Palestine, a country situated in the Middle East and West Asia, primarily consists of two regions: The west bank and the Gaza strip. Nowadays Palestine has many problems, which become more intensive in the sphere of gambling legislation. Here, the authors aim to shed light on the specifics of Palestine bookmakers with the focus on gambling legislation, regulatory bodies, licenses, taxation, the permitted and prohibited types of bets, and sports betting.
Table of Contents
Summary of Key Events
Palestine Bookmakers Gambling Laws Overview
Gambling Laws and Legislation
For a long time, Palestinian laws relate to gambling have undergone radical changes ranging from the historical factors and religious and cultural factors from Palestine and across the Arab world. Palestine that was in the ancient world called Canaan comprises of part of the present day Israel, the Hashemite kingdom of Jordan, gaza and west bank regions.
The Palestinian law provision on gambling mainly draws from the Sharia law, which according to the general rule, disapproves all forms of gambling maisir. The contemporary regulation was established only with the beginning of the nineties after the signing of the Oslo Accords, which outlined the idea of self-governance for some Palestinian territories.
- November 15, 1988: The Choice of Destiny, the Declaration of Independence was adopted at the 19th Special Session of the Palestinian National Council.
- May 1994: Palestine exercised semi-autonomy in Gaza and Jericho and other places.
- 1995 onwards: Thus, the area controlled by the Palestinian authority gradually grew the whole of the Gaza Strip and sections of the west bank.
Palestine Bookmakers and Its Regulatory Agencies
As it was already mentioned, there is no specific authority regulating gambling in Palestine, however, there are several governmental institutions controlling certain aspects of the activity. Due to the fact that borders are in most cases complex and there are disagreements about borders, enforcement tends to be different for different areas.
Bookmakers Gambling Licenses and Fees
As of now, there are no clear official licenses that bookmakers based in Palestine can apply for. However, there is the underground and unregulated betting companies. This is because there is no proper licensing system in place, hence both the operators and the bettors are in a technical unlawful position.
Bookmakers Gambling Taxes
Being unlawful, there is no set taxation policy regarding operations’ winnings, or their business in general. This lack of regulation is valued in the sense of freedom; nevertheless, the freedom means some risks are present and there are no legal shields to protect participants from them.
Prohibited and Allowed Bets
Pursuant to Islamic law, all types of gambling in their strict sense are banned according to the principles of Sharia. However, certain exceptions exist:
- Legal Lotteries: Certain lotteries are allowed for instance lotteries in shopping mall, banks, car makers, soft drinks companies and so on. Such often entail buying a product or doing something to be in a raffle to win a particular prize.
- Underground Betting: Camel races as well as bullfights are other events commonly accompanied by informal betting, which is, however, prohibited.
Palestine Sports Betting
Betting on sports is somewhat popular among Palestinians, although the activity is not legal. The primary sport that was identified in Palestine is football and people gamble on football matches though it is not officially endorsed.
Sporting Milestones:
- 1928: First Palestinian national football team is formed.
- 1934: First international match that had been played by Palestine national football team.
- 1998: Becoming and acceptable member in FIFA-Palestinian national football team.
- 2006: Largest victory, the national team’s 11-0 of Guam.
- 2018: Palestine has topped its highest world ranking by FIFA reaching to 73rd position.
Nevertheless, the sports betting is still legal and fully or partially regulated to a negligible extent and is mainly carried out through Internet or via word-of-mouth.
Basic Facts about Palestine as a Betting Country
Legal Framework
Current legislation of Palestine regarding the gambling industry is rather diverse yet anchored on the Islamic prohibition of gambling. Currently, there is no legislation that prohibits online gambling and the state of affairs remains rather uncertain.
Risks and Protections
Players in Palestine face several risks due to the informal nature of gambling activities:
- Legal Risks: There is no law against online gambling but indulging in the activities listed above can lead to legal consequences.
- Financial Risks: With no regulation, players have the ability in rare situations with the casinos to report frauds but if they encounter any problems with regard to payments, they are subject to no protection.
Tips for Safe Betting
- Choose Reputable Sites: Make sure you are using the reliable site to perform withdrawal or any other task.
- Use E-Wallets: Opened the possibility to make payment without involving banks in order to minimize the financial risks for the participants of the transaction, it is recommended to avoid bank transfers and opt for e-wallets instead.
- Stay Informed: Always note any shift in the various laws and regulations in the local market.
Conclusion
The status on bookmakers gambling and sports betting in Palestine can be termed as an elaborate one, although dynamic. A study of the legal aspects, historical background and today’s trends can help an operator attuned to its environment and the bettor to navigate this rather complex matrix. Therefore, due to the growth of Palestine’s economy, there could be some shifts in its laws that govern gambling along with regulating its activities.
FAQ of Palestine Bookmakers
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