Is online gambling legal in Lebanon?

The tax status for player winnings has not been confirmed. The national helpline is 1564.

Only what is listed as legal above is licensed. Anything else offered to you online is unlicensed and gives you no protection.

Online sports betting is only partly legal in Lebanon (partial). Online casino is only partly legal in Lebanon (partial). Online poker is banned in Lebanon. The lottery is legal on sites licensed in Lebanon.

Using a VPN to reach gambling sites from Lebanon: Legal.

Gambling with crypto: Banned.

You must be 21 to gamble online in Lebanon, for online casino, sports betting and lottery alike. The legal age for all regulated gambling, including at Casino du Liban and on BetArabia, is 21.

A widely cited 10% withholding tax on gambling winnings is not substantiated by any primary government or statutory sources as of 2026 and could not be confirmed.

There are approximately 3 licensed operators in Lebanon as of 8 Oct 2026.

Always verify a casino holds a valid Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Interior and Municipalities licence before depositing.

Ministry of Finance; Ministry of Interior and Municipalities's website

Prominent operators in Lebanon

If a site isn't on the regulator's licensee register, ask the regulator before you play: an unlisted site is usually not licensed here (a register can lag behind a new licence). An unlicensed site is outside the regulator's supervision, so you cannot complain to the regulator about it.

• ✓
  Check for the Official Licence Holder

  Before playing, confirm the site is BetArabia. It is the only platform legally licensed by the Lebanese Ministry of Finance. Any other brand name is illegal.

• ✓
  Look for the Casino du Liban Connection

  The legal online platform will always be explicitly linked to Casino du Liban. If a site does not prominently mention this connection, it is an unlicensed offshore operator.

• ✓
  Verify the Official Website URL

  The official and sole legal website is www.betarabia.com. Scammers may use similar-looking URLs; always check the address carefully before entering any personal or financial information.

• ✓
  Confirm the Legal Age Requirement is 21+

  The legal gambling age in Lebanon is strictly 21. Any site that allows registration for 18-year-olds is not the licensed Lebanese operator and is not compliant with local law.

What you can expect from a licensed site's offers in Lebanon. The rules operators must follow are on the operator page.

1. 1

   1. Contact BetArabia Customer Support

   The first step for any player dispute is to resolve the issue directly with the licensed operator. BetArabia offers customer support through its official website.

   BetArabia Support
2. 2

   2. Escalate to the Ministry of Finance

   If a dispute with BetArabia cannot be resolved, a player's recourse is to file a formal complaint with the Ministry of Finance, which is the official licensing body. There is no dedicated online portal for this; complaints must be filed through formal channels.

3. 3

   3. Legal Action

   The final step for an unresolved dispute is to pursue the matter through the Lebanese court system.

• Myth

  It's legal to play on any site using a VPN.
  Reality

  This is false. While using a VPN is not a crime in itself, using it to circumvent government ISP blocks to access offshore gambling sites is a violation of Lebanese law. The activity remains prohibited, and only playing on the state-licensed BetArabia is legal.

• Myth

  My winnings from online sites are tax-free.
  Reality

  This has not been confirmed. There is no official law or regulation confirming if or how player winnings are taxed. However, since all gambling outside of the state-licensed BetArabia is illegal, any winnings from offshore sites are the proceeds of illicit activity.

• Myth

  All online betting sites are the same.
  Reality

  This is incorrect and dangerous. Only one website, BetArabia, is legally licensed and regulated in Lebanon by the Ministry of Finance. Any other site accepting Lebanese players is operating illegally and offers no local consumer protection or legal recourse.