Gambling and online casinos in Mauritania

Mauritania is one of the most conservative Islamic countries in Africa,

where gambling is completely prohibited.

The state strictly follows Sharia norms,

and any form of gambling - from betting and poker to online casinos -

are considered a crime and a religious sin.

The law does not make exceptions for either citizens or foreigners:

gambling business in Mauritania is completely absent,
and control over the Internet and financial transactions
aims to prevent any form of online gambling.

Religious and legal basis

Islam is the official religion and the basis of Mauritanian law.

The Constitution (Article 5) explicitly states:

💡 "Islam is the only religion of the state,
and laws are based on Sharia principles"

In Sharia, gambling (maysir) is strictly prohibited,

since they are considered a manifestation of deception, loss of dignity and destruction of morality.

This definition is fully incorporated into Mauritanian criminal law,

making any gambling a criminal offence.

💡 "Games based on luck destroy the soul and lead to sin.
They have no place in Islamic society"
(Imam of Nouakchott Main Mosque, 2023)

Legislation and punishments

Main provisions:

1. Mauritania Penal Code (1983 revision) -

defines gambling as "an act contrary to Islam and public order."

2. Morals and Islamic Values Protection Act (2001) -

prohibits propaganda and participation in games for money.

3. Cybercrime Act (2018) -

qualifies online gambling as "harming digital morality"

and provides for punishment up to imprisonment.

Sanctions:

Violation	Punishment
Gambling organisation	Up to 3 years in prison and a fine of up to 500,000 MRU (~ $12,000)
Participation in the game	Up to 1 year imprisonment or fine up to 50,000 MRU
Online gambling	Up to 2 years in prison and blocking devices
Casino or betting ads	Up to 5 years in prison

Laws are strictly applied, especially in large cities -

Nouakchote, Nouadhibou and Kaedi, where the morality police are active.

No legal gambling sector

Unlike Tunisia, Egypt or Morocco,

Mauritania does not allow the existence of even tourist casinos.

There is no gambling business in any form:

no licences, no gambling, no regulators.

Lotteries, bingo, betting shops and slot machines -

all this is equated with "non-Islamic activity."

From the government's perspective,

gambling business contradicts not only religion,
but also the national identity of the country,

built on the principles of modesty and spiritual purity.

Online gambling and bypassing bans

Despite the total ban,

some Mauritanians still play foreign online casinos.

This can only be done anonymously,

since local ISPs track activity for key requests.

The most common workarounds are:

Using VPN (ProtonVPN, NordVPN, AtlasVPN);
Registration on offshore sites (1xBet, Stake, BC. Game);
Payment through cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Tether, Tron);
Receiving winnings through P2P exchanges in Telegram.

Maghreb Digital Risk Report 2024,

about 30-40 thousand citizens of Mauritania

visit offshore casino sites annually,

and the total volume of bets in the "shadow" is estimated at $20-25 million.

Control and cybersecurity

Control over the Internet and digital transactions

several structures are performed:

Ministry of Interior and Islamic Affairs - supervision of moral standards;
National Cybersecurity Agency (ANCS) - blocking sites;
Ministry of Communications - filtering of key domains (casino, bet, slots, etc.).

Sometimes the authorities conduct demonstration raids against "Internet groups,"

offering games or bets.

So, in 2023, several people were arrested in Nouakchott

for "promoting illegal online gaming."

Social and cultural context

Moorish society is extremely conservative.

Gambling is not just perceived as a violation of the law,

but as a moral desecration of faith.

Imams and scholars of religious schools

regularly remind at sermons about the prohibition of maysir -
gambling as a "challenge that diverts from the right path."

However, among young people, especially in cities,

an interesting attitude is common:

playing over the Internet is perceived as entertainment without harm,
if it is not advertised and is not associated with deception.

💡 "If I bet a couple of dollars online,
that doesn't mean I'm a bad Muslim -
I'm just interested in technology"
(Anonymous player from Nouadhibou)

Economic aspect

Mauritania is a poor country with a fishing-based economy,

iron ore mining and international aid.

Gambling is seen as an alien Western influence,

and their legalization is never discussed at the government level.

However, experts note

that in the future, with the liberalization of the economy and the growth of tourism,
country could consider
creation of special recreation areas for foreigners,
following the example of Egypt and the UAE -

but only under the condition of strict demarcation of access for Muslims.

Prospects

Short-term: the absolute ban on all forms of gambling will continue.

Medium-term: tightening control over VPNs and cryptocurrencies is possible.

Long-term: the likelihood of legalization is extremely low,

except for the hypothetical admission of gambling zones for tourists.

Any attempt at legalization will be met with strong resistance

on the part of the clergy and population.

Mauritania is an example of a country,

where the Islamic religion completely determines public policy.

Gambling is illegal,

there is no casino, and online gambling is criminally punishable.

💡 Here faith comes first,
and play is not entertainment, but sin.

Despite this, the digital age gives people the opportunity

find workarounds using VPNs and cryptocurrencies.

But in general, Mauritania remains one of the most closed countries in the world

for legal gambling.