Is online gambling legal in Oman?
Oman's 2018 Penal Code defines gambling as any game in which the loser agrees to pay the winner, punishes anyone who prepares, opens or runs a gambling place or organizes a game with three months to three years in prison and a fine of OMR 100–1,000, and punishes players with one to six months and OMR 100–500, with mandatory confiscation of money and equipment and possible closure of the premises. The Cyber Crime Law of 2011 adds a specific offense for using the information network or IT facilities in gambling, punishable by one month to three years and OMR 100–3,000. The Basic Statute makes Sharia the basis of legislation, there is no regulator, licence or lottery, and no reform has been proposed.
| Vertical | Status in Oman |
|---|---|
| Online casino | Prohibited |
| Sports betting | Prohibited |
| Online poker | Prohibited |
| Lottery | Prohibited |
| Social casino (free to play) | Unclear |
Prohibited: Online gambling is illegal for operators and players and is enforced.
Who regulates gambling in Oman?
- Royal Oman Police (ROP) — Enforces the Penal Code gambling provisions and, through its cybercrime units, Article 17 of the Cyber Crime Law
- Telecommunications Regulatory Authority (TRA) — Telecoms regulator through which unlawful content, including gambling websites, is blocked by service providers
Oman gambling licence: how it works
There is no Oman gambling licence and no authority that could grant one. The Penal Code issued by Royal Decree 7/2018, which replaced the 1974 code, keeps gambling as an offense against public morals: Article 288 defines it, Article 289 punishes organizers and venue operators, Article 290 punishes players and Article 291 orders confiscation and allows closure of the premises. The Cyber Crime Law of 2011 makes the online dimension explicit by criminalizing the use of the information network for gambling. Together these provisions leave no category of casino, betting, poker or lottery product that could be authorized. A foreign operator has no application to make and no lawful basis to accept residents of Oman.
What an applicant needs
- No licensing authority, application process or fee exists for any form of gambling
- Preparing, opening or running a gambling place or organizing a game is an offense under Article 289 of the Penal Code
- Using the information network or IT facilities for gambling is an offense under Article 17 of the Cyber Crime Law
Gambling taxes in Oman
- Operators: None; no lawful gambling operators exist.
- Players: None; money and equipment used in gambling are confiscated under Article 291 of the Penal Code.
Advertising, player protection, KYC and payments
Advertising
No lawful gambling advertising exists; publishing or promoting gambling content online falls within Article 17 of the Cyber Crime Law, which also covers material that violates public morals.
Responsible gaming
Not applicable; there is no lawful gambling market.
Identity and age verification
Not applicable to gambling. Banks apply Central Bank of Oman AML rules that treat gambling-related transfers as prohibited activity.
Payments
No bank or payment provider may lawfully process gambling transactions; the national debit network does not authorize gambling merchant codes and card issuers decline them.
Notable restrictions
- Organizing gambling or running a gambling place: three months to three years in prison and a fine of OMR 100–1,000 (Penal Code Article 289)
- Playing any game of chance: one to six months in prison and a fine of OMR 100–500 (Article 290)
- Mandatory confiscation of money, materials and equipment; the premises may be closed (Article 291)
- Using the information network for gambling: one month to three years and OMR 100–3,000 (Cyber Crime Law Article 17)
- Gambling websites are blocked by service providers
Oman iGaming market: size, players and payments
No reliable public estimate; there is no legal market and no official data on unlawful online play.
No licensed operators. Enforcement rests with the Royal Oman Police and the Public Prosecution, with website blocking through the TRA.
Timeline: how Oman got here
- 1974Omani Penal Law (Royal Decree 7/74) criminalizes gambling
- 2011Cyber Crime Law (Royal Decree 12/2011) adds Article 17 on using the information network for gambling
- 2018-01New Penal Code (Royal Decree 7/2018) replaces the 1974 law and restates the gambling offenses in Articles 288–291
- 2025Penal Code amended by Royal Decree 11/2025; gambling provisions unchanged
Outlook
No change is expected. Oman's 2025 Penal Code amendments did not touch the gambling articles, and no proposal to license betting or lotteries has been made public. Enforcement will continue through the Penal Code, the Cyber Crime Law, website blocking and banking controls.
GameBridge and Oman
Not served by GameBridge. Oman prohibits gambling under its Penal Code and Cyber Crime Law and has no licence, so GameBridge brands exclude Oman by default; this page exists so compliance teams can verify the position quickly.
Oman is on the default exclusion list of every GameBridge brand: geo-controls block Omani IP ranges and registrations, Omani identity documents are rejected at onboarding, and the rial is not offered as a wallet currency. The Arabic site language remains available for brands in other markets where the operator's counsel has confirmed that residents may be served. Marketing tooling is configured so that no campaign or affiliate link targets users in Oman. GameBridge offers no configuration that targets players in Oman.
Frequently asked questions
Is online gambling legal in Oman?
Can a company get an Oman gambling licence?
What is the penalty for gambling in Oman?
Did Oman's 2018 Penal Code change the gambling rules?
Does GameBridge serve operators targeting Oman?
Sources and review
Reviewed against the sources below on 11 September 2026. Regulation changes; confirm the current position with local counsel before launch.
- قانون الجزاء (Penal Code, Royal Decree 7/2018 as amended to Royal Decree 11/2025), Articles 288–291 — Qanoon.om, accessed 2026-09-11
- Royal Decree No 12/2011 Issuing the Cyber Crime Law (English), Article 17 — Oman National CERT, accessed 2026-09-11
- Royal Decree 7/2018 Issuing the Penal Law — Decree.om, accessed 2026-09-11
- Game Changer: Reform in Gaming and Gambling Laws in the UAE and the GCC — SOL International, accessed 2026-09-11
Regulatory summaries are provided for orientation only and are not legal advice. Licensing requirements change; we validate them with you during scoping.