UAE Sports Application Offers Benefit, Yet Lacks Full Delivery
In the rapidly evolving fintech landscape of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a new mobile application is making waves - Hajem Sports. This innovative app, available on the Google Play store, offers a unique twist on sports betting that aligns with Islamic principles and local regulations, making it a halal compliant option for football (soccer) matches.
Hajem Sports provides customers with the positive emotional component associated with winning a sports bet, minus the negativity that comes with losing money. The app is described as offering bragging rights as users rack up accurate predictions, while avoiding the traditional financial transactions associated with betting. Instead, Hajem Sports provides customers with daily credits that can be used for wagers, and winning bets are paid in points that can be used to purchase avatar skins on the app.
The app's founder, Abu Soud, views Hajem Sports as an avenue for "gambling without the sin". He emphasises the app's commitment to avoiding haram elements, such as betting on alcohol-related events, gambling involving interest (riba), and content or practices that conflict with Shariah. The app's design ensures no speculative or gambling-like behavior that constitutes gharar (excessive uncertainty) or maysir (gambling).
Hajem Sports also incorporates Shariah-compliant features, such as interest-free loan calculators, halal investment filters, and zakat estimators. Consulting Shariah compliance officers for validation is essential during app development. The app also boasts full Arabic language support with proper Right-to-Left (RTL) design, ensuring usability and cultural resonance with users in the UAE and the wider Middle East.
The UAE's approach to gaming expansion is pragmatic, with Wynn Al Marjan Island expected to open in early 2027, including two casinos. However, the UAE remains conservative regarding gambling, and Hajem Sports is the first and, for the foreseeable future, the only halal compliant betting app in the country. The UAE has a national lottery that follows the traditional model of players buying tickets in hopes of winning significant cash prizes, which rolled out last November.
As the UAE continues to explore gaming expansion, it's possible that over the long term, regulators will sign off on several more integrated resorts. In the meantime, Hajem Sports is hoping to tap into the social side of wagering, allowing users to compete in friendly challenges and climb leaderboards. The app is also planning to add basketball, combat sports, and eSports to its menu of wagering options.
With the Middle Eastern fintech scene growing rapidly, especially in Saudi Arabia and UAE, there is increasing user interest in apps that respect Islamic values, including halal digital betting and investment apps. The future of Hajem Sports and similar apps lies in their ability to adapt regionally, scale across GCC countries, and leverage emerging technologies such as crypto-based ethical platforms that comply with Islamic finance principles.
This article was posted on March 27, 2025, and last updated on March 28, 2025.
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- Hajem Sports, a halal compliant mobile application available on Google Play, offers a unique, Islamic-principles aligned sports-betting experience, focusing on football matches and later expanding to basketball, combat sports, eSports, and global gaming.
- The founder of Hajem Sports, Abu Soud, views the app as an avenue for "gambling without the sin," emphasizing its commitment to avoiding haram elements and constructions that constitute gharar or maysir.
- In addition to incorporating Shariah-compliant features such as interest-free loan calculators, halal investment filters, and zakat estimators, Hajem Sports provides daily credits for users to place wagers and rewards winning bets with points for purchasing avatar skins.
- As the Middle Eastern fintech scene rapidly grows, particularly in Saudi Arabia and UAE, user interest in apps adhering to Islamic values, including halal digital betting and investment platforms, is increasing, making the future of apps like Hajem Sports promising in terms of regional adaptation, scaling across GCC countries, and leveraging emerging technologies such as crypto-based ethical platforms compliant with Islamic finance principles.
