Israeli Authorities Crack Down on Offshore Online Gambling: What It Means for Local Players
Last Updated on 23 October 2025
The State of Israel wants to prevent citizens from accessing illegal gambling. However, in an age where gambling takes place online, this is very difficult to enforce.
Gambling is now popular all over the world. Hundreds of millions of players are involved. Whether it’s Needforspin Casino or any other gambling website, there is always interest in the thousands of games on offer.
Slot machines are the most played. On fruit-themed games like 100 Super Hot, players are willing to spend hours executing their strategy in hopes of winning big. Table games, especially those played live, also attract a lot of interest.
All of this has become accessible online, via mobile phones. That’s why more people are gambling today than ever before, and operators offering this type of entertainment are achieving excellent business results.
However, gambling can have negative consequences on society and must therefore be strictly regulated. For this reason, casino games are completely banned in Israel—both at physical locations and on the Internet. This has led to the emergence of illegal gambling, which the state is trying to suppress.
An Illegal Market Worth $3.5 Billion
Israel has strict laws regulating games of chance. The national lottery, Mifal Hapayis, regulates lottery play, and the Israeli Sports Betting Board (ISBB) oversees the sports betting market.
Unlike European countries where casino gaming is allowed, Israel prohibits this type of entertainment. The reasons are religious and cultural. The risk of gambling addiction is another reason why casino games are not permitted in Israel.
However, an illegal gambling market has emerged, estimated to be worth as much as $3.5 billion. This includes illegal physical locations as well as online gambling. The state is aware of this and is trying to combat such activity wherever possible.
Restricting Access to Offshore Online Casinos
In Israel, it’s easier for local authorities to combat illegal gambling that takes place at physical locations than on the Internet. Online casinos have appeared, registered in places like Anjouan and Curaçao—far from Israel. Yet these casinos offer websites translated into Hebrew and even accept payments in Israeli currency.
The Israeli government has no control over such operators and cannot apply local laws to them. That’s why it tries to suppress illegal gambling by blocking access to offshore casino websites and increasing oversight of what citizens do online.
Still, those who want to gamble continue to find ways to access their accounts. With DNS tricks, blocks can be bypassed, and there are ways to make one’s internet browsing anonymous. The use of e-wallets and crypto payments also complicates efforts to curb illegal gambling in Israel.
That’s why casino games are still being played in Israel, despite being banned. Government authorities will need to find new solutions to limit the illegal market. Educating young people about the dangers associated with this form of entertainment could certainly help.