Saudi Arabia Ending Ban On Alcohol In 2026? Maybe Not?

We know that Saudi Arabia is investing a lot of money to build its non-religious tourism sector. One common question we’ve seen has been if/when the country will lift its ban on alcohol. Over the weekend, there were lots of reports that Saudi Arabia would make a major move, but that’s now being denied, so let’s discuss what we do know…

May 27, 2025 - 13:25

Saudi Arabia Ending Ban On Alcohol In 2026? Maybe Not?

We know that Saudi Arabia is investing a lot of money to build its non-religious tourism sector. One common question we’ve seen has been if/when the country will lift its ban on alcohol. Over the weekend, there were lots of reports that Saudi Arabia would make a major move, but that’s now being denied, so let’s discuss what we do know…

Reports of Saudi Arabia alcohol ban ending

Yesterday I shared reports that Saudi Arabia would lift its 73-year ban on alcohol. Let me state upfront that Saudi officials are denying the accuracy of this report, but let’s still discuss what was rumored.

According to the report, Saudi Arabia would allow the sale of alcohol within the country, with some major restrictions:

Permissible alcohol would be limited to beer, wine, and cider, so hard liquor wouldn’t be allowed
Alcohol sales would be limited to roughly 600 places across the country, including select luxury hotels, resorts, and areas developed for tourists, like Sindalah Island and the Red Sea Project
Only licensed venues and trained staff would be able to serve alcohol, and the sale of alcohol would follow strict procedures
Alcohol would not be allowed in homes, public places, and shops, and personal alcohol production would continue to be banned

As it was described, the easing of alcohol restrictions would be part of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 plan, as the country invests a seemingly infinite amount of money in boosting its tourism sector. It would also come ahead of major upcoming international events, including Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034.

While a lot of specific details had been shared, Reuters quotes an unnamed Saudi official as stating that these reports aren’t accurate. Now, it remains to be seen if this is just totally “fake news,” or if the country just wasn’t ready to announce this yet.

I did a little digging online to see where these claims actually originated. It seems that Vinetur was first to report this, on May 16, 2025. Given the specificity of claims made, I’m puzzled as to whether those details were just totally made up, or where they came from.

Saudi Arabia denies plans to legalize alcohol

I think alcohol is a question of “when,” not “if”

Ever since Saudi Arabia announced its lofty tourism ambitions, I’ve been curious to see how long it would take for the country to lift its ban on alcohol. To me, it’s a question of “when,” and not “if,” and one of the major tests of seeing how serious Saudi Arabia is about its ambitions.

Look, people can debate all day long whether society is too dependent on alcohol, etc., but the point is that if you’re looking to attract visitors from around the globe as a leisure destination, alcohol in at least some venues is an expectation. Saudi Arabia has very ambitious tourism goals, and one of (several) reasons that some people don’t want to visit the country is because of the alcohol ban.

If you’re trying to gain market share in an industry (in this case Middle Eastern tourism), you have to look at what successful competitors are doing. There’s no better example of this than Dubai, which isn’t exactly a conservative place nowadays.

Keep in mind that Saudi Arabia and Kuwait are the only two countries in the region that have a full-on ban on alcohol consumption for visitors. While minor, it’s worth keeping in mind that in 2024, an alcohol store opened in Riyadh, specifically for non-Muslim diplomats. While that’s not widely useful, it is a reflection of how the country is slowly updating its policy.

So this policy change might not happen in 2026, but I would be shocked if Saudi Arabia doesn’t implement this plan before the end of the decade, at the latest.

It’s a matter of time before this policy changes

Bottom line

Saudi Arabia denies reports that it will lift its ban on alcohol as of 2026. This was otherwise reported online, with claims that beer, wine, and cider, would be allowed in roughly 600 tourism spots across the country. While it sounds like this policy might not be changing now, I think it’s likely that we’ll see a change sooner rather than later…

When do you think we’ll see Saudi Arabia end its ban on alcohol?