Although one of the three main regions of the United Arab Emirates where gambling is legal is Dubai, it’s vital to realize that this does not mean that there may be any number of opulent casinos and card games.
In truth, many types of gambling are still prohibited in Dubai. If you’re planning to travel there for business or pleasure, it’s crucial to know what you can and cannot do because the consequences for breaking the law there can be severe.
Dubai’s racing and gambling
Although horse racing (and even camel racing) are popular hobbies in Dubai, the racetrack culture there differs significantly from that in the west. In contrast to racetracks in the US and Europe, where hundreds or even thousands of bettors frequently wager on horses, horse racing is forbidden in Dubai with the exception of the Nad Al Sheba and Jebel Ali racetracks.
That’s not to suggest gambling doesn’t go place at other race meetings; you’re likely to run upon locals giving odds in violation of the law at any given time. It would be foolish to take them up on this, though, as engaging in illicit gambling can result in up to two years in jail and/or a 20,000Dh fine. With that in mind, it’s simple to understand why you shouldn’t gamble at the track.
Does Dubai have any casinos?
Simply put, no — at least not of the legal sort. An intrepid traveler might stumble into an illegally run casino, although this is not advised for a number of reasons. First of all, there is a chance that you will be discovered and punished severely. Second, illicit casinos are dangerous locations everywhere in the globe because you run the chance of getting robbed or worse.
Even cruise ships are prohibited from gambling when docked in Dubai, leaving only one straightforward alternative for individuals seeking to satisfy their gambling urges. Despite this, the law is still murky, as we’ll explain below.
The law, online casinos, and Dubai
Despite being theoretically banned in Dubai, online gambling is hard to regulate. Despite the fact that websites are frequently prohibited by UAE internet service providers, many Dubai residents still use proxy servers to access them and routinely look for reviews of the top gambling websites to play games like blackjack, poker, and online slots.
It’s important to keep in mind that if you gamble online from Dubai, you could be prosecuted, but the law is notoriously hard to police (you would essentially have to invite law enforcement officers into your residence and show that you were actively gambling to be caught!)
By connecting using proxies to get over ISP restrictions, those who want to gamble online from Dubai can (and frequently do so), where they can take advantage of a variety of casino games and experiences from the comfort of their own home. It’s like bringing a piece of Vegas from halfway across the world into your living room.
However, you may play some of the best free spins and enjoy playing online slots for free if you just want to test out some Arab online casino games. This is completely legal.
