Maldives · Casino games
Casino Games Explained: The Main Types, House Edge and RTP
A reference to the game families found on online casinos, how each one works, and the numbers that describe the operator's margin.
ReadMaldives
Gambling and the Maldives: An Independent Information Desk
What the authorities have done about online gambling, what remains unsettled, and plain explanations of the games, apps and payments people encounter online.
In short
This section explains how online casinos and betting sites relate to people in the Maldives. Authorities have blocked betting websites since July 2024, and in December 2025 the government submitted a bill to make gambling a criminal offence. We have not confirmed whether it has passed. KiraBet is an informational publication: it does not recommend operators, link to them or explain how to reach them.
What this section covers
KiraBet treats the Maldives as a subject to report on, not a market to sell to. The pages in this section explain how online casinos and betting sites relate to people in the Maldives, what the authorities have said and done, and where the risks lie.
Nothing here recommends an operator or explains how to reach one. Where a page describes how a type of game or payment works, the aim is to help readers understand what they are looking at and judge the risks more clearly.
Where things stand
The Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) began blocking online betting websites in July 2024, acting on orders from the police. It did not say how many sites were blocked1.
In coverage published on 31 October 2024, Attorney General Ahmed Usham said the government would amend the law to ban online betting and gambling2.
In December 2025 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced that the government had submitted a bill to make gambling, and operating a gambling establishment, criminal offences under the Penal Code3. Reporting in January 2026 said the bill would class gambling as a fourth-degree offence, with a standard sentence of one year, seven months and six days in prison4.
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Bank of Maldives card restrictions on gambling websites reported
Bank of Maldives said it was disabling the use of its cards on gambling, online trading and cryptocurrency websites, citing the non-essential outflow of US dollars.
Source: Maldives Times, 3 November 2020
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CAM begins blocking online betting websites
The Communications Authority of Maldives began blocking online betting sites on police orders. The number of sites blocked was not disclosed.
Source: The Edition, 10 July 2024
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Attorney General says law will be amended to ban online gambling
At a press conference at the President's Office, Attorney General Ahmed Usham said the government would bring amendments to the law to ban online betting and gambling.
Source: The Edition, 31 October 2024
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Government submits bill to criminalise gambling
President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced that the government had submitted a Penal Code amendment making gambling and operating a gambling establishment criminal offences.
Source: The Edition, 10 December 2025
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Gambling bill details reported
The bill would make gambling a fourth-degree offence with a standard sentence of one year, seven months and six days, and would treat online gambling platforms as gambling establishments. Passage had not been confirmed by 11 September 2026.
Source: The Edition, 4 January 2026
A guide to the Maldives pages
Law and policy
- Casino and gambling laws in the Maldives covers the legal framework as far as it can be verified, the Penal Code amendment bill in detail, and the official places to check current law.
- The wider picture of online gambling in the Maldives looks at how betting and casino sites have been promoted, how the government has responded, and the scam patterns police and banks report.
Understanding what is on offer online
These explainers sit alongside our reference database, where individual slot titles, live dealer tables and the other game categories are listed.
- What online casinos are and why offshore sites are risky explains the situation for people in the Maldives and how to read the claims gambling websites make.
- Our explainer on casino game types covers slots, live dealer games, blackjack, roulette, baccarat and crash games, along with house edge and RTP.
- How online slots actually work goes deeper into random number generators, published RTP, volatility and paylines.
- Live dealer games explained describes studios, streaming and how physical results are turned into data.
- Mobile casino apps and the risks of unofficial downloads covers app store rules, phishing clones and phone security.
- The risks around casino payment methods explains cards, bank transfers, e-wallets and crypto in general terms, and why money sent to unregulated operators is hard to recover.
Help
- Support for gambling harm in the Maldives lists warning signs, practical steps and verified places to get help, including for family members.
How we keep this section accurate
Legal and policy statements are checked against primary sources where they exist, such as the President's Office and the People's Majlis, and against dated reports from established Maldivian news outlets. Each factual claim carries a citation.
When something cannot be verified, we leave it out rather than guess. Our editorial policy and the regulation hub explain the approach.
Maldives · Regulation
Casino and Gambling Laws in the Maldives
The Maldives has moved from blocking betting websites to a proposed Penal Code amendment that would make gambling a crime. Here is what can be verified, and what cannot.
ReadMaldives · Live casino
Live Dealer Casino Games: Studios, Streams and What Is Real
Live casino games put a real dealer and a physical table on screen. Behind them sit large studios, recognition software and the same house edge as any other casino game.
ReadMaldives · Mobile casino
Mobile Casino Apps and the Maldives: How They Work and What Can Go Wrong
Gambling on a phone happens through apps or mobile websites. App store rules, unofficial downloads and phishing clones all shape the risk for people in the Maldives.
ReadMaldives · Online casinos
Online Casinos and the Maldives: Restrictions and Risks
An online casino looks like any other app or website. For people in the Maldives, the legal position, the lack of any local protection and the scams that circulate alongside these sites change the picture.
ReadMaldives · Online gambling
Online Gambling in the Maldives: How It Spread and How Authorities Responded
Betting and casino sites reached people in the Maldives through messaging apps and social media. Authorities answered with website blocks, banking restrictions and a bill to criminalise gambling.
ReadMaldives · Payments
Casino Payment Methods: Why Money Sent to Gambling Sites Is Hard to Recover
A risk-focused explainer on how common payment methods work, which ones can be reversed, and what Maldivian banks and the central bank have said.
ReadMaldives · Support
Getting Help With Gambling Harm in the Maldives
Signs that gambling has become a problem, steps that help, and places people in the Maldives and their families can turn for support.
ReadMaldives · Slots
How Online Slots Work: Random Numbers, RTP and Volatility
The reels are animation. What decides a slot spin is a random number generator, and the published numbers describe millions of spins rather than one evening.
ReadMaldives · Regulation
How website blocking works in the Maldives
Blocks are implemented by internet providers on the order of the Communications Authority, usually at the request of another body. Much of the rest of the process is undocumented in public.
ReadFAQ
Questions about this section
What does the Maldives section of KiraBet cover?
It covers the legal and policy position on gambling in the Maldives, explainers on how casino games, live dealer games, slots, mobile apps and payment methods work, the risks of offshore gambling sites, and where to find help with gambling harm. Every page is informational and none of them recommends or links to an operator.
Does KiraBet recommend or link to casinos?
No. KiraBet does not list operators, carry affiliate links, publish bonus offers or explain how to reach blocked sites. The Maldives section reports on restrictions and risks, and explains how games and payments work so readers can understand what they encounter online.
How current is the legal information in this section?
Each page shows when it was last updated and fact-checked. The regulatory timeline records only developments we could source. As of 11 September 2026 we have not confirmed whether the December 2025 gambling bill has passed, and we will update the pages when a reliable source reports its status.
Where should I start if I'm worried about someone else's gambling?
Start with our page on gambling harm support in the Maldives. It covers warning signs, what family members can do, the 24-hour National Mental Health Helpline on 1677, and international online services such as Gam-Anon, which supports the relatives and friends of people who gamble.
What is the difference between the online casino page and the online gambling page?
The online casino page is about the product: what these sites are, how software and live games reach a screen, and how to read the claims a gambling website makes. The online gambling page is about the Maldives: how betting sites spread through Telegram and social media, how the authorities responded, and the harms officials point to. Start with the first for the sites, the second for the policy.
Sources
18+Gambling involves financial risk
Gambling can cause harm
No game gives a guaranteed return, and losses cannot be won back by playing more. If gambling is affecting your money, work, sleep or relationships, support is available — including free services you can contact from the Maldives.
Editorial independence. This edition of KiraBet carries no affiliate links, no paid placements and no links to gambling operators. Nothing here is an invitation to gamble. Read the full disclosure or see how we review.