Just the term “Saudi Arabian online casinos” might seem like an oxymoron. And it’s easy to understand why you might feel that way. This is a country known for having one of the Islamic world’s most conservative religious governments; women’s rights are severely limited and those accused of committing crimes face harsh punishments. And of course, there is also a strict stance against gambling – including online.
You don’t even need to check the current legal situation to understand that gambling in Saudi Arabia is unlikely to be permitted or regulated any time soon, both on and offline. However, despite strong existing prohibitions, you can still find operators that offer real-money online casino gaming and accept players residing in Saudi Arabia.
Considering the legality of Saudi Arabian online gambling, it can be tough to know which online casinos can be trusted and identifying those that you should stay away from. That is why our team of experts have taken the time to review online casinos that accept Saudi players. You can check out these top sites in our curated list below. Our team has made sure that each site on this page will provide you a safe yet enjoyable gaming experience.
The main reason it can be hard to find a good online casino in Saudi Arabia is because the government takes such a strict anti-online gambling stance. Active efforts are made by those in power to restrict access to websites of this kind, as well as those displaying anti-religious messages and sites containing pornographic content. But while many sites have been blocked by the KACST (King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology), which handles the Saudi internet infrastructure, some have not.
We wouldn’t blame you for thinking that such a draconian approach might act as a deterrent for any operator or gaming developer to do business in the Middle East’s largest country by area. However, it doesn’t. Believe it or not, there are numerous websites that offer real money online gambling in Saudi Arabia for players who wish to sign up and play with them. A lot of operators consider this to be a grey market; they haven’t been rejected for a license to operate here, there’s just simply no way to get one.
If you live here and wish to participate in online casino gaming, you will be pleasantly surprised at the variety of software providers found in this market. Companies with active games that feature on websites here include:
The diversity of software developers at Saudi Arabia online casino sites guarantees you’ll have many gaming options to choose from. And as we mentioned before, online gambling in Saudi Arabi is far from non-existent. Our casinos listed on this page offer support in Arabic, but as far as we know there aren’t any that enable deposits and withdrawals to be made with the Riyal currency. However, you can easily convert your funds into other currencies, such as USD and EUR.
Each casino listed here also holds licenses from international gaming regulators, and hence they must abide by very strict safety standards. They treat their customers with 100% privacy and discreteness, which means you can stay safe when gambling online in Saudi Arabia. For an extra layer of security, we recommend using a secure VPN so your casino activity can’t be tracked. When it comes to depositing money at a Saudi Arabia online casino, we advise choosing a discreet payment method were your details won’t be shared.
Although it’s not possible to deposit at any of our listed online casinos in Riyal, that doesn’t mean you can’t do so in another currency. One example of a payment method which can be used in Saudi Arabia is WebMoney. It would be wise to deposit and withdraw using USD, since the Riyal is pegged to it.
When choosing a payment method for online casino gaming in Saudi Arabia, you must think about your anonymity. While it might be possible to pay via credit card (if this isn’t blocked), your payment can be easily tracked – making it possible that you’ll be more liable for prosecution.
Safer payment options include cryptocurrencies, such as bitcoin, as well as e-wallets like Neteller and Skrill. Both allow you to make payments to gambling sites without linking back to your bank account, which adds a layer of security. Another payment method offering anonymity is prepaid cards. You can purchase prepaid cards at local sales outlets and use the PIN code appearing on the cards to deposit cash at the casino.
To put it bluntly, there is no such thing as legal gambling in Saudi Arabia. The ban on this activity makes zero exceptions whatsoever. The country is also stricter than a lot of other countries in the Middle East, with others not really going to the lengths that the Saudi government does to block access to such websites. Saudi Arabia has no online lottery or state-run operator, and even bingo is forbidden. Online slots, as well as table games such as blackjack, are also a no-go.
There is perhaps one area where you think the government might make an exception – horse racing. The country is known for its love of this sport and, as we know from countries like the UK, it goes hand-in-hand with betting. Some of the most successful horses and owners have come out of this nation in recent years, too. But again, the event is for your eyes only – online and land-based betting are both banned in this respect.
Racing takes place primarily at two locations, both of which are regulated by the Riyadh Equestrian Club. The King Aziz Racetrack is located in Riyadh itself, while summer meetings take place at the King Khaled Racetrack in Taif. Various races are held throughout the year for both Saudi bred and imported horses. The nation is also one of the best locations to watch camel racing; while the races once utilized child jockeys that could easily be hurt on the long races, robotic jockeys are now used instead, and fans (and owners) can follow the action by traveling alongside the tracks in vehicles.
Gambling in Saudi Arabia is not just banned online – it’s also prohibited to do so offline and there are no legal land-based venues in the country. But that doesn’t mean that Saudis never want to place a bet and a significant percentage of the population – 37% – consists of foreign-born citizens. This inevitably leads to illegal underground gambling dens popping up from time-to-time in the nation, as some seek to take advantage of the situation by setting up Saudi casinos and offering the only game in town.
But doing so is a dangerous proposition, as the penalties for running such an operation are hardly renowned for being friendly. Police once busted a gambling ring in Jeddah being run by African immigrants accused of overstaying their visas. At the time, it was reported that the suspects would face criminal charges and potentially even jail time; the Saudi legal system is rarely praised for having leniency in its sentencing, and it’s safe to say that even a small betting operation would be dealt with extremely harshly by the standards of most nations.
Like with many countries throughout the Middle East, the stance on gambling in Saudi Arabia is based on deeply held Islamic beliefs that date back thousands of years. Therefore, these restrictions are not going to change in the next few years or even decades. It would be a stunning liberalization here if the government decided they wanted to run a highly-regulated state lottery to raise revenue; the idea of a casino in Saudi Arabia is nothing more than a (very distant) pipe dream.
Concerns about gambling run so deep here that even activities that often occur without any betting can come under scrutiny. In early 2016, a top Saudi cleric made headlines around the world when he issued a fatwa stating that chess was a forbidden pastime for Muslims – quite the shock to the many chess players in the country, especially considering that the game evolved in the Persian Empire and has been popular throughout the Muslim world ever since. The ban was issued in part because of the potential for players to bet on games, among other reasons.
Ultimately, it didn’t appear that this was much more than an answer to a specific question about how Muslims should live their lives, and the government hasn’t made any moves to enforce such a prohibition. However, it still goes to show just how strong the cultural resistance to any form of gambling runs.
With that in mind, we wouldn’t expect Saudi Arabia online casinos to be regulated and licensed within the country any time soon. That doesn’t mean that players won’t be able to find places to play though. No matter what the government tries to do, some Saudi Arabia casino sites will likely slip through the cracks. But it is extremely unlikely that these operators will be embraced here at any point in the foreseeable future.
While the Saudi government is one of the strictest in the Middle East and its views related to online gambling are far from favorable, players still enjoy betting safely online every day.
Before you deposit at any casino in Saudi Arabia, it’s important that you know how to keep yourself safe and also read reviews from others. You should look at the opinions of both fellow players and casino experts, then make your own decision as to whether you want to wager with a particular casino site.
Once you have picked an online casino which serves players in Saudi Arabia, you should use a payment method which lets you deposit discreetly. You should also use a VPN, right from the beginning of your research phase and throughout your entire gaming experience.
No. Both land-based and online gambling is illegal in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi government has a strict anti-gambling stance, and most casino sites are blocked in the country. However, locals still manage to access some online casinos in Saudi Arabia to play real money games. Our advice is to be extremely cautious and discreet if you choose to gamble online here, as anyone caught faces prosecution.
If you gamble online without a VPN and use easily-trackable payment methods, then no – it isn’t. But if you ensure that you can’t be tracked and use a discreet payment option, you will be much safer when gambling online in Saudi Arabia. You should also read unbiased casino reviews to help you pick a legitimate and trustworthy site.
The best online casinos in Saudi Arabia are the ones we feature right here on this page. Our expert team have thoroughly vetted these sites for security, games variety, customer support and bonuses. They all offer an all-round superb gambling experience, so we suggest checking out our curated list to choose the best casino suited to your preferences.
As far as we know, there are no online casinos that enable you to deposit or withdraw in SAR. Operators only tend to offer currencies from regulated markets. So, instead of SAR, you can use USD or EUR – whichever suits you best. USD is probably the best available option for Saudi Arabia casino players.
Many operators these days have a mobile app and provided that they aren’t geo-blocked in your location, then mobile casino gaming in Saudi Arabia is a possible option. However, you need to take the same measures as you would on your desktop or tablet device. Use a VPN, deposit discreetly and pick a casino with a positive customer reputation.
