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Is online gambling legal in Iraq?
Status of online casinos, the regulator, the minimum age and where to get help, with our sources and the date we checked them.
Short answer
Not legal: no operator can be licensed, and gambling is a criminal offence under the Penal Code, although the law does not address online play expressly. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
Iraq does not license any form of gambling, and gambling is treated as a prohibited activity. Under Article 389 of the Penal Code (Law No. 111 of 1969), anyone who opens or runs premises for gambling, or organises such games in public places, faces up to one year in prison and a fine of up to IQD 225,000. Cashiers in such venues face the same penalty, and people caught gambling there face up to one month in prison or a fine of up to IQD 45,000. Money and equipment are confiscated, and courts may close the venue for up to a year. The Civil Code (Law No. 40 of 1951) makes gambling and betting agreements void and lets the loser reclaim money paid within one year. Bets between sports competitors themselves are an exception.
The Penal Code was written for physical venues and does not deal with online gambling expressly. There is no licence for online casinos or betting, and we found no published rule on blocking offshore sites. Even so, online betting has spread. A 2024 study from the University of Duhok describes Kurdish-language betting sites aimed at users in the Kurdistan Region, large sums leaving the country for operators abroad, and minors opening accounts because sites do not check identity. The study recommends that the Kurdistan Regional Government order ISPs to block such sites, but it does not say whether this has happened.
Enforcement against land-based gambling is visible. In April 2023 the Interior Ministry raided gambling halls in Baghdad and arrested 191 people, and in April 2026 security forces closed a café in Baqubah over gambling and horse race betting.
| Status | Restricted market |
|---|---|
| Regulator | None (gambling prohibited) |
| Main law | Penal Code (Qanun al-Uqubat), Law No. 111 of 1969, Article 389; Civil Code, Law No. 40 of 1951, Articles 975-976 |
| Licensing model | None: Iraq has no licensing system for any form of gambling, land-based or online. |
| Online casinos | Not legal: no operator can be licensed, and gambling is a criminal offence under the Penal Code, although the law does not address online play expressly. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | IQD |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Not disclosed |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
FAQ
Is gambling legal in Iraq?
No. Article 389 of the Penal Code punishes running gambling premises and gambling in them, and no gambling licences are issued.
Does Iraqi law mention online casinos?
Not expressly. The Penal Code targets gambling venues and no online licences exist, so online casinos have no legal basis in Iraq.
Can gambling losses be recovered in Iraq?
Under the Civil Code, gambling and betting agreements are void and the loser may reclaim what was paid within one year, though this is hard to enforce against foreign sites.
Sources
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.