Lottery games are legal in Israel but only through the state-controlled National Lottery, known as Mifal Hapayis, which operates under strict government regulation. Under the Penal Law, almost every form of gambling has been prohibited, with only two exceptions controlled by the state: the National Lottery and sports betting under the Israeli Sports Betting Board. The National Lottery was established in 1967 and helps finance many public projects like education and healthcare (1).
Israeli law places a blanket ban over all forms of lotteries, betting and games of chance, with only three exceptions: the National Lottery, certain betting activities organized by the ISBB, and a limited scope of social gaming. The permit granted to the National Lottery is renewable every five years and issued by the Ministry of Finance under Section 231A of Chapter 12 of the Penal Law. All lottery activities must maintain responsible gambling policies and comply with anti-money laundering regulations (2).
"Under the Penal Law, almost every form of gambling has been prohibited, with only two controlled by the state: the National Lottery, also known as Mifal Hapayis, and sports betting under the Israeli Sports Betting Board."
Residents can purchase tickets from authorized National Lottery concessionaires throughout Israel, with the lottery offering scratch cards, weekly drawings, and various raffles. The regulatory framework restricts new lottery points of sale from being established within 500 meters of middle schools or high schools. Israel takes a highly conservative approach toward gambling based on religious and cultural values, making it unlikely that commercial lotteries will be permitted (2).
Source:
https://www.igamingtoday.com/gambling-regulation-in-israel/
https://practiceguides.chambers.com/practice-guides/comparison/952/14795/23130-23131-23132-23133-23134-23135-23136-23137-23138-23139-23140-23141-23142
Last updated: 16-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
