A Study of Thematic Truth of Gambling Concerning Internet Betting with an Emphasis on Imam Khomeini’s Views

Gambling is a religiously prohibited practice and an illegal source of income which has found diversified examples in the course of time. According to Islamic penal code, gambling is a crime. Adopting a descriptive-analytical method, this paper investigates opinions of jurists and experts at law, with an emphasis on Imam Khomeini’s views, to study thematic truth of gambling concerning Internet betting. Reviewing definitions on gambling offered by the lexicographers, jurists, and experts at law, and considering Imam Khomeini’s views on gambling, we found out that in view of these thinkers, gambling mostly refers to winning with an option of pledge and instruments have no place in its definition. Internet betting is a modern instance of gambling. Resorting to such evidences as broad connotation of the game, possibility of considering betting websites as gambling houses, importance of common law, importance of the philosophy behind banning gambling, contents of traditions and lack of notions on gambling tools, we can claim all these cases fall into the ambit of gambling.