Lottery tickets are illegal in the Palestinian Territory, where gambling is prohibited under Islamic law. There was a casino in Jericho, a Palestinian city in the West Bank, with 120 tables and more than 300 slot machines that was permitted to open by Yasir Arafat in 1998 in the hope that it would bring a much-needed economic boost to the Palestinian National Authority (1). The intent was for Israelis to gamble in the casino because casino gambling was not allowed in Israel, and the casino was a commercial success for the two years it operated, with gaming revenues estimated at roughly $160 million per year.
Palestinian gambling law is heavily rooted in Islamic law, which prohibits gambling in any form without exception, and no specific and comprehensive legislation is in place that regulates or authorizes gambling, casino gambling, or lottery games in any of the Palestinian territories (2). A vast majority of traditional land-based gambling options are prohibited, and there are no domestic licensed casinos or lotteries in the Palestinian territories. The Jericho casino closed when rioting and a subsequent travel ban on Israelis visiting the territory put a halt to the casino enterprise.
"There was a casino in Jericho, a Palestinian city in the West Bank, with 120 tables and more than 300 slot machines. It was permitted to open by Yasir Arafat in 1998 in the hope that it would bring a much-needed economic boost to the Palestinian National Authority."
The position of Palestine concerning gambling comes from Islamic law, which considers all forms of gambling to be illegal, involving both land-based and online gambling (2). However, online gambling is not understood under any specific law, which essentially means that there is a lot of uncertainty regarding online players. The complicated regulatory environment is a culmination of cultural, religious, and political considerations, which result in most forms of gambling occurring privately and online gambling occurring through international sites, with no formal licensing system and no regulatory authority that governs gambling or iGaming.
Source:
https://ggbmagazine.com/article/gambling-in-the-muslim-world/
https://www.igamingtoday.com/palestine-igaming-market-research-report/
Last updated: 16-10-2025 Disclaimer: This article does not provide legal advice. If you need legal advice, please contact an attorney directly.
