Sports betting in the UAE and Gulf: is it legal? (2026)

Short answer

In the UAE, sports betting is legal only through an operator licensed by the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA). One company holds that licence: Coin Technology Projects LLC, which runs Play971 for adults aged 21 and over who are physically in the UAE. Betting with any other site is an offence under Federal Decree-Law No. 31 of 2021.

Gambling is prohibited in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, none of them licenses an online casino, and their regulators block gambling websites. This is general information, not legal advice. 21+.

How did the UAE start licensing sports betting?

The UAE created the GCGRA in 2023 as the single federal regulator for commercial gaming. It first licensed the national lottery, then a casino resort on Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah. In late 2025 it added Coin Technology Projects LLC to its register under both internet gaming and sports wagering, and Play971 went fully live on 15 December 2025.

Availability has rolled out emirate by emirate, so being in the UAE doesn't guarantee access everywhere. The GCGRA publishes its licensees on its own website; any other betting site claiming UAE approval should appear there.

What rules apply to licensed betting in the UAE?

The platform's published terms require players to be 21 or older, physically inside the UAE and outside sensitive areas the regulator defines, and to verify their identity with an Emirates ID. Using a VPN or any tool to hide your location is banned, and the terms say winnings aren't paid when the rules are broken.

Deposits must come from a payment method in your own name, and withdrawals go to a UAE bank account in your name. Deposit limits, time-outs and self-exclusion are built in.

What about offshore betting sites?

Offshore betting sites that accept Gulf players hold licences from other countries, if any. In the UAE they're unlicensed, and the GCGRA says penalties for unlicensed gaming can reach players as well as operators. Banks often decline card payments to them, and a dispute can only go to a foreign regulator.

Offshore sites also carry practical risks: accounts closed after an identity check, winnings voided under vague terms, and no local help if a payout never arrives.

Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman

Saudi Arabia prohibits gambling under its law, which follows Islamic law. Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman prohibit it under their penal codes. None of the five licenses sports betting, online or in person, and their regulators block betting websites.

Each country has its own hall on this site: Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman. Horse racing in Dubai, including the Dubai World Cup, runs without betting.

How do you check a betting site claims a UAE licence?

Open the GCGRA's own website yourself, find its list of licensees, and look for the exact company name and web address the betting site shows in its footer. A licensed operator appears under internet gaming or sports wagering with a matching website. If the name or address isn't there, the site isn't licensed, whatever its banner says.

Fake approval badges and copied regulator logos are common. The register, not the badge, is the proof.

Sports betting in the UAE and Gulf: what changed by 2026?

Until late 2025 there was no legal way to bet on sport anywhere in the Gulf. That changed in the UAE alone. The GCGRA register published in September 2026 listed 27 licences, most of them for suppliers rather than operators, and only one company licensed for online betting.

Nothing changed in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain or Oman. Betting there's still prohibited, and there's no licence to apply for. If you live in one of those countries and see an advert for a Gulf betting app, it isn't licensed where you're.

The UAE rollout has also been uneven. Access depends on which emirate you're in, so a licensed app that works in one city may be blocked in another. Check the operator's own help pages for where it's available today, and don't use a VPN to get around a block.

We'll update this guide when the register changes. Until then, treat any claim of a second licensed betting site with suspicion and look it up yourself.

What if you already use an offshore betting site?

Stop depositing, withdraw what you can, and keep records of your balance and every request. Don't use a VPN or a friend's account to get money out; that breaks the site's terms and can make things worse. If gambling has become hard to control, our responsible gambling page lists free, confidential help.

Do we list betting sites?

No. This site compares casino brands for Gulf readers and doesn't rank or link to sports betting sites. We don't publish tips, odds comparisons or betting offers either. Our UAE gambling law guide covers the wider legal picture, and our responsible gambling page lists free help and tools that block gambling sites and payments.

Bottom line

In the UAE, sports betting is legal only through the GCGRA-licensed operator, for adults aged 21 and over inside the country. Everywhere else in the Gulf it's prohibited, and offshore sites are unlicensed. Check the GCGRA register before you trust any claim. This is general information, not legal advice. 21+.

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