Gambling and online casinos in Egypt

Egypt is one of the few Islamic countries where gambling is partially legalized.

There is a unique dual regulation model:

• for Muslims - a strict ban based on Sharia, and for foreigners and tourists - permission to play in licensed casinos.

Such a compromise allows the state to maintain religious traditions while making millions of dollars from gambling tourism, especially in Cairo, Alexandria, Hurghada and Sharm el-Sheikh.

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Religious and legal basis

Islam is the state religion of Egypt, and Sharia is recognized as the main source of legislation (Article 2 of the Constitution).

The Quran explicitly condemns gambling (maysir) as "the work of Satan."

Therefore, for Muslims, participating in betting, poker or casinos is a sin and a violation of religious principles.

Unlike other Arab countries, however, Egypt uses a secular system of legislation to allow exemptions for foreign nationals and tourism.

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Legislation and regulation

Main legal acts:

1. Law No. 371 (1956) "On entertainment establishments" -

regulates casino operations and licensing.

2. Law No. 48 (1979) -

allows foreigners to participate in gambling in licensed establishments.

3. Egyptian Penal Code (Art. 274-276) -

prohibits the participation of Muslims in gambling and the organization of illegal casinos.

4. Cybercrime Act (2018) -

punishes online gambling if it involves money laundering or fraud.

Feature:

• Egyptian citizens cannot officially play in casinos, even if they hold a foreign passport;
• foreigners (tourists, diplomats, businessmen) can visit casinos freely;
• casinos are required to check the nationality of visitors with a passport before entering.

Sanctions:

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Land-based casinos

Egypt is the Arab world leader in the number of legal casinos.

For 2025, there are more than 30 of them, including the largest in Cairo, Alexandria and the Red Sea.

The main operators are:

• Cairo Marriott Hotel Casino (operated by Marriott and Caesars Entertainment);
• Ramses Hilton Casino;
• Sheraton Cairo Casino;
• Hilton Hurghada Resort Casino;
• Sharm El Sheikh Jolie Ville Casino;
• Alexandria Grand Plaza Casino.

All establishments are licensed by the Ministry of Tourism, and are required to pay tax in the amount of 40% of the profit.

According to Arab Gambling Review 2024, Egypt's gambling industry brings about $300 million a year to the budget, mainly at the expense of foreigners.

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Online gambling

Formally, online casinos are not allowed in Egypt, and there is no current law governing internet gambling.

However, the state does not block access to offshore platforms, and local ISPs do not apply keyword filtering.

Thus, tens of thousands of users play international online casinos every day, such as:

• 1xBet, Stake, BC. Game, BetWinner, PokerStars, Bitcasino.

Deposits are usually made through:

• cryptocurrencies (USDT, BTC, Tron);
• international wallets (Skrill, Jeton, AstroPay);
• virtual cards issued abroad.

According to Middle East Online Entertainment 2024, more than 1.5 million Egyptians have participated in online gambling at least once, and the gray market exceeds $1 billion a year.

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Control and enforcement

Control over the activities of the casino and the Internet space is carried out by:

• Ministry of Tourism and Antiques - licensing and audit of establishments;
• The Ministry of the Interior - the fight against illegal operators;
• National Cybersecurity Office - Online Transaction Monitoring.

In practice, laws are applied selectively.

If the activity is not public and does not affect religious morality, the authorities prefer not to interfere.

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Economic and tourism aspects

Egypt is the largest tourist center in Africa and the Middle East.

The government sees gambling tourism as a source of foreign exchange earnings, especially in resort regions.

Casinos are heavily advertised abroad, but advertising in Arabic is banned domestically.

Part of the profits from the gambling business is directed to the development of tourism and cultural projects.

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Socio-cultural aspect

Egyptian society is divided on gambling:

• the conservative part of the population considers him a sin and a threat to morality;
• liberal Egyptians and the business environment see economic potential in casinos;
• young people are actively interested in online gambling and e-sports.

The country often has discussions about the possibility of creating a regulated online market for foreigners, but Al-Azhar's spiritual leaders are strongly opposed.

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Prospects

Short-term (until 2027): maintaining the current model -

casino only for foreigners, online gambling without regulation.

Medium-term (2030s): possible introduction of online gambling licenses for offshore operators working with foreign users.

Long-term: the development of gambling tourism as a source of foreign exchange earnings.

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Egypt has a special place in the Arab world -

it is a country where religious prohibition and economic pragmatism coexist.

Gambling is prohibited for citizens, but allowed for tourists, and online gambling develops in the "gray zone" without severe restrictions.

The country will remain a hub for Middle Eastern gambling tourism, balancing religion, culture and entertainment revenue.