The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the birthplace of Islam, adheres strictly to Sharia law, which explicitly bans the consumption of alcohol, all forms of gambling, and the use of narcotics. These prohibitions are legally enforced with severe penalties, including lengthy imprisonment, public flogging, and in drug trafficking cases, the death penalty.
However, beneath the veneer of official piety and stringent laws, a complex reality of substance misuse and gambling addiction exists, particularly stark in the contrast between the enforcement on Saudi citizens and the apparent immunity often afforded to certain members of the vast Saudi Royal Family. This disparity points to a dual legal standardāa golden cage for the elite where the kingdomās deepest taboos are flouted behind heavily-guarded gates.
š The Royal Exception: Drugs and Alcohol
The most compelling evidence of the double standard comes from leaked diplomatic cables and high-profile international incidents involving Saudi princes. These reports paint a picture of an elite underground social scene far removed from the kingdom's public face.
š¾ Private Parties and Immunity
A 2010 WikiLeaks cable from the US consulate in Jeddah described a secret Halloween party thrown by a wealthy, unnamed prince from the Al-Thunayan family, detailing a scene of alcohol, drugs, and sex behind the official piety. The cable noted that liquor and prostitutes were present in abundance, and that the patronage of royalty ensured that the feared religious police, the Muttawa, were forced to "turn a blind eye" to the activities.
The dispatch also stated:
"Alcohol, though strictly prohibited by Saudi law and custom, was plentiful at the party's well-stocked bar. The hired Filipino bartenders served a cocktail punch using sadiqi, a locally-made moonshineā¦ Though not witnessed directly at this event, cocaine and hashish use is common in these social circles."
This insider account highlights a systemic failure to apply Sharia law uniformly, suggesting that for the very rich and well-connected, the law is negotiable.
šØ High-Profile Drug Trafficking Incident
One of the most publicized incidents involved the attempted smuggling of a colossal amount of narcotics.
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Prince Abdel Mohsen Bin Walid Bin Abdulaziz was detained in October 2015 at Beirut International Airport, Lebanon, after security officials discovered approximately two tonnes of Captagon pills and cocaine on his private jet, which was scheduled to fly to Riyadh.
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Captagon, a brand name for the amphetamine-type stimulant fenethylline, is a major drug of abuse in the Middle East. Security sources at the time called it the largest smuggling operation ever foiled at the airport.
The brazen nature of the operation, using a private jet and diplomatic privilege, underscores the belief among some royals that they operate above the law, even as the Saudi government continues to execute foreign nationals and citizens for lesser drug-related offenses. Amnesty International has reported that a significant percentage of executions in the Kingdom are for drug offenses.
š² The Secret Vice: Gambling Among the Elite
Gambling, or maisir, is described in the Quran as an "abhorrence" and is strictly forbidden under Sharia law. While the state employs advanced technology to block online betting sites, the pursuit of this vice often leads the wealthy, including royals, to casinos abroad.
š° Historical Royal Gambling Losses
Evidence of high-stakes gambling among senior royals dates back decades:
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King Fahd, prior to his accession, reportedly had a serious gambling problem. In 1962, he allegedly lost a significant sumāestimated at Ā£7 millionāat a hotel in Monte Carlo, leading his half-brother, King Faisal, to recall him to Riyadh.
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Another example involves a high-profile advisor, Sheik Eynani, who lost over $12 million during a four-night gambling spree in Cannes and Monte Carlo in 1990.
These incidents demonstrate that vast fortunes, often derived from the Kingdomās oil wealth, are sometimes wagered and lost in foreign casinos, highlighting an adherence to religious law at home that dissolves the moment the royal party steps outside Saudi borders.
Substance Misuse Among Saudi Citizens
While the decadent excesses of the royalty capture international headlines, the issue of Substance Misuse Disorder (SMD) remains a significant and often underestimated challenge for the general Saudi population, particularly its youth.
š The Most Abused Substances
Despite limited public data due to the extreme stigma and legal fear associated with disclosure, clinical and epidemiological studies point to clear trends:
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Amphetamines, especially Captagon, are cited as the most commonly abused illegal substance in the Kingdom, followed by cannabis and heroin. Studies have found that a large percentage of young Saudi men seeking treatment test positive for amphetamine.
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Khat, a stimulant plant, is highly prevalent in the southern regions of the country.
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Alcohol consumption is severely underreported due to its total prohibition, yet it is encountered in forensic and post-mortem studies, often associated with violence. The locally-made moonshine, sadiqi, offers a perilous black-market alternative.
š Societal and Economic Factors
Treatment centres for SMD have reportedly increased in number, and large budgets have been allocated for rehabilitation, suggesting a growing acknowledgment of the problem. Risk factors are similar to those globally but are exacerbated by the social context: unemployment, low education, family conflicts, and the clash between traditional, conservative values and the influence of globalized, Western pop culture on a youth-heavy demographic. The fear of disclosure and the severity of state punishment further complicate efforts to accurately assess the extent of the problem and encourage treatment.
āļø Conclusion: Two-Tiered Justice
The use and misuse of drugs, alcohol, and gambling in Saudi Arabia reveal a profound tension within the absolute monarchy. The official commitment to puritanical Sharia law contrasts sharply with a pragmatic, often permissive, reality for the thousands of Saudi princes and their inner circles.
For the ordinary Saudi citizen, the law is an absolute authority, risking severe punishment and social ruin for transgressions. For the highest echelons of the ruling family, the law often appears to be a matter of geographyāstrictly enforced at home, but openly disregarded abroad or behind closed doors, sometimes on an industrial scale. This two-tiered system of justice undermines the stated moral foundation of the kingdom, presenting a clear image of hypocrisy to both the domestic population and the international community.
š Sources
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ā« The Guardian
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ā« Middle East Eye
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ā« Salon
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ā« Wikipedia on Gambling in Saudi Arabia
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ā« PMC - PubMed Central
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ā« ResearchGate
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