The Legality of Online Casinos in Jordan
As we’ve said, while some gambling activity is tolerated in Jordan, the nation is far from a haven for bettors, with most forms of gambling still considered illegal. That’s never a good sign for online casino sites, and as you would expect, online gambling in Jordan is not approved or regulated by the local government.
That’s not to say that people here are not placing bets online. As we mentioned above, many citizens travel abroad to visit resorts and play their favorite casino games, so there’s no doubt that some of them also stay at home and gamble online on their computers and mobile devices. While the government may not be in favor of Internet gaming sites, they don’t actively block them, either, or there has been no indication that players are at any risk of legal action for participating in real money games.
Add that all up, and you have a situation where many online casinos are happy to accept players in Jordan. We’ve listed the most reputable and professional Jordanian online casino sites above, which you can safely join to claim bonuses and play popular casino games. You can check out what kind of games and secure deposit methods are available to you in Jordan below:
Software Developers for Jordan Online Casino Sites
You’ll generally see the same range of developers and operators represented here as you would in any other unregulated country. A few of the more prominent software providers that power Jordanian online gambling sites include:
Realtime Gaming, or RTG stands out thanks to their unique game mechanics and features. With well over two decades in the casino industry, this is a developer that knows how to keep games exciting.
One of the biggest names in online casino games, Microgaming’s wide selection of slots provides variety and excellent quality. There’s a reason this is a name that has been at the top for so long.
If you’re looking for good looking slots, few can hold a candle to Betsoft. Astounding graphics and animations, and a myriad of different themes means you’ll never get bored of the game selection from this well-respected developer.
Arguably the only software developer that can challenge Microgaming, NetEnt’s strength comes from variety. As well as an ever-growing list of excellent slots, this developer also provides table games, live dealer titles, VR options, and more.
A lesser known developer compared to the other names on this list, Topgame cover a range of themes in their games, each with eye-catching graphics, unique animations, and simple interfaces.
A favorite amongst online casino players, Play’n Go provides an array of fun and colorful slots, characterized by entertaining themes and bright animations.
Jordanian Online Casino Payment Methods
As no online casino sites operate out of Jordan itself, online gambling is restricted to popular international casinos. As a result, the Jordanian Dinar (JOD) is rarely accepted as a currency at online casinos.
This doesn’t have to affect players, however, with several payment methods providing the ability to convert funds into readily accepted currencies such as EUR, GBP, and USD. Popular payment methods at online casinos in Jordan include:
E-wallets such as Neteller and Skrill aid in the avoidance of making a transfer directly from your bank to an online casino. Extra security is also provided by removing the need to share your personal details with an online casino. Be aware, however, that several online casino bonuses in Jordan may not be accessible to players depositing using certain eWallets.
Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are very popular with Jordanian players. The instant payments and anonymity provide an extra level of comfort. There is also no need to worry about conversion here. The only downside is that there is a smaller number of online casinos that accept crypto deposits and withdrawals, when compared to Jordan gambling sites with e-wallet and credit card payment options.
Transferring funds from your bank is an option here. However, some banks will block payments to online casino sites, so the options above tend to be more popular with Jordanian online casino players.
Current Gambling Scene in Jordan
Jordan has several conflicting factors pulling it in different directions when it comes to the possibility of gambling licenses ever taking hold here. For online gambling, the popularity maintains, but the Islamic law which governs the country makes it unlikely that online gambling will ever be licensed and regulated in Jordan. That said, it is not impossible, and as certain freedoms become gradually more accepted in Jordan, and the money raised by tourism continues to grow, there is a possibility, however small, that online gambling will become a regulated and licensed industry in Jordan.
Being an Islamic nation works against the idea of casino resorts too; a tradition of relative religious freedom and openness offers a counter to that. While the idea is still against the law, at least for now; some powerful government officials see gambling in both online and land-based environments as a possible route for improving the economy and bringing in new revenues.
The long and short of it is that debates over whether to license online gambling or build casino resorts in Jordan aren’t likely to end anytime soon, as there are strong reasons for people on both sides of the issue to cling to their positions. Sure enough, the prospect was brought up yet again by the Deputy Prime Minister, who suggested in February 2016 that tourist destinations such as Aqaba and Petra would be perfect locations for issuing casino licenses. The move could be a response to a similar proposal across the Gulf of Aqaba in Israel, where – similar to in Jordan – religious conservatives are battling with officials who see the potential for new revenues to be generated. However, at this point, no movement has been made. This is not the first effort to bring casino resorts and gambling revenue to Jordan, and there is a 0% success rate for these efforts so far.
That being said, the laws as they are do not stop the citizens of Jordan or Israel from enjoying online gambling, and that doesn’t seem likely to change any time soon.
Offline Gambling in Jordan: An Overview
It is common for people to assume that Islamic nations such as Jordan or Oman will automatically ban all forms of gambling, adhering to a strict interpretation of religious law. However, the customs of Muslim countries vary significantly in this regard, and in this case, there is not a total ban on the practice, even if you won’t find any incredible resort cities like Las Vegas here.
One of the more popular ways to gamble in Jordan outside of unregulated online gambling is through the national lottery. The Jordanian Welfare Lottery is rather popular, offering large prizes to winners and with all profits going towards programs that benefit the poor and others in need. Another option is bingo, which is a surprisingly popular pastime in the city of Amman. Similar to the lottery, many charitable groups run bingo games in order to raise money, often accompanied by live music or other social events.
But this falls far short of the kinds of full-scale gambling found in other parts of the world. There is good reason for this: while the above activities have been permitted, betting is still considered illegal by and large under Jordanian law. However, this country isn’t one that always imposes Islamic traditions across the board, and while you won’t find any casinos in Jordan, it wasn’t long ago that there was serious discussion about bringing a resort to the kingdom.
Beginning in 2003, prominent lawmakers began to push for the idea of a casino in the country, suggesting that it could potentially bring in significant revenues for the government. In 2007, bids from at least three different companies were considered, with government officials (allegedly including Prime Minister Marouf al-Bakhit) eventually approving the proposal of a group known as Oasis Holding Investment.
However, that deal was fraught with issues, not the least of which was that the country’s Justice Minister pointed out that it would violate Jordanian law. The casino was never built, as the government eventually canceled the contract with Oasis, and the entire affair became something of a scandal for many major officials. It appeared as though while the general population wasn’t against the idea of a casino (many Jordanians do travel abroad to gamble), the process was seen as corrupt and lacking in transparency, killing any support it may have had.
