Gambling and online casinos in Bahrain

Bahrain is a small but economically developed Gulf state,

where Islamic norms are strictly observed, however, unlike Qatar or Saudi Arabia,

there is a moderate approach to issues of morality and entertainment.

Gambling is officially prohibited by law,

but in fact, the country demonstrates tolerance for offshore online games,

especially among expats and foreign tourists.

Religious and legal basis

Islam (Sunni branch) is the state religion of Bahrain,

and sharia serves as a source of legislation.

The Qur'an expressly prohibits gambling (maysir, qimār),

defining them as "defilement from Satan,"

which means that any form of gambling is contrary to Islamic norms.

💡 "O those who believed! Gambling is an abomination from devilish deeds.
Avoid them to succeed"
(Surah "Al-Ma'ida," verses 90-91)

The Bahraini authorities formally support this principle,

but unlike neighboring states,
do not conduct mass religious campaigns against gambling

and do not use criminal prosecution for ordinary users.

Legislation and punishments

Main legal acts:

1. Bahrain Penal Code (Art. 308-310) - prohibits the organization and participation in gambling.

2. Cybercrime Act (2014) - prohibits the use of the Internet for gambling.

3. Media and Advertising Act (2002) - prohibits the promotion of casinos and bets.

Possible sanctions:

Violation	Punishment
Gambling organisation	Up to 2 years in prison and/or a fine of up to 2,000 dinars
Gambling	Up to 6 months in prison and/or a fine of up to 500 dinars
Online gambling or casino advertising	Up to 1 year imprisonment
Using VPN to Bypass Locks	Administrative penalty

In practice, punishments are applied exclusively to the organizers,

while ordinary users are hardly held accountable.

Real situation

Bahrain is known as the most liberal monarchy in the Persian Gulf.

Alcohol is allowed here, nightclubs work,

and tourism policy is aimed at attracting foreigners.

However, there are no official casinos in the country,

and any organization of gambling within the state is considered illegal.

However, in recent years there has been an active increase in online gambling among expats,

working in the oil and gas and financial sectors.

Access is via VPN,

and settlements - through cryptocurrencies or international wallets.

Main platforms:

1xBet
BetWinner
Stake
BC. Game
PokerStars

According to Arabian iGaming Insight 2024,

about 150,000 Bahraini users visit offshore sites every month,

and the volume of illegal bets is estimated at more than $500 million per year.

Control and supervision

Internet control is carried out by:

Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) - site filtering and VPN;
Home Office - cybercrime investigation;
Ministry of Justice and Islamic Affairs - monitoring compliance with Sharia.

Although gambling sites are officially blocked,

technologies for circumventing censorship are widely known.

VPNs, proxies and encrypted DNS services are used by thousands of users daily.

Online gambling and cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies are not banned in Bahrain,

and Central Bank (CBB) among the first in the region

allowed licensed crypto exchanges and fintech companies.

It made the country attractive to those

who are looking for ways to participate in online gambling through anonymous transactions.

Key trends:

deposits through USDT, Bitcoin, Ethereum;
Win through Binance P2P or Rain Exchange (Bahraini license)
using Tron and Litecoin for microtransactions.

While the government is aware of similar schemes,

it prefers not to interfere,

if we are talking about offshore sites and non-residents.

Tourism and entertainment policy

Bahrain is actively developing recreational tourism.

It hosts Formula 1 Bahrain Grand Prix auto racing,

music festivals and international conferences.

However, gambling is still taboo.

Experts note that with further economic liberalism

Bahrain may become the second candidate for partial legalization of casinos after the UAE

within tourist areas for foreigners.

However, this is unlikely in the coming years due to pressure from religious circles.

Socio-cultural aspect

Bahrain's society is heterogeneous:

Muslims (about 70%) strictly adhere to Islamic principles;
expats (about 30%) are neutral in gambling,
perceiving it as an element of leisure.

For citizens, gambling is a sin and a violation of traditions,

and for foreigners - part of the usual way of life,

therefore, the authorities try to balance between conservatism and openness.

💡 One of the representatives of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Bahrain noted:
"We do not encourage gambling, but also do not interfere in the personal affairs of those
who plays outside the country or online without a public demonstration"

Economic aspect

Bahrain, like other Gulf states,

seeks ways to diversify the economy.

Instead of a casino, he relies on financial technology, the crypto industry and tourism.

However, experts believe that in the future,

with increasing competition with the UAE and Saudi Arabia,
partial legalization of the gambling business in the form of "entertainment licenses" is possible

for foreign operators in resort areas.

Prospects

Bahrain will maintain an official ban on gambling in the coming years,

but will continue to develop financial and travel services,

including blockchain and esports.

Probably in the 2030s, the country will move to a limited tolerance model -

for example, casino licensing at hotels for foreigners,

similar to projects in the UAE (Wynn Resorts) or Saudi Arabia (Neom).

Bahrain is intermediate between strict sharia and economic freedom.

There are no legal casinos and online gambling,

but the state is not aggressively fighting offshore sites,

especially when it comes to foreign players.

💡 Excitement in Bahrain lives "in the shadows" - in VPNs, crypto wallets and private chats,
but without a public conflict with the authorities.

Bahrain remains an example of a soft Islamic approach,

where the prohibition exists formally,

and reality is gradually moving towards regulated digital freedom.