Iraq Bookmakers

Iraq is a country in southwest Asia and northeastern Arabian Peninsula region of the world. It is surrounded by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, Syria and Jordan to the west, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to the south and the Persian Gulf to the southeast. Concerning gambling in general, including Iraq bookmakers and sports betting, this area is highly controlled and mainly prohibited. bookmakers legislation, regulating authorities, licensing, taxation, banned and allowed types of bets.

Iraq Bookmakers

Table of Contents

1958: Gambling banned in Iraq.

1969: Iraq’s Penal Code prohibits any form of gambling.

2007: Iraq is the AFC Asian Cup champion.

April 2023: Police operations against black spots in the capital.

1960: Iraq finally gets its first Olympic medal in weightlifting.

Historical Context

  • 1958: It is worth to notice that gambling has never been legal in Iraq since the formation of the country.
  • 1969: The Penal Code of Iraq clearly banned all forms of gambling (maisir) based on the Islamic (Shari’ah) law, to which Iraq owes much in legal terms even if it is technically a secular state.

Key Legal Provisions

According to the 1969 Penal Code:

  • Gambling Operations: It specifies that operators can be fined up to 100 dinars and imprisoned for up to one year.
  • Individual Gamblers: The laws can be severe; local web gamblers can be fined up to 50 dinars or jailed for up to a month but such cases are not often prosecuted.

Recent Enforcement Actions

  • April 2023: Iraqi police have arrested 198 people during police operations on the gambling and alcohol serving establishments during the fasting month of Ramadan. The operations were carried out in four places in Baghdad and led to the detention of 159 Iraqis and 32 foreigners.

Regulatory and Licensing of Iraq Bookmakers

Regulatory Bodies

Unfortunately, Iraq does not have a special commission for the regulation of gambling as all types of gambling are prohibited in this country.

Licensing

  • Gambling Licenses: N/A as there are no gambling licenses in Iraq.

Taxation on Gambling

  • Gambling Taxation: As for the taxes on gambling, N/A, there is no special gambling tax in Iraq.
  • Taxation on Winnings: N/A, not officially established because gambling is prohibited in many countries.

Prohibited and Allowed Bets

  • Prohibited Bets: Gambling in general and online gambling in particular are prohibited in all the countries.
  • Allowed Bets: There are no statistics because the law does not allow any form of gambling activity.

Sports Betting in Iraq

Popular Sports

Despite the stringent gambling laws, Iraq has a thriving sports culture, particularly in football:

  • Football: Football being the most widely followed sport with many Iraqis following the Iraqi Premier League (Dawri Al-Nokhba).
  • Basketball, Kickboxing, and Wrestling: Also are popular to a great extent.

Notable Achievements

2007: Iraq was crowned the champion of the AFC Asian Cup after they beat Saudi Arabia.

  • 2006: Won the silver in the Asian Games that was held in Qatar.
  • 1950: This year Iraq joined the FIFA.
  • Olympic Participation: Iraq joined the Olympic Movement in 1948, and then resumed participation in 1960 and entered the weightlifting arena to win the first Olympic medal.

Prominent Athletes

  • Ahmed Al-Samarrai: He was a 1960 Rome Olympics gold medalist in the 400 meters hurdle race.
  • Riyadh Al-Azzawi: A kickboxer with an undefeated record who has won all his fights for him total of 34.
  • Younis Mahmoud: I would like to nominate Ahmed Abdul Qadir Hussain who is the captain of the Iraqi national football team that triumphed in the 2007 Asian Cup competition.

Conclusion

The legal status of gambling, bookmakers, and sports betting in Iraq is highly unfavorable and mostly prohibited due to both the Islamic influence and the stringent legislation. Despite the fact that a sports culture is well developed in the country, there are no legal possibilities for betting and gambling. Those who wish to study sports and betting in Iraq will have to go through numerous legal provisions that focus on prohibition and regulation.

FAQ of Iraq Bookmakers

Related content

Asia Bookmakers

Maldives Bookmakers

Maldives Bookmakers

Maldives is a country located in the South Asia region of the Indian Ocean, specifically belonging to the Indian sub-region. It is about 600 kilometers southwest of Sri Lanka. It is also a country with strict gambling laws influenced by ... Read More about Maldives Bookmakers
Kazakhstan Bookmakers

Kazakhstan Bookmakers

Kazakhstan is the largest landlocked country in the world, It also borders Russia to the north, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan in the south and the Caspian sea in the west and China in the east. Kazakhstan is a country ... Read More about Kazakhstan Bookmakers
Turkey Bookmakers

Turkey Bookmakers

Turkey is a country that crosses two continents; Europe and Asia; it is located at the Black Sea to the North, Mediterranean Sea to the south and borders Syria and Iraq in the south-east. Being a country with highly developed ... Read More about Turkey Bookmakers
Cambodia Bookmakers

Cambodia Bookmakers

Cambodia is located in the southern part of Indochina Peninsula with Thailand to the west and northwest, Laos to the northeast, and Vietnam to the east and southeast while the southern part of the country touches the Gulf of Thailand ... Read More about Cambodia Bookmakers
Vietnam Bookmakers

Vietnam Bookmakers

Vietnam is a developing nation in the South eastern part of Asia and bookmakers and sports betting in the country is faced with a dynamic and sometimes puzzling legal regime. This guide is going to discuss the history, the existing ... Read More about Vietnam Bookmakers
Kuwait Bookmakers

Kuwait Bookmakers

The State of Kuwait is bordered by Saudi Arabia and Iraq to the south and east respectively. However, due to cultural and legal barriers, people have shown their interest in betting on sports has increased, primarily due to technological developments ... Read More about Kuwait Bookmakers
Israel Bookmakers

Israel Bookmakers

Israel is in western Asia with neighboring countries of Jordan, Syria, the Gulf of Aqaba, Egypt, the Mediterranean Sea, and Lebanon. This is the meeting point of Asia, Africa, and Europe. This article offers insight into the legal provisions governing ... Read More about Israel Bookmakers
Uzbekistan Bookmakers

Uzbekistan Bookmakers

Uzbekistan is one of the Central Asian nations and it is a completely a landlocked country. Russian is the official language and has a long history with gambling laws. In the present day and age, the position of the nation ... Read More about Uzbekistan Bookmakers
Afghanistan Bookmakers

Afghanistan Bookmakers

Afghanistan is a central and western Asian country that has borders with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Iran, Pakistan and China. It has an area of 647,500 square kilometers and it’s capital city is Kabul. Betting on different games and sporting events, ... Read More about Afghanistan Bookmakers
South Korea Bookmakers

South Korea Bookmakers

To the west there is the Yellow Sea, while to the southeast lies Korea Strait, the east is covered with the Sea of ​​Japan and to the North is North Korea up to the 38th parallel. This article looks at ... Read More about South Korea Bookmakers
Scroll to Top