gambling product exists to advertise, and the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology treats gambling and betting as breaching the laws in force.
Enforcement
- ISP blocking
- Yes
- DNS blocking
- Not yet verified
- Payment blocking
- Not yet verified
- App store takedowns
- Not yet verified
- Criminal penalties
- Running a gambling place or organising prohibited games, and acting as its cashier, manager or employee: three months to two years in prison and a fine, a possible ban from residence, expulsion for foreigners, confiscation of the proceeds, anything used or prepared for the offence, and the furniture and furnishings, and possible closure of the premises (Penal Code art. 619). Players found there: a fine (art. 620). Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011 raised misdemeanour fines to SYP 2,000 to 10,000 where a law does not set more.
- Operator liability
- Criminal liability under Penal Code art. 619 for anyone who runs a gambling place or organises prohibited games in a public place, a place open to the public or a private house used for the purpose, and for its cashiers, managers and staff. Online operators have been dealt with by blocking.
- Player liability
- Anyone who plays in, or is caught playing in, a gambling place is fined under Penal Code art. 620. Gambling debts cannot be enforced and losses can be recovered within three years (Civil Code art. 705). No specific offence of gambling online was found.
Notable actions
- A number of gambling and betting websites targeting users in Syria14 Jun 2026
Access stopped by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology as a precautionary measure pending a committee review; social media platforms asked to stop related advertising.
Timeline
18 May 1949
Civil Code (Legislative Decree 84) makes gambling and betting agreements void, except sports bets between competitors and authorised lottery tickets (arts. 705 and 706)
22 Jun 1949
Penal Code (Legislative Decree 148) criminalises running gambling places and playing in them (arts. 618 to 620)
Feb 2010
Syria makes a high-level political commitment to work with the FATF and MENAFATF to address strategic AML/CFT deficiencies
3 Jan 2011
Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011 raises the fine bands across the Penal Code
Jun 2014
FATF finds that Syria has substantially addressed its action plan at a technical level, pending an on-site visit
10 Dec 2024
Scheduled state lottery draw does not take place after the fall of the previous government; weekly and annual draws are reported suspended
13 Mar 2025
Constitutional Declaration keeps existing laws in force and makes Islamic jurisprudence the main source of legislation
14 Jun 2026
Ministry of Communications and Information Technology stops access to a number of gambling and betting websites targeting users in Syria
19 Jun 2026
FATF keeps Syria on its list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring
Outlook
The June 2026 blocking is a precautionary measure pending the findings of the committee formed by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, which had not been published at the time of this review. No bill on gambling was found. Watch for the committee outcome, any decision on the suspended state lottery, and the on-site visit the FATF says it will conduct at the earliest possible date.
Frequently asked questions
- Is online gambling legal in Syria?
- No licence exists for it. The Penal Code criminalises running gambling places and organising prohibited games, the Civil Code voids gambling and betting agreements, and on 14 June 2026 the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology blocked a number of gambling and betting websites targeting Syria, stating that they breach the laws in force.
- What is the penalty for running a gambling operation in Syria?
- Three months to two years in prison and a fine under Penal Code art. 619, for the organiser and for cashiers, managers and staff. Foreigners may be expelled, the proceeds, anything used for the offence and the furnishings are confiscated and the premises can be closed.
- Can players be prosecuted in Syria?
- Anyone who plays in, or is caught playing in, a gambling place is fined under Penal Code art. 620. Gambling debts are unenforceable and a loser can recover payments within three years under Civil Code art. 705.
- Is there a legal lottery in Syria?
- The Civil Code allows lottery tickets authorised by law. The lottery issued with the Damascus International Fair was reported suspended after December 2024, and no official decision on its future was found.
- Who blocks gambling websites in Syria?
- The Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. On 14 June 2026 it stopped access to a number of gambling and betting sites, acting on complaints, pending a committee review and asked social media platforms to stop related advertising aimed at users in Syria.
Sources
- Penal Code, Legislative Decree No. 148 of 22 June 1949, as amended by Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011, arts. 597, 618 to 620 and 746
Ministry of Justice, Syrian Arab Republic (legislation portal) (translated)
In the consolidated text art. 619 sets the fine as "من مائة ألف ليرة" (from one hundred thousand lira), which appears to omit a word; the Arab Encyclopedia gives the band as SYP 100 to 1,000. The record does not state the art. 619 fine band.
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 22 Jun 1949 - Legislative Decree No. 1 of 3 January 2011 amending the Penal Code (fine bands)
Ministry of Justice, Syrian Arab Republic (legislation portal) (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 3 Jan 2011 - Civil Code, Legislative Decree No. 84 of 18 May 1949, as amended, arts. 705 and 706 (gambling and betting)
Ministry of Justice, Syrian Arab Republic (legislation portal) (translated)
Tier 1Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 18 May 1949 - Constitutional Declaration of the Syrian Arab Republic, 13 March 2025, arts. 3 and 51 (full text)
International Labour Organization, NATLEX (copy of the text as reproduced on the website of the Arab Socialist Union Party, Syria) (translated)
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 13 Mar 2025 - Ministry of Communications stops access to gambling and betting websites to protect users
Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), state news agency (translated)
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 14 Jun 2026 - Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring, 19 June 2026 (statement on Syria)
Financial Action Task Force
Tier 2Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 19 Jun 2026 - Aleatory contracts: gambling and betting (Specialised Legal Encyclopedia)
Arab Encyclopedia, Damascus (Specialised Legal Encyclopedia) (translated)
Gives the art. 619 fine as SYP 100 to 1,000, where the Ministry of Justice consolidated text reads "from one hundred thousand lira". Neither reflects Legislative Decree No. 1 of 2011 expressly.
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026 - Jurisdiction in criminal justice (Specialised Legal Encyclopedia)
Arab Encyclopedia, Damascus (Specialised Legal Encyclopedia) (translated)
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026 - Suspension of the lottery in Syria: the new "state" against luck?
Daraj (translated)
Tier 3Accessed 24 Sept 2026Published 9 Apr 2025