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Ongoing crackdowns
Iraqi security forces close two gambling halls, arrest 13 in Baghdad operation
BAGHDAD – Iraqi security forces shut down two gambling halls and arrested 13 individuals during an operation in Baghdad, authorities said Monday.
“Coinciding with area search and inspection operations, the units of Baghdad Operations Command, in cooperation with detachments from the Tourism Security Directorate, continue verification and monitoring duties for halls, restaurants, and cafés, with the support of the units in the First Federal Police Division and Rusafa Police Command,” Baghdad Operations Command said in a statement.
The operation led to the closure of two establishments engaged in unauthorized gambling, an activity prohibited under Iraqi law, in the Saadoun and Sadriya areas of central Baghdad.
This crackdown is part of ongoing efforts to clamp down on illegal gambling in Iraq. Last week, Baghdad Operations Command shut down another illegal gambling hall in the Batawin area of Rusafa, central Baghdad.
Islam, the official religion of Iraq and a fundamental source of its legislation according to the constitution, explicitly forbids gambling.
In October 2024, the Iraqi National Security Service reported the apprehension of 21 individuals accused of operating and managing gambling activities in private venues and residential apartments across various areas of Baghdad.
