Is online gambling legal in Yemen?

Legal overview

Gambling is a criminal offence in Yemen. The Republican Decree Law No. 12 of 1994 on Crimes and Penalties deals with it in a chapter on alcohol, gambling and drugs. Article 286 defines gambling broadly as any activity in which winning or losing depends on chance, even when skill is also involved, and expressly counts races, shooting contests and prizes paid to winners of sporting or scientific competitions as gambling.

Article 287 sets out two offences. Anyone caught gambling in a public place faces imprisonment of up to six months or a fine of up to 2,000 riyals. Anyone who runs a place for gambling, allows gambling in a public place or takes part in organising or supervising it faces imprisonment of up to two years or a fine of up to 6,000 riyals. In all cases the money, tools and equipment used are confiscated and the venue can be closed for up to a year. There is no exemption for a state lottery or licensed operator, and no law creates any gambling licence.

The penal code predates internet gambling and does not mention online play, so it does not state expressly how the public-place offence applies to someone betting from home on a foreign website. No gambling regulator exists, no operator can be licensed to serve players in Yemen, and online casino games, sports betting and poker have no lawful basis. For the site's classification Yemen is treated as blocked. Anyone in Yemen who uses an offshore site has no legal protection if the operator withholds funds and remains exposed to a criminal law that treats gambling as an offence.