The Muslim population in the world is expected to grow from 1.6 billion to 2.2 billion by 2030, and Muslims are increasingly looking for casinos that can cater to their specific needs. Red Stag Casino has made an effort in recent years to expand its marketing strategies outside of Western countries such as France, Australia, and Italy but with little success because there are few companies willing or able to invest the money needed for these expansions.
In countries where Islam dominates the population, many casino owners struggle to attract customers due to religious beliefs. According to the Quran, Muslims are forbidden from gambling under any circumstances.
The gaming industry is a global business with an estimated worth of $64 billion in 2024. With over 2 billion Muslims living on the planet, it’s understandable that some casinos are looking to tap into this market by targeting gamers from Muslim-majority countries.
However, Islam has strict guidelines against gambling and most casino games involve betting money on the outcome of something uncertain. To try and avoid offending their Muslim customers, these casinos go to great lengths to separate gambling aspects of their facilities.
Gambling in MENA: From Banning to Big Business
The MENA region consists of countries such as Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Turkey. The gaming market in this area is not just booming but is also under constant growth. Saudi Arabia has shown an increase in its interest for gambling over the past few years with a rise in casino revenue by 7% since 2016 and generating up to $2 billion per year from gambling.
This is due to their move to open up areas where locals can gamble after the Crown Prince’s economic reform plan. This region is characterized by its abundant oil reserves, however it still lacks many basic human needs such as education, healthcare, transportation and food security.
Middle Eastern governments have been facing a great deal of pressure from their citizens for reform in recent years due to this imbalance between the wealth distribution. To counteract this, many countries are now choosing to offer casino gaming only to foreigners or non-Muslim visitors.
Entertainment for Muslims: Top Activities
In many Western countries, Muslims are viewed as being a very angry and unhappy group of people. But these views are not accurate at all. Muslims in Muslim-majority countries have fun with family and friends by playing sports like soccer or cricket. And they enjoy their time outside on the weekends, too – usually for picnics or barbecues where everyone eats food.
Muslims can have fun. Despite stereotypes, Muslims are happy people who know how to party and have fun. Islam is the fastest-growing religion in America and Muslims make up 1% of the population in America (6 million). According to Pew Research Center data, American Muslim adults had an average life satisfaction level that was higher than those of Jewish Americans (81%), Protestant Christians (75%), Catholics (73%) and Mormons or Jehovah’s Witnesses at 65%.
The perception of Islam is often one of a strict, humorless faith that people cannot have fun in. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are many fun activities that Muslims can enjoy as well.
- Joking and laughing with friends
- Watching comedy shows or movies
- Playing games like chess, checkers, Monopoly or Yahtzee
- Listening to music
- Writing poetry
Some people think that Muslims are restricted in what they can do. They often forget that Islam has a rich history of entertainment, and there are many fun things to do as a Muslim. In fact, there is an entire genre of Arabic literature devoted to the art of being funny! There’s also music and storytelling for those who enjoy these forms of entertainment.
Conclusion
Muslims are often portrayed in a negative light, with the media and society portraying them as people who live lives of oppression. This is not true. Islam encourages Muslims to live their life according to their own will, so they can have fun if they want too! This article aims to show that while there are some restrictions, it’s possible for Muslims to have the same level of fun as any other people.