A security source stated that personnel conducted a raid on an apartment in Mahboula after receiving reports of gambling activity at the location in Ahmadi Governorate. The six Asian expatriates were apprehended inside the premises during the operation. Officers completed fingerprinting and transferred the suspects to the Administrative Deportation Department for further processing under applicable regulations. The source confirmed that standard legal measures were followed throughout the case.
Kuwait’s Penal Code prohibits all gambling activities with penalties that include imprisonment of up to one year or fines reaching 1,000 dinars for those involved. Enforcement reports from Kuwait Times have noted that expatriates convicted in such matters are routinely deported following completion of any required procedures. The same legal framework has supported both small-scale arrests and larger operations targeting organized networks across the country.
Underground gambling operations have surfaced repeatedly in Mahboula over the years according to historical accounts published by Kuwait Times. One earlier case in the area resulted in the arrest of at least 20 Filipinos who were running a numbers game that accepted bets from various parts of Kuwait. Investigators at the time recovered equipment and determined that the activity had operated from a residential apartment with associates recruiting participants from nearby districts.
Similar actions have occurred in multiple governorates with Gulf News reporting that 30 foreigners faced deportation in January 2024 after raids uncovered gambling in Ahmadi and Farwaniya. Those operations recovered cash along with mobile phones and documents linked to betting activities. The cases were forwarded to deportation authorities as part of efforts to address recurring violations among expatriate communities.
Larger gambling enterprises have drawn stricter penalties in recent rulings according to coverage by the Times Kuwait. A 2026 court decision sentenced three men to seven years in prison each and imposed combined fines of 16.839 million dinars after their conviction for managing an online betting platform that laundered proceeds through local channels. The judgment also ordered deportation of the foreign nationals upon completion of their sentences and highlighted the use of shell companies in the scheme.
The Ministry of Interior has carried out expanded security campaigns in Mahboula throughout 2026 that produced hundreds of arrests on assorted charges. One such initiative in August netted more than 200 individuals for matters ranging from residency violations to narcotics and public order offenses. Officials have described these operations as part of sustained measures to enforce regulations and maintain order in densely populated residential zones.
