Is Gambling Legal in Afghanistan? Laws, Online Betting & Casino Ban 2025

Key Information

Last Update 2025

Regulatory Authority Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

License Cost Varies

Regulation by Activity Type

Casinos Prohibited

Online Casinos Prohibited

Betting Prohibited

Online Betting Prohibited

Lotteries Prohibited

Poker Prohibited

Highlights

All forms of gambling, including online and land-based, are strictly prohibited in Afghanistan.
The ban on gambling is rooted in Islamic (Sharia) law, which is the foundation for all legal and moral codes.
There is no official licensing or regulatory framework for gambling operators in Afghanistan.
No legal gambling establishments or state lotteries are permitted to operate within the country.
Penalties for gambling can include fines, imprisonment, and property confiscation, enforced by morality police.
Online gambling is also illegal and unregulated, with low internet penetration further limiting access.
There are no specific gambling taxes, as all gambling activities are banned under Afghan law.

Legislation

Primary Legislation

Gambling in Afghanistan is comprehensively prohibited under the country's legal framework, which is primarily based on Islamic (Sharia) law. There are no specific statutory acts or codes dedicated solely to gambling; instead, the prohibition stems from the general application of Sharia principles, which consider all forms of gambling (maisir) as forbidden. This prohibition is reinforced by the Taliban’s codification of morality laws, specifically the "Law On the Propagation Of Virtue And Prevention Of Vice," which explicitly lists gambling as a serious offense alongside other activities deemed contrary to Islamic teachings. As a result, all gambling activities—both land-based and online—are illegal and subject to strict enforcement under these religious and moral statutes.

Regulatory Authority

Oversight and enforcement of gambling prohibitions in Afghanistan are carried out by religious and governmental bodies responsible for upholding Sharia law and the Taliban’s morality regulations. The primary authority is the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice, which operates a dedicated morality police force. This body is tasked with monitoring, investigating, and enforcing compliance with the country’s morality laws, including the prohibition of gambling. The Ministry and its agents have broad powers to issue warnings, detain offenders, and impose penalties without formal judicial proceedings.

Enforcement of Sharia-based prohibitions, including gambling bans
Monitoring public and private compliance with morality laws
Detaining and penalizing individuals engaged in prohibited activities, including gambling
Issuing directives to other ministries (such as Communications and Information Technology) to block access to digital gambling platforms and related content

License Types

Gambling Licensing System in Afghanistan

Afghanistan does not have an operational gambling licensing system for any form of gambling, including land-based casinos, online gambling, sports betting, or lotteries. The country’s legal and regulatory framework, rooted in Islamic (Sharia) law, strictly prohibits all forms of gambling. As a result, there are no official procedures, types of licenses, application requirements, or associated costs for obtaining a gambling license in Afghanistan.

Types of Licenses Available

No licenses are available for any gambling activities, including casinos, sports betting, online gambling, or lotteries.

Application Process

There is no application process for gambling licenses, as no regulatory authority issues such licenses in Afghanistan.

Duration, Renewal, and Eligibility

No information exists regarding license duration, renewal conditions, or eligibility, since licensing is not permitted.

Licensing Costs and Financial Requirements

No fees or financial requirements are established for gambling licenses, as the activity is not legally recognized.

Key Requirements for Obtaining and Maintaining Licenses

There are no requirements, as no legal pathway exists for obtaining or maintaining a gambling license in Afghanistan.

Summary Table

Aspect	Status in Afghanistan
Types of Licenses	None available
Application Process	Not applicable
Duration & Renewal	Not applicable
Eligibility	Not applicable
Costs & Fees	Not applicable
Key Requirements	Not applicable

In summary, Afghanistan does not recognize or regulate any form of gambling through a licensing system. Any operation or attempt to obtain a gambling license is not possible under the current legal and regulatory environment.

Gambling Tax

Gambling Tax Rates in Afghanistan

Currently, Afghanistan does not have a taxation system for gambling operators. All forms of gambling, including online and land-based operations, are strictly prohibited under Islamic (Sharia) Law. There are no legal gambling operators in the country, and therefore, no official tax rates are set for any type of gambling activity.

Basis for Taxation

There is no basis for gambling taxation (such as Gross Gaming Revenue, turnover, or other metrics) because gambling is not legally recognized or permitted.

Tax Reporting and Payment Requirements

No tax reporting or payment procedures exist for gambling operators, as the operation of gambling businesses is illegal in Afghanistan.
There are no requirements for filing tax returns, making tax payments, or submitting financial reports related to gambling activities.

Tax Incentives, Exemptions, or Special Provisions

No tax incentives, exemptions, or special provisions are available for gambling operators, as the sector is not regulated or taxed.

In summary, Afghanistan does not impose any gambling taxes, nor does it have a legal or regulatory framework for gambling taxation. All forms of gambling remain illegal, and there are no official tax-related requirements for operators.

Prohibited Individuals

Age Restrictions and Identification Requirements

There are no formal age restrictions or identification requirements for gambling in Afghanistan because all forms of gambling are strictly prohibited under Islamic (Sharia) law. As gambling is entirely banned, there are no legal frameworks that set a minimum age or require operators to verify player identities.

Prohibited Gambling Activities and Game Restrictions

All forms of gambling, including but not limited to casino games, sports betting, lotteries, and online gambling, are strictly forbidden throughout Afghanistan.
The prohibition extends to both land-based and online gambling activities, with no exceptions for any specific games or betting formats.
Engaging in gambling is considered a serious crime and is treated as a moral and legal offense under both national law and religious doctrine.

Advertising and Marketing Limitations

Advertising or promoting gambling activities in any form is strictly prohibited.
There are stringent restrictions against any public or private communication that could be interpreted as encouraging or facilitating gambling.
Operators and individuals found advertising gambling services face severe penalties, including detention, fines, and possible imprisonment.

Responsible Gambling Requirements and Player Protection Measures

There are no responsible gambling requirements or formal player protection measures in place, as all gambling is illegal.
No self-exclusion programs, support services, or harm minimization initiatives exist for gambling, due to the blanket prohibition.
Players participating in illegal gambling do so entirely at their own risk, with no recourse to legal protection or dispute resolution mechanisms.
Penalties for players can include fines, imprisonment, and property confiscation.

Geographic and Location Restrictions

Gambling is forbidden in all geographic regions of Afghanistan, with no designated areas or exceptions for any type of venue.
There are no licensed gambling venues or zones where gambling is permitted.
The enforcement of anti-gambling rules is nationwide and overseen by the morality police, who have broad powers to monitor and penalize offenders anywhere in the country.

Timeline

Year/Date	Event
Pre-1996	Gambling is culturally and religiously prohibited in Afghanistan under Islamic principles, but formal state-level bans are not strictly codified or enforced.
1996	The Taliban regime seizes power and imposes a strict official ban on all forms of gambling, enforced by the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
2001	The Taliban regime collapses; enforcement of gambling bans weakens, but no legal gambling establishments are introduced. Gambling remains prohibited under Islamic law and Afghan cultural norms.
2004	The new Afghan Constitution is adopted, reaffirming Islam as the foundation of all laws, which continues to prohibit gambling nationwide.
2021	The Taliban returns to power, re-establishing strict enforcement of Sharia law, including a renewed and intensified ban on all gambling activities.
2023	The Taliban formally codifies a new Law on the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice, explicitly criminalizing gambling and expanding the powers of the morality police to enforce the ban.

Requirements

Technical and Operational Requirements for Gambling Operators in Afghanistan

Afghanistan does not permit any form of regulated gambling, including online gambling, under its current legal framework. All gambling activities are strictly prohibited according to Islamic (Sharia) law, and there are no official regulations, licensing processes, or technical standards established for gambling operators. As such, there are no formal technical or operational requirements for gambling operators within Afghanistan. The following sections clarify the absence of such requirements and the implications for compliance.

Software Certification and Technical Standards

There are no government-mandated software certification processes or technical standards for gambling platforms, as all gambling operations are illegal and unregulated in Afghanistan.
No requirements exist for random number generator (RNG) certification, game fairness testing, or independent software audits.

Data Protection, Privacy Measures, and Server Location

Afghanistan does not have specific data protection or privacy requirements for gambling operators, since no legal gambling operations are permitted.
There are no rules regarding the physical or logical location of servers used for gambling services.

Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) Procedures

No anti-money laundering or KYC procedures are defined for gambling operators, as there is no regulated gambling sector.
There are no official guidelines or compliance obligations for customer identification, transaction monitoring, or suspicious activity reporting in the context of gambling.

Financial Reporting, Auditing Standards, and Record-Keeping

There are no financial reporting, auditing, or record-keeping requirements for gambling operators, as such businesses are not legally recognized or regulated.
No standards exist for the frequency or format of financial disclosures, nor for the retention of operational records.

Responsible Gambling Tools and Technical Implementation

There are no technical requirements or standards for responsible gambling tools, such as deposit limits, self-exclusion, or player protection mechanisms, due to the blanket prohibition on gambling.

Summary: Afghanistan does not have any technical or operational compliance requirements for gambling operators because all forms of gambling are prohibited and unregulated. There are no legal provisions for software certification, data protection, AML/KYC, financial reporting, or responsible gambling tools in this jurisdiction.

Sources

Primary Regulatory Authorities

There are currently no dedicated official regulatory authorities or commissions for gambling in Afghanistan. All forms of gambling are strictly prohibited under Islamic (Sharia) law, and enforcement is overseen by the government and religious authorities, particularly the Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice

Legislation Resources

- Ministry of Justice of Afghanistan – Official Legislation Portal

Contact Information

Ministry for the Promotion of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice Kabul, Afghanistan Phone: +93 (0) 20 210 0361 (Official email and website currently unavailable; contact via official government channels)
Ministry of Justice of Afghanistan Kabul, Afghanistan Phone: +93 (0) 20 210 0401 Email: info@moj.gov.af Website: https://moj.gov.af/