Is online gambling legal in Libya?
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
Online casino play is illegal for residents, and no operator, local or foreign, may lawfully offer it in Libya. The minimum age to gamble is 18.
Legal overview
Libya has no legal gambling market. Gambling is prohibited under Articles 492 to 495 of the Libyan Penal Code, and Libyan law contains no licensing regime for games of chance or betting. According to the 2023 edition of the CMS expert guide to gambling laws in Africa, no form of gambling is lawful: casino games, sports and other betting, card games, lotteries and arcades are all excluded, and no authority issues gambling licences. Taking part in gambling is itself an offence, with the guide reporting penalties for players of one to six months' imprisonment and fines of LYD 10 to 50.
Online gambling is covered by a separate and harsher rule. Law No. 5 of 2022 on combating cybercrime, issued on 27 September 2022, makes running or managing online gambling activities a crime under Article 31, punishable by at least two years in prison and a fine of LYD 10,000 to 20,000. The same law gives the National Authority for Information Security and Safety powers to block websites that violate public order or public morals, although no published list of blocked gambling sites was found.
Because no licence of any kind exists, no operator, Libyan or foreign, may lawfully offer online casino games, betting, poker or lotteries to people in Libya, and any site claiming a Libyan gambling licence cannot be genuine. Players who use offshore sites break the Penal Code ban on gambling and have no legal protection or dispute route in Libya. Libyan exchange control rules also restrict cash transfers abroad.
| Status | Restricted market |
|---|---|
| Regulator | None (gambling prohibited) |
| Main law | Libyan Penal Code, Articles 492-495 (gambling); Law No. 5 of 2022 on Combating Cybercrime, Article 31 (online gambling) |
| Licensing model | None. All forms of gambling are prohibited and Libyan law provides no licence for gambling or betting. |
| Online casinos | Online casino play is illegal for residents, and no operator, local or foreign, may lawfully offer it in Libya. |
| Enforcement | The cybercrime law punishes those who run or manage online gambling with at least two years in prison, and the National Authority for Information Security and Safety may block websites that breach public order or morals. |
| Minimum age | 18 years |
| Currency | LYD |
| Self-exclusion scheme | Not disclosed |
| Last checked | October 25, 2026 |
Questions about the law in Libya
Is any form of gambling legal in Libya?
No. Articles 492-495 of the Penal Code prohibit gambling, and there is no licence for casinos, betting or lotteries.
What is the penalty for running an online gambling site in Libya?
Under Article 31 of Law No. 5 of 2022 on cybercrime, at least two years in prison and a fine of LYD 10,000 to 20,000.
Can players be punished for gambling in Libya?
Yes. The Penal Code provides for one to six months' imprisonment and fines of LYD 10 to 50 for taking part in gambling, according to CMS.
Sources
This overview is editorial information, not legal advice. Laws change; the regulator's own publications are binding.