05 Mar
When you want to be able to get to grips with the poker landscape in the Middle East, you’ve certainly come to the right place. Not only are we going to guide you through the grey areas that surround poker and online poker in the Middle East right now, but we’re also going to paint a picture of what the future will look like. Perfect when you want to get a real feel for what’s happening in the region, both in terms of societal and legal changes, so that you can decide on your best course of action.
Let’s start by looking at how the game of poker is currently changing and evolving before our eyes.
What is poker like in 2025?
Poker is a game that has been around in various forms and formats for centuries and has millions of regular players around the world. If you’re looking for a casino game that has crossed over into mainstream awareness and has something of an element of glamour about it, poker is always going to be the first name on the list. But does that mean it’s something of a static game that is deeply rooted in tradition? Far from it!
The beauty of poker is that there are so many local variations of the core principles that it continues to evolve as playing habits change. Every country, area, and local region has its predominant version of the game, with travellers from further afield offering new insights and new playing methods. Exactly what’s needed when you want to enjoy a thriving community of interrelated games that are all about testing your skills and strategies against opposing players.
Something we all take for granted these days is fuelling this rapid proliferation of new playing styles, players, and tournaments.
The rise of online poker
Take a look at the best online casinos in Kuwait, for example, and you will see that there is no shortage of new entrants to the market. With online poker setting the trend for greater access to casino games in countries where gambling has been historically prohibited by Islamic law, it’s safe to say that change is afoot.
The change is chiefly being driven by increasingly progressive, forward-thinking administrations looking to the future by listening to the desires of the younger generation in their countries. While every country in the Middle East moves at its own pace, and from a unique starting point in terms of attitudes to paid gambling, there is a general movement to a more open, welcoming approach.
Which countries are driving online poker?
The leading light in terms of the evolution of online poker, and gambling in general, in the Middle East is the UAE. Their highly progressive GCGRA administrative body has granted licenses to dozens of online poker operators, a new physical casino development, and even a state lottery.
The UAE has become something of a model test case for Middle Eastern countries looking to adopt more liberal social norms in deeply rooted Islamic cultures. Finding the right balance so that both sides feel heard has been key, as has making sure older citizens and the history of the UAE are respected. The Islamic faith will always be at the very heart of Emirati life, but that doesn’t mean that allowances and exceptions can be made in terms of how it is applied to everyday life. In a relatively short space of time, the growing acceptance of online poker as a recreational pastime has shown that tradition and modernity can coexist fruitfully in a conservative Middle Eastern country.
Online poker and Qatar
Qatar is another country of note when it comes to discussing and understanding the rise of online poker. While physical casinos are still outlawed within the borders of Qatar, online variations are growing in popularity with every passing month. Driving this trend is a combination of constant interconnectivity and a passionate commitment to liberal yet robust regulation.
The former is coming from the age of the smartphone and the manner in which the younger generation spends more and more of their free time online. By seeing how their friends and colleagues of similar ages in different parts of the world are spending their time and using their disposable income, their eyes are being opened to new opportunities. Responsible, sustainable online poker play is something that has definitely caught the eye of a new generation of enthusiastic players.
The latter is making sure that the growing industry has a good name from day one. In a country where gambling has always been banned and outlawed, making sure that the new industry has the best possible image and PR is clearly of paramount importance. Full transparency in terms of how licenses are both awarded and enforced is the major driver of this shift in public sentiment. As long as this trend and practice continues, we can expect to see online poker go from strength to strength in Qatar as well as the UAE.
What about online poker in Kuwait?
Kuwaitis live in a country where, according to the letter of the law, all forms of gambling are currently illegal. While this may sound like the end of the story in terms of Kuwaiti online poker, the reality on the ground is, predictably, somewhat different. Let’s take a look so that you can get everything you need to know about this increasingly complex grey area.
Firstly, we need to say that there are no legally operational physical casinos anywhere in the country. Secondly, we should also add that there is a growing community of online poker players based in Kuwait who play regularly without any fear of prosecution or persecution.
The main driver here is an increasingly liberal attitude to poker and gambling, albeit one that has not been fully enshrined in law as of yet. Because the younger generation can log on anywhere in the country and connect with new games, there is a large group who love to test themselves against one another. While gambling of this form is a slightly grey area, we predict that it is only a matter of time before it is officially legalized and you see local developers and operators bringing new forms of online poker into the market.
The last word
Online poker in particular, and online gambling in general, is a recreational activity that is being adopted in more and more countries around the world. Right at the front of the pack when it comes to change and growth is the Middle East, a region that has historically been strongly opposed to such practices. All of this is changing at an increasingly rapid pace thanks to a combination of progressively liberal administrations and rising awareness about the world amongst the younger generation.
Kuwait is a beautiful example of this growth because it is a country in which gambling is technically illegal — there are no physical casinos operating legally — but a place where many players safely and securely engage in online poker. As things continue to change and evolve, it will certainly be interesting to see how regulations take shape across the wider region.
We will always be right here, ready to bring you the latest developments as soon as they occur.