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Somalia Online Casino Guide

Published by Casino News Daily editorial teamReviewed byFilip RadulovicOur editorial approach

Somalia has no licensed gambling sector of any kind. There is no gambling regulator, no licensing system and no lawful operator, whether land-based or online. The federal authorities have stated publicly that gambling is prohibited throughout the country: in November 2023 the National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorist Financing Commission declared that “gambling is prohibited throughout the Federal Republic of Somalia” and ordered financial institutions to cut off services linked to an online betting platform. The Provisional Constitution makes Islamic law (sharia) the highest source of law. Authority is divided between the federal government, federal member states such as Puntland, the self-declared Republic of Somaliland and areas held by the armed group al-Shabaab, which makes enforcement uneven.

Key points

No gambling law creates any licence, and no operator is licensed anywhere in Somalia. Federal authorities describe gambling as prohibited nationwide (Hiiraan Online, November 2023).
The Provisional Constitution of 2012 provides that “No law which is not compliant with the general principles of Shari’ah can be enacted” (Article 2) and that the Constitution is supreme “after the Shari’ah” (Article 4(1)).
Federal blocking and account-freezing orders against an online betting platform (2023) were followed by a Puntland presidential decree banning it (November 2024) (Gambling Insider).
Payments in Somalia run mainly on mobile money: the World Bank reported in 2018 that over 70% of adults used mobile money regularly (World Bank). UN sanctions target al-Shabaab, not Somalia as a whole.
There is no national self-exclusion scheme, gambling helpline or responsible gambling programme.

Last reviewed: 14 October 2026.

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Historical development

The Somali Penal Code was approved by Legislative Decree No. 5 of 16 December 1962 (UNODC SHERLOC text) and, according to the UNHCR Refworld record, came into force on 3 April 1964. It was published in Italian; the English version is a semi-official translation that one commentator called “confusing, ungrammatical, and often incorrect” (Somaliland Law).

Somalia descended into conflict around 1991, the year Somaliland declared independence (AP). Gambling never developed in Somalia as a regulated industry, and we found no record of any casino, national lottery or licensed betting operator. The Refworld record notes that the Penal Code has not been updated since 1964.

Gambling returned to the public agenda when smartphones and mobile payments allowed people in Somalia to bet with foreign online sportsbooks. Since 2023, authorities have responded with blocking orders and financial directives rather than legislation. Officials have linked online betting to the outflow of money from the country and to its effects on members of the security forces (VOA, August 2023).

Legal framework

Constitutional position and sharia

The Provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia (2012), as published by the Constitute Project, makes Islam the state religion and places sharia above the Constitution itself. Article 2 provides that “Islam is the religion of the State” and that “No law which is not compliant with the general principles of Shari’ah can be enacted.” Article 3(1) states that the Constitution is “based on the foundations of the Holy Quran and the Sunna”, and Article 4(1) provides that “After the Shari’ah, the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Somalia is the supreme law of the country.” We found no express reference to gambling in the Constitution. The federal authorities, however, treat gambling as incompatible with sharia, so a statute permitting or licensing it would face these provisions. In November 2023 the federal anti-money laundering commission justified its prohibition on the basis that gambling “is contrary to our religious beliefs and national laws” (Hiiraan Online).

The Constitution establishes a two-level federal system made up of the Federal Government and the Federal Member States (Article 48(1)). The relationship between the levels remains contested. In March 2024 the federal parliament approved amendments to the Provisional Constitution, and Puntland announced that it had withdrawn from the federal system and would “govern itself independently” until the amendments were approved by a national referendum (Reuters via The EastAfrican, April 2024).

The Penal Code of 1962

The Penal Code is the general criminal statute in force in federal Somalia. Its structure follows the Italian model of the period: Book I contains general principles, Book II crimes and Book III “contraventions”, which are minor offences. The index of the English translation lists Book III parts on contraventions relating to public order and public tranquillity and on contraventions relating to morals and decency (Somaliland Law).

For this review we were not able to verify the text, article numbers or penalties of any gambling provisions in the Somali Penal Code. The online copies of the English translation held by UNODC SHERLOC and Refworld could not be read beyond the start of Book II, and no index heading we could read mentions gambling. We therefore cite no article numbers.

Anti-money laundering legislation

The federal government’s November 2023 gambling directive came from the National Anti-Money Laundering and Countering Terrorist Financing Commission (NAMLC), which held its regular meeting at the Ministry of Finance on 16 November 2023 (Financial Reporting Center). It told financial entities not to provide services to persons or companies associated with the named betting platform. Banks and mobile money providers already dealing with it were to cease all related services, freeze any related accounts and report these actions to the Financial Reporting Center (FRC), Somalia’s financial intelligence unit (Hiiraan Online, 22 November 2023).

Somaliland

Somaliland declared independence from Somalia in 1991 and has its own government and currency (AP). On 26 December 2025 Israel announced that it recognised Somaliland as an “independent and sovereign state”, the first country to do so (Reuters via Al-Monitor). According to the Associated Press, the Federal Government of Somalia rejected what it described as an unlawful move, and the African Union Commission said it “firmly rejects any initiative or action aimed at recognizing Somaliland as an independent entity” and that Somaliland “remains an integral part of the Federal Republic of Somalia” (Associated Press via PBS NewsHour, December 2025). As of September 2026, Ahram Online reported that Israel remained the only country known to have formally recognised Somaliland, and that the United States continued to recognise Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity while expanding practical engagement with Hargeisa (Ahram Online, 7 September 2026).

According to the Somaliland legal resource that publishes the Penal Code, the 1962 Code continues to be applied in Somaliland, subject to Article 130 of the Somaliland Constitution, under which provisions contrary to fundamental rights or to Islamic sharia are disapplied (Somaliland Law). We found no reliable source for any Somaliland statute, regulation or official order dealing specifically with gambling or betting, and we do not describe any.

Regulator and licensing model

Somalia follows a prohibition model: the law makes no provision for any lawful form of gambling, and so there is nothing to license. There is no state lottery, regulator or licence register.

In practice, the bodies that have acted against gambling are general state institutions using their own powers. These are the federal Ministry of Communications and Technology (blocking orders to internet service providers), the NAMLC and the FRC (financial directives under anti-money laundering arrangements), and the presidency of Puntland (an executive decree). Gambling Insider reported debate among regional lawmakers over whether the presidency had overstepped its authority and whether the telecommunications ministry should have acted instead (Gambling Insider, November 2024).

Online gambling and enforcement

No online gambling service is licensed or permitted in Somalia. Offshore operators that accept Somali customers do so without any local authorisation. Measures since 2023 have mainly targeted one widely used foreign betting platform:

Ministry of Communications and Technology order (August 2023). The ministry ordered internet service providers to block access to two social media platforms and an online betting website by 24 August 2023. The minister said betting sites sent large sums out of the country and distracted soldiers, and that “That kind of money is not Halal (permissible), no one taxes it” (VOA).
NAMLC directive (16 November 2023). The commission declared gambling prohibited nationwide and ordered banks and mobile money providers to cease services linked to the named platform, freeze related accounts and report to the FRC (Hiiraan Online).
Puntland decree (November 2024). The President of Puntland issued an executive decree banning the same betting app in Puntland. According to Gambling Insider, the decree directed three telecoms operators in Puntland not to create new accounts associated with the platform and to close any existing accounts used for betting and gambling (Gambling Insider, 25 November 2024).

Compliance appears to have been incomplete: Gambling Insider reported shortly after the Puntland decree that the telecoms operators it named “have yet to show compliance with the directive”. We found no official data on the number of websites blocked, accounts frozen or prosecutions brought.

Mobile money and payments

In its 2018 Somalia Economic Update the World Bank reported “over 70 percent of adult Somalis using mobile money services regularly”, with about 155 million transactions worth US$2.7 billion recorded each month (World Bank, 2018). The World Bank noted that the sector “lacks robust consumer protection, and know-your-customer requirements” and was supporting the Central Bank of Somalia and the National Communications Authority in developing a regulatory framework. This is why the 2023 and 2024 measures were directed at telecoms companies as well as banks.

Areas outside government control

Parts of southern and central Somalia are controlled or contested by al-Shabaab, which applies its own interpretation of Islamic law. We found no reliable, dated reporting that sets out specific al-Shabaab rules or punishments for gambling. In 2010 The New Humanitarian reported that in areas held by armed Islamist groups, “Listening to music, watching football or films can earn one up to 30 lashes” (The New Humanitarian, 2010). That report is dated and does not concern gambling specifically.

Position of players

The sources do not allow a precise statement of individual bettors’ criminal liability. The NAMLC statement declares gambling prohibited for everyone, but its instructions, like the 2023 ministerial order and the Puntland decree, are addressed to banks, telecoms companies and internet providers rather than players. We found no reported prosecution, fine or other penalty imposed on an individual for betting online, and because the Penal Code’s gambling provisions could not be verified, we cannot state what penalty, if any, applies to a player under statute.

In practice, betting accounts and associated mobile money wallets may be closed or frozen under the 2023 and 2024 directives. There is no regulator to which a complaint about an unpaid win could be made, and we found no indication that a Somali court would enforce a gambling debt in a system whose authorities treat gambling as contrary to sharia. Funds deposited with an offshore site therefore carry no local legal protection.

Taxation

Somalia has no gambling tax, because no gambling activity is lawful and none is licensed. There is no gaming duty, licence fee or tax on winnings. The federal communications minister drew attention to this in 2023, observing of betting revenue that “no one taxes it” (VOA).

Consumer protection and responsible gambling

Somalia has no national self-exclusion scheme, no gambling helpline, no statutory responsible gambling requirements and no public body responsible for gambling harm. We found no dedicated gambling support service. The authorities have responded to concerns about online betting with bans rather than harm-reduction measures (Gambling Insider). People affected by gambling may find general guidance in our responsible gambling guide, while noting that it is not specific to Somalia.

International sanctions and financial integrity

Somalia is not subject to a comprehensive international embargo. The United Nations sanctions regime now focuses on al-Shabaab. On 17 November 2022 Security Council resolution 2662 renamed the sanctions committee to refer to al-Shabaab. On 1 December 2023 resolution 2713 imposed a general and complete arms embargo on al-Shabaab, and resolution 2714 lifted the general arms embargo on Somalia first imposed by resolution 733 (1992). The Federal Government and its security forces are excluded from the scope of the al-Shabaab embargo. The regime also includes an asset freeze, a travel ban, a charcoal export ban and restrictions on explosive-device components (UN Security Council, 2713 Committee). On 12 December 2025 the Council unanimously adopted resolution 2806, renewing the Panel of Experts until 31 December 2026 and the maritime interdiction, charcoal and IED-component measures until 30 November 2026 (Security Council Report).

The United States maintains a Somalia sanctions programme under Executive Orders 13536 (2010) and 13620 (2012), implemented through the Somalia Sanctions Regulations at 31 CFR Part 551, which operates through designations of specified persons (US Treasury, OFAC). Dealings with designated persons are prohibited under these regimes; this is a general description, not legal advice.

Somalia is a member of the Middle East and North Africa Financial Action Task Force (MENAFATF), a regional body of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) (FATF). On 7 May 2025 the MENAFATF plenary adopted Somalia’s technical compliance report as part of its mutual evaluation (Financial Reporting Center). Somalia does not appear on the FATF’s list of jurisdictions under increased monitoring published on 19 June 2026 (FATF, June 2026).

Recent and upcoming developments

August 2023: federal blocking order against an online betting website.
16 November 2023: NAMLC declares gambling prohibited nationwide.
1 December 2023: UN resolutions 2713 and 2714 refocus sanctions on al-Shabaab and lift the general arms embargo on Somalia.
March 2024: federal constitutional amendments; Puntland announces it will govern itself independently pending a referendum.
November 2024: Puntland presidential decree bans an online betting app.
7 May 2025: MENAFATF adopts Somalia’s technical compliance report.
12 December 2025: resolution 2806 renews the al-Shabaab sanctions measures; the Panel of Experts’ mandate is due for review by 30 November 2026.
26 December 2025: Israel announces recognition of Somaliland; the Federal Government and the African Union reject it.

We found no draft gambling legislation before the federal parliament or any member-state assembly as of the date of review.

Casino listings for players in Somalia

The listings below are generated automatically from our casino database. No gambling operator, online or land-based, is licensed in Somalia or in any of its regions, and there is no regulator or licence register to check. The federal authorities have declared gambling prohibited throughout the country, the Provisional Constitution bars any law contrary to sharia, and federal and Puntland authorities have ordered online betting services to be blocked. The listings must not be read as an indication that offering or playing online casino games in Somalia is lawful. International sanctions also restrict payments and dealings involving al-Shabaab and other designated persons in Somalia (UN Security Council).

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Somalia Online Casino Guide

Key points

Online casinos for Somalia

Historical development

Legal framework

Constitutional position and sharia

The Penal Code of 1962

Anti-money laundering legislation

Somaliland

Regulator and licensing model

Online gambling and enforcement

Mobile money and payments

Areas outside government control

Position of players

Taxation

Consumer protection and responsible gambling

International sanctions and financial integrity

Recent and upcoming developments

Casino listings for players in Somalia

Related country guides

Sources and further reading

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