Arab Sports Betting

Is gambling legal in Qatar?

Although gambling is not an activity that is approved by the government of Qatar, access to online sports betting is fairly easy. As one of the most progressive nations in the region and the home of news agencies like Al-Jazeera, the Communications Regulatory Authority for the State of Qatar does not block access to betting providers like some other GCC nations block this content for their residents. While the government is not interested in building casinos for the increase in tourism it could provide, they are not interested in punishing ex-patriot residents or native Qataris for partaking in a relatively harmless vice, since online betting can take place in private and is widely accepted by western societies. After all, there is a strong history of horse racing in Qatar and perhaps unofficially, the wagering that goes along with it, at the highest levels of society within the country.

Qatar online sports betting: the wider context

Further to the above, Qatar is highly interested in investments in sport. The largest investment includes the hosting of the 2022 FIFA World Cup. They also look to raise the profile of their nation and their state-owned companies through various marketing relationships including a long-term shirt sponsorship of FC Barcelona for Qatar Airways. Qatar-based BeInSports has been a key broadcast partner for many top football leagues for broadcast distribution of matches into many regions around the world, not only the Middle East. Like it or not, much of the interest to which Qatar is tapping into is related to wagering. People around the world are of course interested in sport, but a large proportion of those watching are also wagering on the events. Qatar wants to have their brand in front of all of these people.

Perhaps their longest-term investment in sport has come through their acquisition of Ligue 1 football club Paris St. Germain. It is this investment that actually receives a direct benefit from online sports betting. PSG has many corporate partners, and one of these is the Swedish gaming brand Unibet, which is regulated for play in many European and American markets, in addition to their international service. It could be perceived as being hypocritical and counter-productive to take a restrictive stance on sports betting within Qatar given these investments and corporate relationships. Customers from Qatar may register and play at Unibet

Choosing the right betting site from Qatar

When it comes to selecting the right sports betting site from Qatar, it comes down to preference. If you feel comfortable playing in English, you will have significantly greater choice of sites, no matter your preferences or points of focus. If you require or heavily prefer to bet in Arabic, both Spin Sports and 1XBET offer their services in Arabic. All of the listed companies offer their services in English.

MarathonBet and Pinnacle tend to offer the highest odds, as they work with low profit margins. If you prefer to take advantage of bonus offers and promotions, the other online bookmakers offer these as they use odds that integrate a higher revenue margin to cover the bonus costs. Note that all promotions are subject to terms and conditions.

If you think that you will use your mobile phone to bet on sports as you move around the country and abroad and want the best mobile betting, understand that each of these betting sites has invested to develop fast and intuitive mobile sites that you will be able to access via your mobile web browser.

Qatar online sports betting banking methods

Each betting site that serves Qatar supports different methods for payment. Credit cards are available at all these sites. Given the progressive nature toward online sports betting when done in private from Qatar, you do not need to worry about using your local payment method with these betting sites. However, if you prefer to have more privacy, you can use an intermediate payment solution like an e-wallet, prepaid card or Bitcoin.

EcoPayz, Skrill, Neteller and MuchBetter are e-wallets that you may use for sports betting from Qatar. You simply register, then link a credit card or bank account. This way your payments and withdrawals are not done directly to the online bookmaker. The first three of these can be used from your web browser. MuchBetter is a mobile app e-wallet that you may download from the app store. Bitcoin is also available to fund USD accounts at MarathonBet, Pinnacle and 1XBET. paysafecard is a prepaid solution that essentially allows you to pay in cash online and can be used at betting sites. These cards may not yet be available in Qatar, but are widely available in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Egypt.

Ideally you will use the same currency for both the payment solution and your betting site account. This will minimize any currency exchange fees associated with your play.

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Rank

Qatar Bookies

Notable points of interest Qatari bettors

Perhaps the best reputation in the world. High odds. Very high stake limits. Arbitrage friendly. Casino + Live Casino.

Arab bonus offer. Arabic site version. Cash out. Competitive odds. Lots of markets. Horses + Casinos.

High odds. Lots of markets. Great interface. Horses + Casinos. Cash out + AdvanceBets. Man City Sponsor. QAR accounts

Lots of promos. Solid odds. Elegant interface. Early cash out. Lots of markets. Horses + Casinos. Bet with Didier Droba

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Find the best Qatar betting sites - Online bookmakers that serve Qatar.

Established

1998

2003

2010

1997

2000

Perhaps the best interface. Early cash out feature. Football Bet Builder. Horses, Casinos, Poker, Bingo & more.

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Bonus offer. Arabic site version. Sponsors of FC Barcelona & Serie A. Casinos + more. QAR accounts

2011

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1998

Bonus offer. Excellent platform. Cash out. Many markets + competitive odds. Horses, Poker, Casinos, Bingo + more.

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1997

Special Arab bonus. Bespoke betting platform. Early cash out. Good Odds. Lots of markets. Bet Builder. Horses.

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Qatar Bookmaker Bonuses

Online Bookies with Qatari Riyal (QAR) sports betting accounts

Most online bookmakers support a relatively small collection of currencies to be used for your betting account. Most of these are European and American currencies. With most sites, you must select which of these you would like to use for your account when you register, and it cannot be changed. When you deposit, your riyals will be exchanged for an amount in the betting account currency. For ease of banking, it is likely best that you set USD as your account currency as it is most compatible for you, but GBP and EUR may also work for you depending on the method you choose.

When it comes to a much wider range of available currencies, 1XBET and MarathonBet offer the most, including Qatari riyals. This means that if you wish, you can avoid the hidden cost of exchanging your currency when funding your account. With Skrill or your credit card, you will be able to transact directly in riyals to these companies. 1XBET is included in our list of top Arab betting sites due to their Arabic version and for having so many currencies. If you prefer a superior interface and experience, you may prefer MarathonBet or one of the other sites above.

If interested, you may see the current exchange rates for the Qatari Riyal versus the top online bookmaker currencies here: QAR to USD and QAR to EUR.

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2006

Betway Review

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Largest Qatar bonus. Excellent interface. Early cash out. West Ham sponsor. Horses, Casinos + more.

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Do these Qatar sports betting sites offer other types of online gambling ?

Yes, most of them do offer other types of gaming verticals from within the same account and login. However, the availability of gaming categories varies between providers. As an example, 888sport is purely an online bookmaker. They do not offer other types of games from within the same account. If you are interested to play online and live casino games such as blackjack, baccarat, roulette or slots with a wide array of variations of these games, they are available at all of the other companies that we list above. When it comes to playing within an online poker room against other players, or online bingo in the same manner, these options are tougher to offer as they require a large customer base. No one wants access to a poker room that has only a few tables and players. For access to online poker and bingo in addition to casino and sport betting from the same account, your best options are bet365 and Unibet. If you have interest in reading more information on these other gaming types, you can read about Qatar online casinos for a far more detailed analysis on the issue.

Most betting sites do not make their new customer bonus offers available to customers in Qatar. This can be unhelpful. Thus, we have listed several offers below that are available to new players in Qatar.