What this page establishes — and what it does not
Original research cutoff: . The bounded editorial correction of withdrew the earlier Article 705 penalty figures and conclusions about the relative prosecution risk for individual players. Selected official constitutional and sanctions records were checked for that correction; it was not a complete review of Iranian law, enforcement or current service eligibility.
This reading-layout update preserves that correction and its unresolved questions; it is not another legal review. Country-specific details require current primary-source and qualified local review before reliance. This article does not provide an individual legal conclusion or participation, payment or circumvention advice.
Technical access, private free-play Clubs, Public Games, membership, general product terms, external financial activity and local law are separate scopes. A rule or country list for one must not be applied automatically to another.
Iran at a glance
Summary of the research limits after the bounded correction. These are not current permission or safety ratings.
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| Dimension | Position | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Legal framework | Current application unresolved | Article 49 supplies constitutional context. The earlier Article 705 penalty summary has been withdrawn pending verification of the amended official text and its application. This page does not determine personal criminal exposure. |
| Player prosecutions | Frequency not established | Reports about action against operators or intermediaries cannot establish that individual players are unlikely to face prosecution. No immunity or comparative safety conclusion is supported here. |
| Services and sanctions | Eligibility not verified | Local law, sanctions and operator terms require separate assessment. The dated official records below do not determine current account, product, payment or payout eligibility for any person. |
Legal sources — what this correction establishes
A constitutional provision, a criminal statute and an enforcement report answer different questions. The sources retained here do not establish a current legal conclusion for a particular person, game or transaction.
Constitutional anchor. Article 49 in the Guardian Council's Persian Constitution text includes wealth derived from gambling among property the government must recover and return to its rightful owner, or to the public treasury where that owner is unknown. It requires investigation and the stated standard of proof. This is constitutional context, not an online-poker offence definition or penalty schedule.
Article 705: earlier penalty summary withdrawn. The earlier version described Article 705 of Book Five using its 1996 wording. That is not an adequate basis for a current penalty summary. This bounded correction has not verified the official amended text and its application to a particular activity, so it does not state a current penalty schedule. A current review must establish the applicable text, amendments and relevant decisions.
The earlier detailed descriptions of computer-crime provisions and religious rulings are also withheld pending their own primary-source checks. This page does not substitute a religious interpretation for the relevant statutory text or qualified legal analysis.
Enforcement evidence does not establish player safety
This page cannot establish how frequently individual online-poker players are prosecuted. Reports about action against operators or payment intermediaries do not establish immunity, a low likelihood of prosecution, or permission for individual participation.
The earlier 2020–2026 enforcement generalization and specific case totals have been withdrawn because this correction did not verify a sufficient official record to support them. A limited search cannot establish the absence of prosecutions. Personal exposure requires current advice from a lawyer qualified in Iranian law.
Sanctions — dated sources and their limits
Sanctions, applicable local law and operator terms require separate assessment. These sources do not determine whether a named poker service may lawfully serve a particular person. This correction does not verify current account, product, payment or payout eligibility, and does not retain the earlier named-brand access list.
US sanctions framework. OFAC's Iran programme index identifies multiple legal authorities, including the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations, and links relevant licenses and amendments. It is a changing official reference, not a determination about a poker product. Its current contents must not be treated as part of this page's April research snapshot or as permission for an individual transaction.
A specific EU measure. The Council's 30 March 2026 announcement extended its Iran human-rights sanctions regime until 13 April 2027. It describes travel restrictions, asset freezes, restrictions on funds reaching listed persons and entities, and specified equipment exports. That announcement does not establish a blanket poker-service rule for every Iranian resident.
Historical virtual-currency enforcement
Treasury's 11 October 2022 Bittrex release records an OFAC settlement of $24,280,829.20 for 116,421 apparent violations across multiple sanctions programmes. It separately describes a FinCEN settlement exceeding $29 million. The earlier version of this page attributed the larger figure to OFAC; that attribution was incorrect. The multi-programme total is not an Iran-only count.
OFAC's 28 November 2022 Kraken announcement records a $362,158.70 settlement concerning apparent Iran-sanctions violations. OFAC described services provided to users who appeared to be in Iran. These historical actions concern the stated firms and conduct; they do not establish today's service access or payout availability, or provide a route around restrictions.
The earlier FATF and broader cryptocurrency-event summaries are withheld from this correction pending separate verification. The five official pages linked above were checked on for the limited points described here. Their interpretation and application to individual circumstances remain outside this review.
Persian-language context and location
Persian-language coverage, Iranian heritage and a person's location are different matters. A player's results abroad or a service's language options do not establish permission to participate from Iran. The earlier biography, recent-appearance and community-growth claims are not retained because they were not independently verified in this correction.
Research and safety resources for Iran
Country rules, regulator lists, sanctions, tax treatment and product eligibility can change. Use the dated guide as a starting point, then check current named primary sources and qualified local advice where the answer affects you.
- How this research is reviewed — source, dating, correction and uncertainty standards.
- Recognise common scam patterns — impersonation, credential theft, pressure and unverifiable claims.
- Preserve evidence and report a problem — keep dated records and use the appropriate official channel.
- Responsible-play resources — independent support and practical steps for reducing or stopping gambling activity.
A publication date records when research was assembled, not a guarantee that a law, regulator position, service or eligibility rule remains unchanged.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is online poker legal in Iran?
This page does not determine current legality for a particular person or activity. Article 49 provides constitutional context concerning gambling-derived wealth. The earlier Article 705 penalty summary has been withdrawn pending verification of the amended official text and its application. The historical research cutoff remains 28 April 2026; the 27 September correction is not a complete legal review. Obtain current advice from a qualified Iranian lawyer before relying on a personal legal conclusion.
Are individual players being prosecuted in Iran for online poker?
This page cannot establish how frequently individual online-poker players are prosecuted. Reports about action against operators or payment intermediaries do not establish immunity, a low likelihood of prosecution, or permission for individual participation. The earlier conclusion about enforcement focusing on operators has been withdrawn.
Do the sanctions sources establish which services I can use?
No. The linked official records explain particular sanctions measures and historical enforcement actions. They do not verify current access, payment or payout eligibility for a poker service. Technical availability, language support and an operator's terms do not by themselves determine compliance with the law applicable to a person or transaction.
Related country research
Each guide has its own sources and dates. Language, geography and one jurisdiction’s rules do not establish another’s legal position.