Saudi Arabia is quietly easing its 70-year ban on alcohol as a discreet liquor store in Riyadh has begun selling to select non-Muslim foreigners with “premium residency” permits. For decades, only diplomats could legally buy alcohol, making this the first time since the 1950s that non-diplomatic residents can access it.
According to the New York Times, the unmarked store, located in the Diplomatic Quarter, operates without public announcement. Entry is tightly controlled, with guards admitting diplomats and premium residents — generally wealthy or highly skilled foreigners.
Customers describe a rush of first-time buyers purchasing expensive wine and spirits under strict monthly quotas linked to their government-issued IDs. Prices are heavily marked up, with premium residents paying more than diplomats.
Though officials have remained silent, the system appears sanctioned; the access app was created by the tax and customs authority, and the store opened soon after the government halted embassies’ unrestricted alcohol imports in 2024, a major source of the black market.
The move reflects Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s pattern of gradual, unannounced social reforms.
Once defined by strict religious rules and a total alcohol ban, Saudi Arabia has rapidly loosened social restrictions in recent years.
Allowing limited alcohol sales aligns with the kingdom’s goals of attracting foreign talent, expanding tourism, and preparing for events like the 2034 World Cup, where international visitors expect access to alcohol.
It also provides a new revenue stream as the country faces projected budget deficits.
Despite the sensitivity of reintroducing alcohol after seven decades, neither state media nor religious authorities have commented.
The policy remains narrow and unofficial — but for the first time in 70 years, alcohol is being legally sold again on Saudi soil.
