Lebanon is situated in the South western Asia on the Mediterranean sea coast and it is a very active country with an interesting history and a colorful tradition. Shares borders with Syria to the east and north, Israel is to the south and the Mediterranean Sea on the west. The major city of Lebanon is Beirut which is famous for its active night life and economic activities. Here, you will find all the information about Lebanon bookmakers and sports betting, including legal status, licenses, taxes, and key events that defined the sector’s development.
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Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
History of Gaming and Legislation in Lebanon
The history of gambling in Lebanon goes as far back as the beginning of the twentieth century. Here is a detailed timeline:Here is a detailed timeline:
- 1959: The Casino du Liban, the first and only casino of the nation, was opened. This was the start of legalisation of betting in the country.
- 1989 – 1996: The Casino du Liban had a considerable part of this period shut down because of the civil disturbance.
- 1995: The Casino du Liban was given the sole and exclusive right to operate casinos for gambling and this also included online casino gambling. This effectively made online gambling legal.
- 2002: The lottery was then legalized and the only company permitted to run lotteries in Lebanon is La Libanaise des Jeux.
- 2020: The Orient Queen cruise ship casino was one of the unfortunate businesses that were brought down by the sad Beirut event.
- 2026: This is the point when the monopoly of the Casino du Liban has come to an end.
Lebanon Bookmakers Gambling Laws
Lebanon has legal gambling, but it is strictly controlled. The following forms of gambling are allowed:
Casino Gambling: Limited to the state-owned Casino du Liban that has the exclusive rights to operate all forms of gambling in the country with the exception of lotteries and sports betting until the year 2026.
- Lottery: It exists under the name of La Libanaise des Jeux and was legalized in 2002.
Online gambling is also officially legal in Lebanon, but it is similarly restricted:
- 1. Online Casino Gambling: The only casino in Lebanon is Casino du Liban.
- 2. Online Lottery: Currently, only La Libanaise des Jeux has the monopoly of this game.
Notably, while Casino du Liban is the only legal provider of online casino gambling services in Lebanon it has no online casino platform. It is a crime in Lebanon to conduct unlawful gambling businesses either in physical premises or online according to the Lebanese Penal Code.
Bookmakers Regulatory Agencies
The primary regulatory bodies overseeing gambling activities in Lebanon are:
- Casino du Liban: Regulates all the casino gambling operations both on the physical and on the internet platform in its jurisdiction.
- La Libanaise des Jeux: Oversees lottery business, which has a monopoly for this type of gambling since the year 2002.
Bookmakers Gambling Licenses and Fees
At the present, no gambling licenses are granted in Lebanon because of the presence of monopolies belonging to Casino du Liban and La Libanaise des Jeux. In this regard, it can be said that there are no special costs connected to the receipt of a gambling license in the country of Lebanon.
Bookmakers Gambling Taxes
- Lebanon’s gambling tax, known as the “amusement tax,” includes several aspects:Lebanon’s gambling tax, known as the “amusement tax,” includes several aspects:
- Casino and Online Casino Gambling: The tax rate used in this case involves the imposition of 40% on the revenue earned from Casino du Liban. This includes all forms of betting carried out within the casino, including over the Internet.
- Online Gambling: It is not known what specific tax rates apply to the online gambling operations of La Libanaise des Jeux.
- Amusement Tax: Imposed as a fixed amount on possession of amusement machines, such as slot machines, video poker machines, etc. The specific sum is not disclosed to the public.
- Lottery Tax: Stamp fee of 10% is placed on the price of the lottery tickets.
Players’ winnings are subject to tax:
Any amount over 5 times the cost of the lottery ticket which is about 10,000 LBP or €6 is subject to a 10 percent withholding tax which is subtracted at source and there are no more taxes to be paid.
Prohibited and Allowed Bets
While casino gambling and the lottery are prohibited, and there are few legal ways to bet on sports. Nevertheless, all other betting activities other than Casino du Liban and La Libanaise des Jeux are prohibited. This also includes any form of bookmakers or any form of betting especially in sporting activities.
Lebanon Sports Betting
Sports betting in Lebanon is quickly growing especially among the super-rich people and the sports lovers. Here are some key points about sports betting in Lebanon:
- Allowed Bets: Sports betting is legal in most of the states but not as strictly prohibited as casinos and lotteries.
- Prohibited Bets: Any sports betting that is conducted outside the legal bookmakers or online service providers is considered unlawful.
Sporting Milestones
Lebanon has achieved several significant sports milestones over the years, contributing to the popularity of sports betting:
- 1959: Beirut was the host country of the Mediterranean Games in Lebanon.
- 1957 and 1997: It also hosted the Pan-Arab Games.
- 2000: They have also hosted the Asian cup.
- 2001 – 2010: The Lebanon national basketball team has qualified for the FIBA World Championships three times.
- 1952: Zakaria Chihab and Khalil Taha had won the silver and bronze Olympics medals in the sport of Greco-Roman wrestling in the Helsinki.
- 1980: Hassan Bechara was an Olympic medalist, specifically a bronze medalist in the Summer Olympic Games.
- 1984: It was Abdo Saad who emerged the third place in boxing event at the Los Angeles Summer Olympics.
Conclusion
The gambling industry in Lebanon is not very diverse and is strictly regulated, and most of the key areas are managed by monopolies. Depending on the situation after the expiry of the monopoly of the Casino du Liban, the situation may change and offer new opportunities for Lebanon bookmakers and fans of sports betting. For anyone to venture into gambling in Lebanon it is important that he/she has some knowledge on the current laws, regulations and the history of gambling in the country.
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