Gambling Laws in Somalia
There is no
legal gambling in Somalia.
Somalia's Penal Code from 1963, which is still on force, identifies the Somali Penal Code as a relevant source of legislation when gambling is concerned. According to the articles of Part IV from this code,
gambling in Somalia is illegal. Although it is not explicitly prohibited, the articles of the Somali Penal Code make
online gambling in Somalia, also illegal. There is no strict internet control over gambling websites but playing at
online gambling sites offering online casinos or online poker is considered to be an activity subject to penalties of various degrees, one of which is imprisonment (Article 553).
Is Online Gambling Legal in Somalia?
No. Gambling, including online gambling is considered to be illegal in Somalia. |
Online Casinos in Somalia
As of May 2019, there are no
online casinos in Somalia. Online gambling in the country is prohibited under the Somali Penal Code, so no
Somali online casino licenses are on the offer. Access to foreign
internet casino sites from Somalia is not blocked, although is subject to penalty.
Online Poker in Somalia
Online poker sites in Somalia are not legal, as of May 2019
. Although there are no specific
Somali online poker laws, the general prohibition on gambling coming from the application of the Somali Penal Code holds for this game too.
Online Lottery in Somalia
Lotteries in Somalia do not have any tradition, neither as gambling games nor in charity purposes. As of May 2019, there are no
online lotteries in Somalia. Although there are no separate
Somali online lottery laws, the general prohibition on gambling coming from the Somali Penal Code, holds for lotto too.
Online Bingo in Somalia
As it is the case with the other gambling sites,
online bingo sites in Somalia are not legal, as of May 2019
. Although there are no specific
Somali online bingo laws, the general prohibition on online gambling in the country, coming from the Somali Penal Code, holds for this game too.
Online Sports betting in Somalia
Online sportsbook sites in Somalia are not legal, as of May 2019
. As it is the case with other gambling games, online betting also falls under the general prohibition on gambling coming from the application of the Somali Penal Code. Access to foreign
internet sportsbook sites from Somalia is not blocked, although is subject to penalty.
Online DFS in Somalia
There are no
online DFS sites in Somalia. Although the status of internet Daily Fantasy Sports is a frequent topic of discussion between lawmakers worldwide, it is plausible to suppose that this game, notwithstanding the status will also fall under the prohibition coming from the Somali Penal Code.