Question

I saw in my email a promotion where a gambling website was giving £20 gambling money completely free. I took it and put it on a random football fixture and it doubled so I withdrew it back into my bank account. Sir, could you instruct me if this money is haram or not as I took no risk so am unsure where it leans.

King Regards

Answer

This money would be unlawful for you for the following reasons:

Firstly, you are still gambling in this case, as you have been given a certain amount of money and that money is used to make bets. If we assume that you were not given any money, but were permitted to gamble for free up to a certain amount then technically that will not be gambling as you did not risk any money yourself, however, the returns made will still be unlawful for you as they originate from unlawful means i.e. collected from people who are gambling. Hence, whether or not you were actually given money, there will be an element of unlawfulness attached to those sums hence that money must be disposed of by giving to the poor.

Answered by:
Ifta Research Fellow

Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel