Chess banned in Afghanistan over Taliban gambling concerns

Taliban authorities have barred chess across Afghanistan until further notice over concerns it was a source of gambling, which was illegal under the government’s morality law, a sports official said on Sunday.

The Taliban government has steadily imposed laws and regulations that reflect its austere vision of Islamic law since seizing power in 2021.

“Chess in sharia [Islamic law] is considered a means of gambling,” which is prohibited according to the Propagation of Virtue and Prevention of Vice law announced last year, sports directorate spokesperson Atal Mashwani told journalists.

“There are religious considerations regarding the sport of chess,” he said.

“Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan,” he added.

Mashwani said the national chess federation had not held any official events for around two years and “had some issues on the leadership level”.