Restricted Casinos in Jordan

The application for legalization came from Ali Abu-Rageba at a government seminar on “Investments in Jordan, Chances and Challenges”, which was held on February 13, 2016. The deputy head of government expressed confidence that such a stimulus would help improve the situation with investments in the kingdom.

The city of Aqaba is located near the Israeli recreation zone of Eilat, where the opening of four gambling establishments was discussed the day before. Now in both countries, casinos are banned, since the ruling parties are guided by a conservative religious world view.

The last attempt to legalize gambling in the kingdom was made in 2007. Then, Prime Minister Maruf al-Bahit signed an agreement with the British company Oasis Holding Investment. But many residents of Jordan found such an agreement rather ambivalent. His terms presupposed the operation of a gambling operator in the country for 50 years, as well as state reimbursements of $ 1.4 billion, in the event of an unsuccessful outcome of the transaction. As the government concealed the terms of the new gambling policy, soon the streets of the main cities of Jordan were filled with protesters, and the government accused the entire Minister of Tourism. Show less