Gambling and online casinos in Kuwait

Kuwait is one of the most conservative Islamic states in the Gulf, where gambling is categorically banned both religiously and legally.

Islamic law (sharia) is the basis of the Kuwaiti legal system, and therefore any form of gambling, including betting, lotteries, casinos and online gambling, is equated with sin (haram) and punishable by law.

Despite this, Kuwait is among the countries in the region where underground online gambling continues to exist, especially among young people and foreign residents.

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Religious and legal basis

In Kuwait, Islam is the state religion, and article 2 of the country's Constitution states:

The Quran explicitly condemns gambling (maysir) as a "devilish occupation" leading to enmity and spiritual degradation.

Accordingly, any actions related to the game for money are considered not just as a violation of the law, but as a sin against Allah and society.

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Legislation

The basic laws are:

1. Kuwaiti Penal Code (arts. 201-206) -

prohibits the organization and participation in gambling.

2. Cybercrime Act (No. 63 of 2015) -

provides for punishment for participating in online gambling and using a VPN to bypass locks.

3. Media and Publications Act (2006) -

prohibits the advertising or publication of casino and betting information.

Sanctions:

The laws are strictly enforced, especially in cases where gambling is combined with money laundering or fraud.

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Real situation

In practice, despite the ban, there is a digital underground of gambling in the country.

Online gambling through cryptocurrencies and VPNs is especially active, as government filters block almost all well-known casino sites.

Key trends:

• Access via VPN (NordVPN, ExpressVPN, ProtonVPN);
• Deposits through cryptocurrencies (Bitcoin, Tether, Tron);
• Use of offshore casinos (1xBet, Stake, BC. Game, BetWinner);
• Distribution of "mirrors" and links through Telegram groups and Discord;
• Anonymous settlements through Binance P2P and Trust Wallet.

Gulf Digital Insights 2024 analysts estimate that more than 120,000 Kuwaiti users visit offshore gambling sites every month, and shadow online gambling turnover exceeds $400 million per year.

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Control and supervision

The Internet in Kuwait is under strict control.

Content filtering and VPN blocking are carried out by:

• Ministry of Communications and Information (MCIT), Ministry of Home Affairs, Cybercrime Control Department (CCD).

Any sites containing the keywords "casino," "bet," "poker" are immediately blocked, and users can be summoned for interrogation for repeated violations.

Moreover, providers are required to store user traffic history, which makes anonymity difficult in Kuwait.

However, tech-savvy users use:

• TOR browsers, encrypted DNS services, cryptocurrency networks to bypass restrictions.

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Online gambling and cryptocurrencies

Cryptocurrencies in Kuwait are not officially recognized or regulated, but they are not completely banned either.

The country's central bank (CBK) in 2023 again recalled "the risks and inadmissibility of the use of digital assets in gambling and speculation."

Nevertheless, anonymous crypto transactions have become the main way to enter offshore sites.

USDT (Tether) is especially popular -

stable coin that is easy to transfer through P2P platforms without banks.

This allowed Kuwaiti users to circumvent the bans, and foreign casinos to receive customers from the country without directly violating local laws.

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Cultural and social aspect

Kuwaiti society is deeply religious, and gambling is perceived as a moral aberration and humiliation of family honor.

Imams regularly remind in Friday sermons that participation in gambling "leads to poverty and destruction of faith."

However, the younger generation, especially educated Qataris and expats, see online gaming not as a sin but as Western-style entertainment.

For them, this is not a crime, but a way to experience excitement without leaving the apartment.

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Economic aspect

Unlike the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Kuwait does not seek to develop tourism and the entertainment industry.

The state's economy is fully based on the oil and gas sector, and the standard of living is one of the highest in the world.

Therefore, the authorities do not see the economic need to legalize gambling, especially since public opinion and the clergy are sharply against any form of "non-Islamic entertainment."

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Prospects

In the next 10 years, Kuwait has no plans to legalize gambling either offline or online.

The state will continue its policy of tight control over the Internet and maintaining Islamic norms.

However, the underground online gambling market will grow due to cryptocurrencies, VPNs and offshore sites.

As long as religious power dominates politics, Kuwait will remain a country of absolute prohibition, where excitement exists only in the digital shadow.

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Kuwait is one of the strictest Islamic states in matters of morality.

Gambling here is equated with crime and sin, and the state actively blocks any manifestations of them.

Kuwait remains a country where casinos will never be legalized, but where digital excitement has already become part of a hidden modern reality.