In coverage published on 31 October 2024, Attorney General Ahmed Usham said the Maldivian government would amend the law to ban online betting and gambling. Speaking at a press conference at the President's Office, he said online gambling had become an increasingly problematic issue. The statement came three months after the Communications Authority began blocking betting websites, and about a year before the government submitted a bill.
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The Maldivian government will change the law to ban online gambling, Attorney General Ahmed Usham said in remarks reported by The Edition on 31 October 20241.
What the Attorney General said
At a press conference held at the President's Office, Usham said authorities had noticed a rising problem of online gambling in the country1.
"We will bring the necessary amendments to the law to ban this," he said1.
He described online gambling as an increasingly problematic issue that required legislative action1.
The statement was the clearest signal at that point that the government saw website blocking as insufficient on its own, and intended to address online gambling through legislation.
The context
The statement followed action already under way. In July 2024 the Communications Authority of Maldives (CAM) began blocking online betting websites on police orders, though it did not disclose how many2.
At the time of blocking, CAM Chief Executive Ilyas Ahmed confirmed the action, and a senior police officer said three to four sites had been identified and blocked3.
The Edition also reported that online betting through Telegram groups and social media platforms had become common in the country1.
What followed
The government acted on the pledge a little over a year later. In December 2025 President Dr Mohamed Muizzu announced that the government had submitted a Penal Code amendment making gambling and operating a gambling establishment criminal offences4.
In that coverage, the Attorney General's earlier comments were summarised as an intention to update legislation to curb gambling and betting carried out through websites and mobile apps4.
Read our report on the bill's submission and the full analysis on the Maldives casino laws page.
Sources
This information is provided for general informational purposes and does not constitute legal advice. Laws, enforcement practice and platform availability change. Verify the current position with official Maldivian sources before relying on anything you read here.