Is Betting Legal in Dubai?


When you think of Dubai, gambling may not be the first thing to cross your mind for a plethora of reasons. The strongest argument is, of course, that Dubai is an Islam-oriented country where most of the laws are derived from traditional Shariah laws. But is betting legal in Dubai? Let’s find out in this guide.

List of Dubai Betting Sites

Rank Bookmaker Rating Bonus Get bonus
1
4.8/5
100% welcome bonus up to INR 8,000
PlayRead review
2
4.5/5
100% match bonus up to ₹20,600
PlayRead review
3
4.5/5
100% welcome bonus up to ₹30,000
PlayRead review
4
4.5/5
100% welcome bonus up to 22,500₹
PlayRead review
5
4.5/5
100% welcome bonus up to to ₹10,000
PlayRead review
6
4.5/5
100% deposit bonus up to ₹8,000.
PlayRead review
7
4.5/5
200% match bonus ₹15,000
PlayRead review
8
4.5/5
160% first deposit bonus up to ₹16,000
PlayRead review
9
4.5/5
100% match bonus up to ₹8,000
PlayRead review

Latest Betting Bonuses

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    Since the beginning of the online gambling industry, many operators have tried to shape the industry. The early years were…

What Will You Find in this Article?

This page is your one-stop solution to get all the best betting sites in Dubai. We’ve taken a very detailed approach to this, so the post is quite long. In case you’re here for any particular piece of information, just jump to the section from here.

How Betting Sites are Regulated in Dubai?

The legality factor of betting sites online in the UAE is very interesting. You may already know that all the Emirates are Muslim-majority countries where the laws are heavily influenced by the sharia (the teachings of Quraan). In that aspect, gambling is forbidden in Dubai.

Existing laws in the country reflect the same thing. You won’t find any casinos or betting shops anywhere across the 7 Emirates, including Dubai. However, it’s about to change by 2026 as a Las Vegas-based resort franchise is supposed to open a casino.

Online gambling is also illegal in Dubai. In most cases, we see governments ban hosting gambling services within the borders. In the case of Dubai, it’s the players who are supposed to keep their distance from the operators.

It means there are no restrictions for offshore betting sites to accept players from Dubai. From what we’ve seen, players who gamble from the secrecy of their homes have never been prosecuted.

Check the table below.

🌎 CountryDubai
👌 LanguageArabic
💶 CurrencyDirham
⚽ Popular SportsFootball, cricket, tennis, basketball, horse & camel racing
⚖️ Is Betting Legal in Dubai?No
🕵️‍♂️ Gaming RegulatorN/A
📃 Gambling Tax0%
💳 Most Popular Payment MethodsCash, credit cards, mobile wallets

 

Top 5 Betting Online Websites for Sport in Dubai

Bet365

bet365 is the undefeated champion when it comes to online betting sites in Dubai. Its features, betting markets, and odds are unmatched by any other operator.

Parimatch

Bettors from Dubai are free to sign up for the Parimatch global website. As the name suggests, it’s designed for a global audience with a global license. You can expect some of the best football betting markets during your tenure with Parimatch.

1xBet

1xBet may not even need an introduction as it’s an international betting site with aggressive marketing. You can sign up for 1xBet in Dubai right away and start wagering on the best football markets.

22Bet

22Bet is also an international betting site that allows Dubai bettors to sign up. It has a very generous welcome bonus to roll you with the good times ahead. Pretty much all sports you can think of are available for betting.

Rokubet

Our last pick for the best betting sites in Dubai is Rokubet. It boasts a Curacao license and has one of the most vibrant user interfaces. You can expect a very streamlined online betting experience no matter what your preferred sport is in Dubai.

How We Rank Bookies

Our biggest strength is the team we have in place to evaluate sites for betting. All members of the team are industry professionals, and they’ve been working in the niche for a very long time. The experience from the spent time helps our members to evaluate online betting sites in a way no regular punter can match.

At the same time, we believe in complete transparency. We want you to know how we rank the betting site in Dubai.

  • 1

    The License of Bookies

    The very first thing we check when going over the online betting sites in Dubai is the license. As we already said, only a license can legitimize the operations of a betting site. As Dubai doesn’t have its own regulator, we have to rely on offshore licenses.

    In this case, a few licensing operators take precedence. For starters, we have the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA). MGA offers some of the most global remote licenses to operators all over the world, including the ones trying to get players from Dubai.

    The Curacao gaming license is another global authority that’s valid in Dubai. If you find an Antillephone N.V. or Curacao eGaming license from Dubai online betting agencies, you can sign up for them.

    About Malta Gaming Authority

    Founded: 2001

    Headquarters: Ricasoli

    Employee: 75

  • 2

    Odds and Payout Percentage

    The importance of odds will never go down as long as sports betting is around. Betting and odds are pretty much synonymous in the sense that you can’t even place a bet without odds. The longer the odds, the more you can win from the bet.

    But it doesn’t mean the best betting sites can offer odds as they see fit. Rather, they analyse the status of the situation. This is one of the main reasons you see nearly identical odds across multiple gambling sites. Our goal is to list bookies that offer the most competitive odds in Dubai.

  • 3

    Variety of Betting Markets

    A “market” in sports betting refers to an outcome with odds. You essentially bet on the markets offered on a particular match. The more markets a single match has, the more versatile your experience is supposed to be. It gives you the unique opportunity to diversify your bet slip.

  • 4

    Betting Offers

    Betting offers or bonuses are something we take very seriously when it comes to online betting sites in Dubai. Bonuses are the best way to improve your bankroll right after registration. You’ll surely get a welcome bonus on your first deposit. Then, you may get further free bets, enhanced odds, and whatnot.

  • 5

    Payment Methods

    Thankfully, all major online payment methods are available in Dubai. It comes down to how well we can filter the betting sites that offer the most reliable online payment methods. And we believe we’ve done a good job. You can find sites that accept credit cards, debit cards, e-wallets, mobile wallets, and even cryptocurrencies.

  • 6

    Betting Features

    The last thing we look at is the betting features of the safest betting sites in Dubai. Features like mobile compatibility, page load speed, cash out, odds format, etc. have the power to make your betting experience exceptionally good. Or bad if the features are not good.

How to Find the Best Sports Betting Sites

Now that you’re familiar with what features make an online betting site good, it’s time to take you through the journey of finding the right one for you. Let’s go! 

  • Check for an MGA or Curacao License
    step 1

    The first step is to look at the license and make sure that it’s valid in Dubai. Look at the footer section of the website or the T&C page.

  • Review Payment Methods
    step 2

    The best betting site in Dubai of your choice should offer payment methods that you already have access to. Opening a new payment account for the sake of gambling is too much of a task to begin with

  • Check the Bonus Terms
    step 3

    When you’re betting online, you shouldn’t miss a single opportunity to get a bonus. But before you claim it by depositing real money, you should read the terms to make sure that the bonus is not too hard to comply with.

  • Sign Up and Claim Your Welcome Bonus
    step 4

    After you’re done verifying all fronts including the answer to is betting legal in Dubai, it’s time to sign up. Always use information that matches your ID for seamless KYC verification. Also, don’t forget to check the minimum deposit required before you claim the welcome bonus

Tips for Advanced Punters

Research goes a very long way when you’re betting on sports online. You need to understand the sport, the teams, previous results, weather conditions, etc. to succeed in betting.

Don’t follow the public. Rather, follow the market load. Whatever direction the market is going will influence the odds, especially for live bets. Instead of blindly trusting the odds, take your time.

Most importantly, don’t blow your entire bankroll on a bad bet. Just like investing, diversify your bet slip with different markets from different sports.

Live Betting

Live betting is one of those things you can’t ignore when betting online. Almost all betting sites in Dubai will offer live markets. The goal of live betting is to capitalize on the change of odds during a match.

Best Bookies for Live Betting

  1. Parimatch – Full cash out
  2. 1xBet – Full cash out, live streaming
  3. 22Bet – Full cash out
  4. Rokubet – Full cash out
  5. Mostbet – Live streaming
  6. Melbet – Full cash out
  7. Dafabet – Best exchange betting live

Which Bookmaker Has the Best Football Odds?

Betting App

Rating

Key Features

Welcome Offer

Parimatch

9.8/10

Excellent Football Odds

150% up to ₹20,000

1xBet

9.9/10

Excellent Football Odds

100% up to ₹8,000

22Bet

9.7/10

Excellent Football Odds

100% up to ₹8,000

Rokubet

9.8/10

Excellent Football Odds

Multi-tier Welcome Pack

Dafabet

9.8/10

Excellent Football Odds

Up to ₹30,000

Author
Jarin Ahmed
Like many aspiring writers, Jarin focuses on bringing life to the text for her readers. She is an avid sports lover, growing up in a family obsessed with bookies. She is an expert in the iGaming niche and has secondary obsessions with Gardening and cooking.
Article rating
4.7/5
3 votes
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