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Bahrain

Middle East · BH · Reviewed 24 Jun 2026
Sports bettingProhibited
Horse racingProhibited
Prediction marketsProhibited

Bahrain prohibits all forms of gambling under Islamic/Sharia law and Article 308 of its Penal Code, with no licensing regime and no dedicated regulator. Online betting is explicitly illegal and gambling sites are actively blocked. Horse racing thrives as a spectator sport but carries no legal betting.

Gambling in all forms — sports betting, casino games, lotteries and games of chance — is prohibited in Bahrain under Sharia principles and codified in Article 308 of the Penal Code, which punishes public gambling with up to three months’ imprisonment or a BD 300 fine (escalating for repeat offenders and operators). There is no domestic licensing framework and no dedicated gambling regulator; enforcement rests with law enforcement and the judiciary.

Online gambling is explicitly illegal and authorities actively block gambling websites, though some residents reach offshore sites via VPNs (enforcement against individual bettors is rare but the prohibition is unambiguous). Bahrain maintains a strong horse-racing tradition through the Rashid Equestrian & Horseracing Club (est. 1977) and the Bahrain Turf Club, but racing is purely spectator-based with no legal wagering.

As of 2026 no legalization of any gambling vertical is planned, and prediction markets fall under the same blanket prohibition. There is no legal gambling and therefore no statutory betting age.

Online sports betting is prohibited in Bahrain, so no operators are listed for this market.

Responsible gambling

Support in Bahrain

Gambling is prohibited in Bahrain under Sharia-based law; there are no licensed operators and no national gambling-addiction helpline. If you or someone you know is struggling, treat it as a mental-health concern: in an emergency call 999. For non-emergency support, the Psychiatric Hospital in Manama (Ministry of Health system) is the principal public mental-health resource, with care provided free through public hospitals. There is no self-exclusion scheme because licensed gambling does not exist. For confidential help in any language, contact Gambling Therapy (gamblingtherapy.org).