A Penal Code amendment reported on 4 January 2026 would make gambling a fourth-degree offence in the Maldives. The standard sentence would be one year, seven months and six days in prison, within a range of four months and 24 days to four years. Operating a gambling establishment would include online platforms. Free-entry lotteries and entertainment or sports prize competitions would be exempt. Passage has not been confirmed.
On this page
Details of the Maldives' proposed gambling offence emerged in January 2026, when The Edition reported on the Penal Code amendment submitted to the People's Majlis1.
What the bill would do
The amendment, submitted by Hithadhoo Central MP Ahmed Azan, would classify gambling as a fourth-degree offence1.
The standard sentence would be one year, seven months and six days in prison. The range would run from four months and 24 days to four years1.
The bill defines gambling as giving up something of value through a game, tournament, scheme or event in exchange for a specific and determinable outcome, whether in person or electronically1.
Operating a gambling establishment would expressly include online gambling platforms and businesses1. That takes the proposal beyond physical premises to online operations.
The bill therefore reaches both sides of gambling: the people who take part, and the businesses that provide it. Reporting did not set out a separate penalty for operators.
What would be exempt
According to the report, the bill excludes1:
- prize competitions held for entertainment or sport;
- lotteries where entry is free and winners are chosen by draw;
- devices designed for sporting purposes, where tokens or symbols represent prizes.
Why now
The Edition noted that gambling websites had increased significantly, with platforms frequently promoted through Telegram and other social media channels in the Maldives1.
The bill follows President Dr Mohamed Muizzu's announcement in December 2025 that the government had submitted legislation to criminalise gambling and operating a gambling establishment2. It also follows the Communications Authority's blocking of betting websites, which began in July 20243.
What happens next
A bill must pass the People's Majlis and be ratified by the President before it takes effect on publication in the Government Gazette, as the President's Office has described for earlier Penal Code amendments4.
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.