سوال

I am a Muslim software engineer. My company has asked me to develop a fantasy pool website, but it does not involve any payment gateway. Is it halal for me to create this website and earn money from it?

اَلجَوَابْ بِاسْمِ مُلْہِمِ الصَّوَابْ

First of all, it should be understood that a  fantasy pool website is an online competition where users create a team by selecting players from a specific sport (such as cricket, football, or other sports). Users earn points based on the real-life performance of their selected players in actual matches.

These websites generally fall into two categories:

Free Fantasy Pool – No money is involved; users create teams for fun and compete with each other purely for entertainment.

Paid Fantasy Pool – Users invest a certain amount of money to form teams, and the winners receive cash prizes. This type often falls under gambling.

The mentioned website is used for online gaming. The general principle regarding games is that if a game does not involve anything against Islamic teachings, provides some religious, worldly, physical, or mental benefit, and does not lead to negligence(کوتاہی) in fulfilling one's obligations(فرائض) and responsibilities, then it is inherently permissible. However, if a game does not meet these conditions, it is not permissible.

Therefore, if the competition played on this website falls into the first category, then providing the service to the company and charging money for it is permissible.

However, if it falls into the second category, then developing such a website and providing it to the company in exchange for payment would not be permissible.(Reference: Fatwa No. 74631)

Reference: Fatwa No. 74631

بدائع الصنائع في ترتيب الشرائع: 4/ 174

وذكر بعض المشايخ: أن الإجارة نوعان، إجارة على المنافع، وإجارة على الأعمال، وفسر النوعين بما ذكرنا وجعل المعقود عليه في أحد النوعين المنفعة وفي الآخر العمل وهي في الحقيقة نوع واحد لأنها بيع المنفعة فكان المعقود عليه المنفعة في النوعين جميعا، إلا أن المنفعة تختلف باختلاف محل المنفعة فيختلف استيفاؤها باستيفاء منافع المنازل بالسكنى.

تکملة فتح الملهم4/435:

الألعاب التی یقصد بها ریاضة الأبدان أو الأذهان جائزة فی نفسها ما لم یشتمل علی معصیة أخری، و ما لم یؤد الانهماك فیها إلی الإخلال بواجب الإنسان فی دینه و دنیاه. والله سبحانه أعلم.