Jordan gambling laws for operators: illegal to offer
All commercial gambling is illegal under the 1960 Penal Code. A state-sanctioned charity lottery operates as a narrow, non-commercial exception.
OverviewOverview built from public sources. An in-depth review of Jordan is available on request. Request it
Product by product
| Product | Status |
|---|---|
| Online betting · Online casino · Online poker | Banned |
| Lottery | Limited |
Regulator and player protection in Jordan
Heads-up for operators
Changes coming in Jordan
No reform contemplated.
Not yet in force: drafts, laws adopted without a start date, and sections of the law still to be commenced. An item moves to the timeline below on the day it takes effect.
Licence Types in Jordan
| Licence | Regulator | Term | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| No gambling licences issued | — | — | Penal Code 1960 prohibits all gambling. |
Gambling tax and fees in Jordan
No legal gambling industry.
Year-1 cost: Not applicable
There is no legal framework for obtaining a gambling licence in Jordan. All commercial gambling is prohibited.
| Line item | Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee (all verticals) | Not applicable | No licensing framework exists. |
| Annual licence fee (all verticals) | Not applicable | No licensing framework exists. |
| Operator GGR Tax | Not applicable | No legal gambling industry to tax. |
There are no compliance costs as commercial gambling is illegal.
Which foreign licences Jordan accepts
Jordan recognises none of these 8 foreign licences.
BannedMalta (MGA) · United Kingdom (UKGC) · Gibraltar (GRA) · Isle of Man (GSC) · Curaçao · Kahnawake (KGC) · Anjouan (AGB) · Alderney (AGCC)
All offshore licences are unrecognized and operators are subject to DNS blocking. The underlying act of gambling is criminalized.
Bonus rules: welcome bonuses banned
As Jordan is a prohibited market with no legal framework for gambling, there are no specific regulations for bonuses or promotions. All such activities are considered illegal by extension of the general ban on gambling.
- Welcome bonus
- Banned
- VIP schemes
- Banned
- Loyalty schemes
- Banned
- Cashback
- Banned
- All verticals are banned
Since all gambling is illegal, any bonus or promotion offered to players is also prohibited. Players engaging with offshore sites have no legal protection.
- Channels off-limits
- All channels
- Messages ads may not give
- Free Bet
- Welcome Bonus
- Penalties
The Jordanian Penal Code specifies criminal penalties for illegal gambling. There is no specific monetary penalty structure for bonus advertising breaches; enforcement targets the underlying illegal operation.
There are no documented incidents of enforcement actions specifically targeting operators for bonus or advertising violations. The government's focus is on curbing the spread of electronic gambling applications through technical and regulatory tools.
How Jordan enforces against unlicensed operators
Enforcement is consistent but focused on infrastructure rather than individual players. The Telecommunications Regulatory Commission (TRC) actively blocks ISP access to offshore gambling domains. While prosecution of individual players is rare, the 2023 Cybercrime Law creates greater legal risk for those using VPNs to circumvent blocks.
- The TRC maintains an ongoing policy of blocking gambling websites at the ISP level.
- The August 2023 Cybercrime Law criminalizes using a VPN to access blocked sites, which creates a new legal tool for prosecution.
- The Central Bank of Jordan actively prohibits banks and payment processors from facilitating cryptocurrency transactions, a common method for funding offshore accounts.
Black-market turnover: 0.04B USD
Estimated illegal-market turnover in Jordan is approximately 40 million USD annually. The most popular form of gambling is (Illegal). Online gambling represents 0% of total GGR. A culturally distinctive product in this market is Jordan Charity Lotto (state-sanctioned).
- Land-based0B USD0.0%
- Sports betting0.028B USD70.0%
- Casino0.004B USD10.0%
- Lottery0.008B USD20.0%
Source: Grand View / Horizon MEA Tracker. Splits: online-casino 10.0%, sports 70.0%, land-based 0.0%, lottery 20.0%.
GGR figure6
Licensed operators: none
As of 2 Jun 2026, no operator holds an active online licence in Jordan.
Traps operators hit in Jordan
Specific operational risks that have caught new entrants in this market. Each item is country-specific. Generic gambling-ops issues (KYC, RG tools) are not included unless they have a local twist.
Criminal Liability Under Penal Code 1960
The primary pitfall is that operating or promoting any form of gambling is a criminal offense under Penal Code No. 16 of 1960. This is not a regulatory grey area; it is explicitly illegal. Any personnel or assets within Jordanian jurisdiction would be subject to seizure and prosecution.
Sources7
Active ISP and Payment Blocking
The TRC's consistent DNS blocking requires operators to constantly change domains to maintain access, which creates a poor user experience. The Central Bank's strict stance on crypto and traditional payment channels makes deposits and withdrawals difficult and unreliable for players.
Timeline: rules in force
- August 2023
Cybercrime Law No. 17 of 2023 Enacted
This law introduced penalties for using VPNs to commit illegal acts or access illegal materials, which increased the legal risk for individuals accessing blocked offshore gambling sites.
Source: 4
- March 2023
Electronic 'Jordan Charity Lotto' Launched
The state-sanctioned lottery was modernized with an electronic version to boost its charitable fundraising capabilities, reinforcing its unique legal status.
Source: 9
- 2014
Central Bank of Jordan Prohibits Cryptocurrency
The CBJ issued its first circular prohibiting all regulated financial institutions from dealing with cryptocurrencies, which affected payment processing for offshore gambling.
Source: 5
- 1972
Jordan Charity Lottery Established
A royal decree authorized the General Union of Voluntary Societies to operate a lottery for charitable fundraising. This created the sole legal exception to the gambling ban.
Source: 10
- 1960
Penal Code No. 16 Enacted
This foundational law criminalized all forms of public gambling and the operation of gambling houses. It remains the primary statute governing gambling.
Source: 7
- 1952
Constitution of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Adopted
The constitution established Islam as the state religion. This forms the basis for subsequent laws prohibiting gambling.
Source: 11
Operator myths vs reality in Jordan
Common assumptions about gambling licensing that turn out to be wrong in practice.
- MythJordan is a 'grey market' because it has no specific online gambling law.Reality
Jordan is a 'black market,' not grey. The 1960 Penal Code's broad prohibition on all public games of chance and gambling houses applies to online activity. The absence of an internet-specific law does not create a loophole; the existing blanket prohibition stands.
Sources7
- MythA foreign licence from Malta or Curaçao provides legal standing to accept Jordanian players.Reality
No foreign licence is recognized. All offshore operations are considered illegal. Holding a foreign licence offers no protection from ISP blocking, payment processing restrictions, or potential legal action by Jordanian authorities.
Sources12
- MythThe government's focus on 'e-sports' signals a future opening for iGaming.Reality
This is incorrect. National strategies for e-sports focus on skill-based video gaming as an economic sector. The 1960 Penal Code's blanket prohibition on games of chance remains fully in effect, with no pending legislation to change it.
Sources7
Markets that work like Jordan
Compared on what our records hold for each country: whether online casino, betting, poker and lottery are licensed, state-run or banned, the licensing model, what the operator tax is levied on and its band, how most advertising channels are treated, and how foreign licences are treated. A point we hold for only one of the two countries counts for nothing.
Methodology & sources
This page is a Quick AI overview: a summary of public information, not yet checked against the law or the regulator. Treat it as a starting point. It has not yet been through our Deep AI Scan.
How we researchAsk us to run the Deep AI Scan for Jordan
Documents cited on this page
- 1iGaming Today
- 2LCB.org Jordan
- 3Khaberni News
- 4Jordan News - Using VPNs in Jordan
- 5Freeman Law - Cryptocurrency in Jordan
- 6Grand View / Horizon MEA Tracker
- 7iGaming Today - Gambling Regulation in Jordan
- 8LCB.org - Jordan Restrictions
- 9LottoJordan.com News
- 10General Union of Voluntary Societies (GUVS)
- 11Constitution of Jordan
- 12World Casino Directory - Jordan