Finding sports betting sites online is easy but finding safe sports betting sites and placing bets in Saudi Arabia is not easy at all. The country has strict laws when it comes to gambling and players must take good care. Be that as it may, it is quite possible to place sports bets online in Saudi Arabia and enjoy sports even more.
A good evaluation of sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia is needed to provide the most important and best safe, licensed, and completely legal sports betting sites that accept Saudi players, and ensure that they protect their personal and financial data and preserve their privacy, and at the same time provide excellent quality. Read on to find out more.
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Online gambling laws in Saudi Arabia consist of the Anti-Crime Law where penalties are expected for those who gamble online. There are no government-licensed casinos, racetracks, sports betting, or poker rooms. In fact, all forms of gambling are illegal in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and the Qur’an makes specific mention of the harms of gambling, but the Prophet Muhammad excluded betting on horse races.
There are horse racing tracks in Saudi Arabia. One is in the sports capital while the other is located on the western side of the country in Taif, Mecca. There is no legitimate betting allowed on horse racing in Saudi Arabia although there are some unofficial bets taking place in the races. It is not possible to bet from outside on the races held in Saudi Arabia unless express permission is obtained from the Saudi government to offer the odds.
If you get caught playing in an online casino for real money, the punishment can be from huge monetary fees to imprisonment, even both. If Saudis want safe online gambling, players should follow the expert recommendations and expectations about online gambling in Saudi Arabia.
Although online gambling is not officially allowed in the Kingdom, the number of online casino sites in Saudi Arabia is bound to increase as well as the variety of features they offer to local players. The kingdom is so futuristic that it recently became the first province in the world to issue citizenship to Robot Sophia. No wonder then that exciting gaming opportunities continue to pop up regularly in Saudi Arabia.
And when it comes to mobile gambling, Saudi players will see their spread across the online casino platforms. The ease with which you can play on the go with your smartphone or while driving in the car makes mobile games quite popular among the young players of this kingdom. With the steady increase in online payment methods in the online casino sector, they are likely to be accepted more often. This is good news for local players because in the future they will not have to worry about their national currency support.
Is Online Sports Betting Legal in Saudi Arabia?
Online sports betting is illegal in Saudi Arabia. However, players are managing to bet online in a safe environment with the use of VPN and electronic payments.
From a variety of services, such as a large number of sports favored by Saudi players, receiving them with many rewards and generous promotions, providing them with multiple means of financial dealing, providing them with technical support and assistance on a permanent basis – there is a list of criteria that should be followed when choosing the best sports betting site in Saudi Arabia. Here is a list of the most important aspects:
The sports betting sites of your choice which can be accessed from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia must be 100% safe, operate legally, and be licensed by the most important and famous organizations concerned with granting licenses to betting sites around the world, such as the state of Malta or the UK Gambling Authority.
These sites also provide fair and impartial gambling games that follow the standards of fairness and fairness in playing with the certificate of the International Organization eCOGRA. They also work with the latest encryption programs to protect and secure its players, use 128 (SSL) encryption technology that makes all the players’ data completely safe and protected and completely prevents the access of any person or third party. All this makes these sites follow the highest standards of efficiency and quality in serving their players in Saudi Arabia.
Sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia receive all visitors with a large number of promotions and exclusive bonuses, starting with welcome bonuses for novice players. These can be used for longer and more fun sports betting experiences. Other than welcome bonuses, there are offers for loyal and permanent bettors, also called a loyalty program, that gives players points that they can redeem for more betting on the site.
Sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia deal with the best companies specialized in the production and development of sports betting software. Live games are of the best quality and efficiency and are fully compatible with mobile phone systems of all kinds and tablet devices. This guarantees the player to participate in the game and bet with real money, as well as get all the fun, entertainment, adventure, and profits also through his mobile phone from wherever he is and at any time with the utmost security and privacy.
When Saudi players want to participate in playing with real money on a sports betting site, they will find a large number of financial dealing methods that can be used safely, the most important of which are direct bank transfers, e-wallets such as Skrill, Neteller, Entropay, Maestro, PayPal, and others. Credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard can also be dealt with. The more the merrier.
Sports betting sites in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia are keen to provide professional assistance and technical support to all Saudi players and others, by providing a team of experts and technicians who are fully aware of everything that is going on in all sections of the site, so that they can answer all players’ questions and find smart solutions.
This technical team is available throughout the day and every day of the week and provides many means through which they can communicate with this team, such as phone calls, or through email, chat service, and direct conversation.
When betting on one of the sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia, you must find all kinds of sports that come to your mind. These sites should provide a bouquet of the most beautiful sports that vary between football and basketball, tennis and table tennis, martial arts, golf, hockey, snowboarding, cricket, American football, horse racing, car and motorcycle racing, and many more. The more the merrier.
Since the penalties for violating gambling laws in Saudi Arabia are very severe, discretion is advised. In addition to accessing sports betting sites from the comfort of your own home, here are some additional steps you should take to protect yourself from the powers that be.
Like other countries with authoritarian regimes, such as China and North Korea, the Saudi government is doing its best to block websites that go against fundamentalist Islamic teachings. The Communications and Information Technology Commission (CITC), the telecommunications authority in Saudi Arabia, has confirmed that more than 5.5 million “spam websites” have been blocked in the country since 2008.
Since the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) in Saudi Arabia blocks many sports betting sites, it is highly recommended the use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). In addition to bypassing bans, VPNs protect your online activity from prying eyes.
Due to the country’s strict anti-gambling laws, it would not be wise to attempt to deposit with debit or credit cards issued by local banks in Saudi Arabia. As a matter of fact, it is likely that any attempt to deposit will be rejected and the authorities will be informed of your attempt to complete such a transaction.
Instead, you should choose a payment method that provides anonymity – completing a financial transaction without having to share your banking information directly with sports betting sites. This avoids gambling transactions appearing on your bank statement.
Not all sports betting sites accept Saudis, and not all sites that do are worthy of joining. Use the list of criteria above to search for the best sports betting site in Saudi Arabia according to your needs. Take many factors into account, including how competitive the prospects are and how quickly payments are processed. Some of the sites have an Arabic version of their website, which shows how serious these sites are to accommodate sports betting enthusiasts from Saudi Arabia.
You will need to complete the registration process first before placing bets online. To do this, you will need to head over to the betting site homepage, and once you have read the full terms and conditions, click on Join Now.
Fill in the account details, including name, mobile, and email address. Once you have your account, you can choose the banking method, as well as set a deposit limit. You are notified of all available payment methods, but for the purposes of some bonuses and promotions, you will need to use a certain payment method to fund your account.
Once you have deposited into your account, and your eligible bet is settled, you will be able to reap your welcome bonus. Use the welcome bonus to deposit more money or bet on sports longer.
Football is by far the most popular sport to bet on in Saudi Arabia, and the country has enjoyed a lot of success on the international stage. The Green Falcons won the prestigious Asian Cup on three occasions (1984, 1988, and 1996). Saudi Arabia made their debut in the 1994 World Cup Finals, reaching the Round of 16, and this remains the team's best achievement to date, despite qualifying on four other occasions.
The best football betting sites in Saudi Arabia also offer odds on the Saudi Professional League. Al-Hilal has achieved a record 16 titles since the first local league was established in the country in 1976, and Al-Nassr and AlI-ttihad were among the most successful teams, with nine victories and eight titles respectively.
There is no better example of Saudi Arabia's increasing focus on sport than the Saudi Cup. The oil-rich country surprised the racing world by announcing that it will host the world's richest horse race in Riyadh at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in 2020. The Jockey Club of Saudi Arabia (JCSA) announced a total prize pool of $20 million, which naturally attracted interest from coaches and jockeys from all over the world.
Saudi players love betting on races of any kind and horse races are by far the most popular.
Yes, camel racing is a real thing, just don't expect to find any betting odds or live streams of the races on the online betting sites. Camel racing dates back to the pre-Islamic era and is a popular traditional sport in Saudi Arabia. It was a chaotic sport with thousands of camels racing across the open desert. Nowadays, thousands of spectators enjoy camel racing in locations such as Riyadh Stadium.
The Crown Prince Camel Festival is one of the highlights of the camel racing calendar in Saudi Arabia. This festival takes place in the camel racetrack in Taif during the month of August, where more than 10,000 camels compete in more than 400 rounds. The festival attracts camel racing enthusiasts from all over the Arab world. Not surprisingly, the prize pool is more than 50 million Saudi riyals.
The Bahrain Grand Prix made history in 2004 when it became the first Formula One race to be held in the Middle East. The Bahrain International Circuit in Sakhir is located a few miles from Saudi Arabia, so many Saudis travel across the King Fahd Causeway to watch the race every year. However, it now appears that Saudi Arabia will host its own event in Jeddah, the second-largest city in the country, starting in 2021.
The inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix will be a street race. A state-of-the-art circuit is also being established in Qiddiya, with plans to host Formula 1 races from 2023. In addition to Formula 1 betting opportunities, Saudis have been participating in Formula E championships since the 2018-2019 season. The Diriyah ePrix now appears to be a staple on the Formula E racing calendar. Naturally, Saudis love betting on such races.
In case you are starting in online betting, to be successful in this activity, it is essential that you know the best types of sports bets offered by the bookmakers in Saudi Arabia. Next follows the most popular and easy-to-understand types of bets, so that you feel comfortable and receive more profits when playing.
Live betting is so popular these days because the emotion is indescribable when the game is in full swing and your betting slip is still in play. In fact, when it comes to live esports betting, the markets in Saudi Arabia are busier than ever. The odds change every moment and as you’re watching your match on an online sports betting site, you can instantly decide which team to play for before the next goal is scored or similar. Live bets are simple ones, most commonly who will score next or who will win the match.
If you like to make football predictions, you will have lots of special bets available which are offered by Saudi operators recognized in the industry. This type of betting is very fun, as they generally depend on the luck factor, that’s why the Saudis love it. So if you want to earn some extra money and have a good time, you will love to bet on options such as the first player to score a goal, who will have a red card, the first team to score, and total corners, among others.
They are the bets that you can make when you specialize more in this medium. In this modality to play, the favorite team is placed in a disadvantaged situation. On the other hand, the underdog club must start the game with a positive result. For example, if Saudi Arabia faces Qatar in a football match, the online bookmaker in Saudi Arabia will set the handicap for these selections. So, it will give Qatar a goal advantage with lower odds. In the same way, it can be -1 goal against Saudi Arabia and increase the chances of playing against this team. Therefore, Saudi Arabia would have to win by at least 2 goals for your handicap bet to be a winner.
Another type of popular online sports betting in Saudi Arabia is Parlay bets for players who love to take risks to get the highest return. You only have to group 2 or more selections in a bet, the limit accepted by betting sites usually does not exceed 12 teams.
The odds for this market are based on the number of selections you include on your betting slip. For example, if your Parlay is 10 selections and you hit all of them you can get payouts of up to 645 to 1.
Regardless of whether you are a novice or a specialist when betting online in Saudi Arabia, this modality is one of the preferred ones. You only have to bet on the team/competitor that you think will be the winner of a match. Bettors love this type of bet as it has the highest chances of coming true, although the odds are not that high.
The odds indicate the amount to win at the time of placing a bet. More specifically, the amount by which our bet will be multiplied (money bet), which will be greater or less depending on the probability of success that we have, and the level of difficulty of success. In short, we will win more if the odds are higher, but we will also face more risks of not getting the bet right.
It is important that you know that sports betting odds in Saudi Arabia can fluctuate, depending on supply and demand. The market adapts to this demand and fees can go up and down at any time. This will never affect bets that you have already closed. Once a bet is closed, its odds will not move.
The odds vary from one Saudi betting operator to another, so it is important to compare odds among bookmakers in the Saudi market. In this way, you will be able to choose the best odds for your forecasts and maximize your profits with the same investment and risks.
There are three types of odds: decimal odds, fractional odds, and American odds. Decimal odds are the ones used by almost everyone (sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia included), the most intuitive and the most comfortable to use. They are represented by a two-digit decimal number. To obtain the profit you only have to multiply the odds by the amount wagered.
Fractional odds are a system originating in England, the cradle of sports betting, although they are hardly used outside of England. In any case, they can be found at some foreign sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia. If we invest 100 riyals to odds 1/4 we will win 125 riyals (100 of the money invested plus the 25).
American odds are typical of American bookmakers and American sports (baseball, American football, etc.). They are an unintuitive system, which is represented with positive and negative numbers. Positive odds represent the net winnings for a bet of 100 units. Negative numbers show how much you have to bet to win 100 units. They are not used in Saudi Arabia almost at all due to their complexity.
Today, most bookmakers in Saudi Arabia offer the decimal odds system by default. In any case, if this is not the case, you can always change the format to your liking.
When you’re betting on high odds, you are facing highly improbable events, and that only with a good long-term betting strategy selecting the odds very well can players be successful.
Bookmakers are nothing more than companies whose purpose is purely for profit. In general, the Saudi bookmakers do not charge us commissions for betting but rather all our economic transactions are carried out through our bets. It is through the betting odds that they obtain its benefits.
The sports betting site in Saudi Arabia gives a total betting value of 106.1%, greater than 100%. That is to say, in reality, the bookmaker is applying a quota to us that assumes a probability that is a little higher than what they consider to be real, and it is from this small percentage that they obtain their benefit. This margin is called spread, and in this example, it would be 6.1% (the value exceeds 100%).
In a way, this is the bookmaker’s way of marking the cards in their favor, and thus consistently making money in the long run. Each sports betting site in Saudi Arabia applies margins that usually range between 6% and 10%. The smaller these margins are, the more the odds will adjust to “fair” values in probability, and the more likely the bettors will be profitable.
Since the estimation of the probability of a result is not an exact science, each bookmaker uses its methods and although in the end, the results of their odds are similar, in general, they tend to vary from one to another. For this reason, always using the best odds in our positions significantly reduces the effective spread that we support. By comparing different sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia, players will be able to find bookmakers with the best odds and lowest margins, and thus increase their overall winnings by a lot.
All sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia will offer various bonuses and promotions to their new and regular players. These offers are there to bring as many people as possible to the site. The bettors can benefit greatly from them, all it takes is to understand what they are.
A welcome bonus is given to new players who have just registered at the betting site in Saudi Arabia. This bonus can be claimed only once and is, therefore, of the highest value. You need to open an account and make a deposit to take advantage.
It is suggested you do this on a few different sites to get the most out of the value on offer. However, you should stick to reputable carriers. There are two major types of welcome bonuses in Saudi Arabia.
Deposit bonuses are popular in all forms of online gambling, including sportsbooks, casinos, and poker sites. Deposit bonuses are one of the offers that encourage punters to deposit funds regularly or deposit big for the first time.
A deposit bonus is when the bookmaker matches a percentage of the money you deposit into your account. For example, if they have a 100% deposit bonus of up to 200 riyals, they will give you a bonus of up to 200 riyals that you make on your deposit.
As the name suggests, players won’t have to pay anything in order to claim such a bonus. All that is necessary is to create a betting account and the sports betting site in Saudi Arabia will reward the player for it.
These are quite often smaller and rarer than the deposit bonuses as they won’t bring much profit to the bookmaker. In addition, terms and requirements are much higher, meaning they are more difficult to claim as money.
Once you’re done with the welcome bonuses at the houses you’ve joined, you won’t have to stop there. Most of them will be eager to keep you as a customer, so they know they have to provide an incentive for you to keep playing for real money.
These programs are designed to reward regular customers of the Saudi betting site. They usually bring some reward points or loyalty points which lead to various benefits like cash, bonuses, free bets, money backs, and more depending on the specific type of gaming platform.
Loyalty and VIP programs offered by bookmakers are not the only ongoing promotions that provide a lot of value. Many sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia provide other bonuses that are available regularly. For example, many online sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia offer price increases and accumulation bonuses. Reload bonuses for each deposit are also a deal that you can find in many places.
You will usually have to meet certain requirements, such as making a deposit, playing a specific game, or something similar in order to benefit from the offer. While that’s a bit limiting, it can add a lot of value if the promotion in question is somehow related to your regular gaming activities.
A reload bonus is very similar to a deposit bonus, except it is not your first deposit on the site but as part of regular promotions. Sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia will usually offer you big bonuses on your first deposit, but sometimes they don’t have much for people who are on a losing streak or want to add to their account. When they have reload bonuses, you should seriously consider taking advantage of it, even if you’re not looking to add money to your account.
Note that some bookmakers will offer reload bonuses throughout the year, while many will offer them periodically for special promotions.
This is a promotion that is not as popular as the others on this list, but we do see it from time to time at some Saudi bookmakers. This promotion pays you back a percentage of the money you lost or the broker profited from your bets. Usually with sports betting it will be a percentage of the money the bookmaker won from your bets. Basically, the more you bet, the more money you will receive from them.
As for the details, they really are going to be all over the place. The percentages, how they are calculated, how they are paid out, and when they are paid out will differ depending on where you bet and how they have chosen to set up their promotion.
A very popular promotion that we see in many of the big bookmakers in Saudi Arabia is the free bet promotion, or “free bets”. In other words, the sports betting site will offer to cover your first bet that is lost. If you lose, you don’t get your cash back, but you do get credit to place another bet.
This is a promotion that you will surely have to take advantage of if it is offered to you.
If you win your bet, great! You don’t need the promotion. But if you lose your bet, they will allow you to make a second one on the house. Basically, you will have to lose twice in a row to lose money.
Many bookmakers are aware that their customers are usually big sports fans. Because of this, they will often run promotions where you can win either free swag or kits from your favorite teams. We’ve seen hats, t-shirts, hoodies, memorabilia, signed balls, and just about anything with a sports logo. Sometimes they will let you pick your favorite team, and sometimes you end up getting what they have for you.
When you bet at one of the trusted online sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia, you will be able to conduct your financial transactions with ease, security, and high speed, and this is because these leading sites accept payment with a group of the best smart financial dealing portals available to Saudi players. Among the most important of these methods:
✅ E-wallets – E-wallets are among the best payment options available to Saudi players, and are highly recommended for online transactions. Because they are smart, completely safe, low-fee, instantaneous means of executing financial transactions. The most popular e-wallets are Neteller, Skrill, Paypal, Entropay, Paysafecard, Match Better, EcoPays, etc.
✅ MuchBetter – MuchBetter is a new online payment application for Android and iOS mobile devices, where users can make payments through the application whether they are online or offline. The application also allows them to make offline payments through smartphones and prepaid cards. The MuchBetter-based e-wallet is specially designed for the betting industry and players from Arab countries, Saudis as well, find it as a great help in preventing being caught.
✅ PayPal – PayPal has one million active users from the Arab world alone. The set-up fees are non-existent. They charge an additional 2.5% for a currency conversion (3.5% in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar). On the other hand, it is extremely safe, fast, and widespread.
✅ Cash U – A service provider with a focus on Internet payments in the Middle East and North Africa, headquartered in Dubai. You can transfer your money to any local bank in the area, or to a sports betting site in Saudi Arabia.
✅ NETELLER – A relatively new player in the Arab market but with lots of experience around the world. Neteller has low fees and is very reliable. There are no set-up fees.
Available in the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Egypt and the Arab countries of North Africa.
✅ MoneyBookers (Skrill) – It is one of the largest online payment service providers in the world and is currently used by more than 135,000 merchants. It offers over 100 payment options, with 41 currencies covering 200 countries and territories. A perfect e-wallet for sports betting money transfers in Saudi Arabia.
✅ Cryptocurrencies – We must not forget about cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, Dogecoin, and other electronic currencies that give the Saudi gambler complete privacy! They offer the safest, fastest, and generally, best service but cryptocurrencies are not widespread in online sports betting.
✅ Credit Cards – The most popular are Visa, MasterCard, and Maestro. All of them are among the best financial means of payment in sports betting, are easily available in various Arab countries, and are characterized by a high rate of safety, speed, low fees, and ease of use. On the other hand, credit cards are connected to banks, and since sports betting is illegal in Saudi Arabia, this is also an easy way for authorities to catch you red-handed.
Banking transactions with credit cards such as Visa and MasterCard related to gambling are usually prohibited. There is only one way to get around the restrictions and that is to get a credit card from a foreign country that allows online gambling (UK, Germany, Sweden, etc.). You can either purchase a gift card during your visit to a foreign country or open a bank account in that country (you may need to create an address in that foreign country to be legally eligible for such a card).
If you cannot use a credit card, there are still many legitimate payment gateways that are widely used in Arab countries. Creating an account is a very easy process. The hardest part is verifying your account and removing the limits on it. It will take several days to link your new account to your credit card or bank account, but once that is done you are free to play as you wish. Check which payment gateways are accepted in your country and check that the online casinos you wish to play at accept that payment method.
What Is the Best Payment Option for Saudi Arabia Players?
While NETELLER, PayPal, Skrill, and many other online payment processors accept Saudi customers (all of which are highly recommended), they are sometimes not an option. Although Bitcoin is classified by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Agency (SAMA) as illegal, it is still the most popular payment method among online gamblers in the country.
All forms of gambling are illegal in Saudi Arabia and are punishable by law. Be that as it may, many gamblers are finding ways to gamble online without being caught.
In terms of legality, Saudi people should avoid gambling due to severe punishments for those being caught. But with the advancement of technology, it is possible to gamble online without being caught. All it takes is a VPN, e-wallet, and a safe gambling house.
Sports betting is illegal in Saudi Arabia, like all forms of gambling. At one time, horse and camel racing bets were legal but that has changed as well. Now, the only form of gambling is being done online with lots of precautions.
The deposit limits will be determined by sports betting sites and their offered payment methods. These limits can vary but are always suitable for everyone.
As gambling is illegal in Saudi Arabia, no taxes should be paid. All winnings should be kept secret to avoid punishment from the law.
The bookmaker will top up your betting account immediately after the betting slip has been correctly predicted. Collecting winnings, on the other hand, will take a bit longer. The fastest processing methods are with cryptocurrencies, then e-wallets, and lastly bank and credit card transfers, which can take a full week.
Players from Saudi Arabia can access many foreign sports betting sites and therefore the options are plenty. The best betting site would be the one that best suits a player’s needs, in terms of sports and markets offered, as well as preferred payment methods. In addition, the bookmaker must be safe, licensed, offer great odds, and various features.
Saudi bettors have the option to choose between various betting sites and therefore options are plenty. They can choose from traditional sports, such as football, basketball, tennis, to various races, martial arts, and even eSports.
Unsurprisingly, football is the most popular sport among Saudi bettors, closely followed by horse and camel races.
Odds are determined by the bookmakers based on their probabilities. All bookmakers will offer different odds in order to earn as much as possible. The lower the odds, the better for the bettor.
Many sports betting sites in Saudi Arabia offer free bets as part of promotions and bonuses.
There are two types of sign-up bonuses – deposit and no-deposit bonus. For the latter, it is needed to simply create an account and the bonus will be added to the player. The deposit bonuses require at least one deposit, depending on a bookmaker.
As gambling is illegal in Saudi Arabia, there are no centers that will help with gambling addiction. Instead, players should look for help elsewhere, for example, with the local psychiatrist.
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