Gambling Laws in Iraq

According to Article 1 of the Civil Code,  the country must comply with Islamic principles as the I Sharia is the central law of Iraqi legislation. In this way, gambling in Iraq is illegal, which is further enacted by the 1969 Penal Code. Article 389 of this act declares that anyone who participates in gambling activities can face a fine or a prison sentence, being the punishment for potential operators even harsher. Due to this prohibition, there has been barely any development of any form of land-based gambling. Although there are no specific online gambling laws in the country, it is generally considered that online gambling in Iraq also falls under the same prohibition.  In accordance with Iraqi gambling laws, the body responsible for supervising the respect for the prohibition is the local and the national police. And as reported by online gambling news sites, the police has been especially active in arresting people suspected of gambling in the Sulaimani region where several illegal casinos are said to be operating.

Is Online Gambling Legal in Iraq? No, all forms of online gambling are illegal in Iraq, according to the 1969 Penal Code.

Online Casinos in Iraq

As of July 2019, there are no online casino sites in Iraq. Online gambling in the country is prohibited under the 1969 Penal Code, so there are no Iraqi online casino licenses on the offer. Aa a result, the access to foreign-based online casino providers is, in theory, punishable by law, though there are no reports of authorities prosecuting gamblers. 

Online Poker in Iraq

Online poker sites in Iraq are not legal. Although there are no specific Iraqi poker laws, the general prohibition on gambling coming from the application of the 1969 Penal Code holds for this game too. Yet, players are able to access international platforms, despite the authoritie’ efforts to block them. 

Online Lottery in Iraq

There is no national lottery in Iraq. In accordance with the 1969 Penal Code, lotto is also considered to be prohibited as it is a game of chance. Online lotto sites in Iraq are also banned, though players are not prosecuted for accessing foreign platforms that operate in the Iraqi market. 

Online Bingo in Iraq

As it is the case with the other gambling sites, online bingo sites in Iraq are not legal, as of July 2019. Although there are no specific Iraqi online bingo laws, the general prohibition on gambling in the country holds for this game too. 

Online Sports Betting in Iraq

Sports betting is also not an exception from the prohibition under the 1969 Penal Code in Iraq. Consequently, it is not possible to find neither land-based nor online sportsbook sites in Iraq. There are, however, plenty of foreign sportsbook sites that target players from the area, spreading content in the Arabic language and accepting the local currency.

Online DFS in Iraq

Online DFS sites in Iraq are not legally regulated. And considering the situation with all forms of online gambling - in specific of online sports betting in the country - it is very probable that  Daily Fantasy Sports will not become legal in Iraq in a near future.