Overview

• The Taliban announced a nationwide ban on chess on May 11, 2025, citing concerns that it promotes gambling and violates Islamic law.
• The prohibition will remain in effect until internal religious discussions determine its permissibility under the 2024 Law on Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice.
• No specific penalties for violating the ban have been outlined, leaving enforcement guidelines ambiguous.
• Local businesses, such as Azizullah Gulzada’s Kabul bar, face economic harm as chess was a popular social activity, especially for youth.
• This measure is part of the Taliban’s broader campaign to restrict cultural and sporting freedoms since their return to power in 2021, including bans on music, women’s sports, and foreign films.