Dear Hadi,
Does a luck-based wheel of fortune for in-game items that I paid real money for, count as gambling?
If so, can I continue to use the item I won after repenting for the act through which I obtained it?
The item is completely digital and there is no way to redeem it for real monetary gain. I understand that it is ill-advised to play such games but this isn't the entire game, just one small element of it.
Please advise on what the ruling on this would be. I understand that games like this are a gateway to gambling, but in this case does it constitute gambling or is it just considered a purchase?
Dear Reader,
While we don't give fatwas in this column, we will share with you our opinion on your question. We believe, and God knows best, that from an Islamic perspective, the issue depends on the nature of the transaction and whether it falls under the definition of maysir (gambling).
In general, gambling (maysir/qimar) involves a person putting something of value at risk, where the outcome is determined primarily by chance, and one party gains at another’s expense. The Qur’an prohibits it because it creates unjust enrichment and can lead people into addiction, greed, and neglect of their responsibilities.
A paid “wheel of fortune” or loot-box style system has similarities to gambling when a person pays real money for an uncertain outcome: you are not purchasing a specific item, but paying for a chance to receive an item that may be valuable, rare, or desirable. Many scholars would consider this to fall under gambling-like transactions, even if the prize is digital and cannot be converted into cash, because the key issue is the element of paying for an uncertain reward rather than the physical nature of the item.
However, there is some discussion among scholars regarding digital items, especially when they have no real-world value and are only used within a game. Some may view it as a problematic purchase or wasteful spending rather than full gambling, while others would still classify it as maysir because of the paid chance mechanism. A Muslim should be cautious with such systems, particularly because they can encourage habits similar to gambling.
Regarding the item you already obtained: if a person sincerely repents from a prohibited action, repentance in Islam involves stopping the action, regretting it, and resolving not to return to it. If the item itself is not stolen property and has no ongoing unlawful benefit in itself, many scholars would not require a person to destroy or discard it. The main issue is the method by which it was obtained. If keeping the item would tempt you to continue using the same system, avoiding it may be better for your faith.
If you are uncertain, a safer approach would be to avoid further paid spins and treat the previous item as something to leave in the past rather than a reason to continue engaging with the mechanism.
In peace.