Egypt Plans Online Betting Ban With Penalties Up to Life Imprisonment

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The Egyptian parliament is planning to close a legal gap that has seen local users access overseas betting platforms despite gambling being illegal in the country.

As reported by iGB, the proposed changes to Egypt’s Cybercrime Law would ban online betting applications and bring in severe penalties for serious related offenses. The proposed amendments could allow life sentences in the most serious cases, including offenses involving organized crime.

If adopted, Egypt’s enforcement regime would be one of the strictest in the region.

Current Egyptian law bans gambling, with a limited exception for foreign visitors using licensed hotel-casinos. However, these rules do not address online platforms, like betting websites or mobile applications. This has created an enforcement gap that has allowed Egyptian users to access offshore betting platforms through VPNs and foreign payment channels, with the platforms sometimes marketed to locals.

Egyptian authorities have already increased efforts to restrict access to these betting services. Regulators reportedly began a campaign to block around 80% of online betting applications in early 2026. Platforms that have focused on the Egyptian market, such as 1xBet and MelBet, have recently faced enforcement action following complaints about their promotions to Egyptians through social media.

The government’s final draft has not yet been published or scheduled for a parliamentary vote. Questions also remain over how the law would address users accessing banned platforms through VPNs and how banks and payment providers would be expected to identify transactions related to betting.