Is Money Earned from a Betting Site Haram?

Today, many activities have been moved to digital platforms with the opportunities offered by technology. One of these platforms is betting sites. Many people try to make money by betting on these sites. However, the religious legitimacy of these earnings is questioned by many people. In this article, we will try to make an evaluation about the income obtained from betting sites in Islam.

İslam ve Kumar

Gambling has a clear place in Islam. While the harms of gambling are pointed out in the Holy Quran, it is stated that gambling negatively affects the spirituality of the individual, damages social relations and causes economic losses. It is accepted that gambling is prohibited for reasons such as being an activity performed for the sake of financial gain, risking one's halal earnings, and creating hostility between individuals.

Online Betting Sites and the Electronic Face of Gambling

In modern times, we see that gambling, in addition to its traditional face, also appears through online betting sites. So, are the bets made on these sites a part of gambling? Betting can be defined as the act of placing money on predictions about the outcome of an event. If these predictions are based on chance, betting can also be seen as a form of gambling.

Status of Winnings Obtained from Betting Sites

If betting is considered a type of gambling, the earnings obtained from these sites are also considered haram. However, what is important here is whether the bet is based on luck or knowledge and skill. For example; It is possible to say that there is a difference between bets made by making an informed analysis and prediction about sports competitions and slot games based entirely on luck.

Conclusion

To be clear, Islam prohibits gambling. Whether the income earned through betting sites is haram or not depends on the nature of the bet and how it is made. However, if there is any religious hesitation, it would be best to seek advice from competent scholars on this matter.