No, drinking alcohol in public is strictly prohibited under Saudi Arabia’s Sharia-based legal framework, punishable by fines, imprisonment, or corporal punishment. The General Authority for Entertainment (GAE) and the Ministry of Interior enforce these laws, with recent 2026 compliance directives tightening surveillance in tourist zones like NEOM and the Red Sea Project.
Key Regulations for Drinking in Public in Saudi Arabia
- Absolute Prohibition: Saudi Penal Law (Article 39) criminalizes public intoxication, with penalties including up to 6 months imprisonment or 40 lashes. Non-Muslims are not exempt under local courts.
- Zero-Tolerance Enforcement: The Commission for the Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) collaborates with police to conduct random checks in Riyadh, Jeddah, and Dammam, leveraging facial recognition in high-risk areas.
- Tourist Exceptions: Alcohol is permitted only in licensed venues within NEOM’s “Trojena” and Red Sea Project resorts, under GAE-approved permits, with consumption restricted to private villas or designated bars.
Violations outside these zones trigger immediate arrest, as per Royal Decree M/17 (2019), which mandates mandatory sobriety tests via breathalyzers. Foreigners face deportation after serving sentences.