Saudi Arabia has quietly widened access to the kingdom’s only legal alcohol store, extending eligibility beyond diplomats to a select group of wealthy non-Muslim foreign residents—another subtle yet symbolically powerful signal of change in a country once defined by uncompromising social conservatism.
There was no official announcement. Instead, the shift became evident on the ground. Long queues of vehicles and discreet clusters of customers have begun appearing outside an unmarked storefront in Riyadh’s Diplomatic Quarter, an area traditionally reserved for embassies and foreign missions. The store, which opened in January 2024 exclusively for non-Muslim diplomats, is now accessible to non-Muslim foreigners holding Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency permit.
The expansion marks a notable step in the kingdom’s carefully calibrated liberalisation drive under Mohammed bin Salman, the country’s de facto ruler, and his father King Salman. Their broader reform agenda aims to attract foreign investment, diversify the economy away from oil, and position Saudi Arabia as a global destination for tourism and business under the Vision 2030 framework.
A controlled experiment in a sensitive space
Alcohol has been banned in Saudi Arabia since the early 1950s, shortly after the kingdom’s founding. As the custodian of Islam’s two holiest sites—Mecca and Medina—the country has long enforced strict prohibitions under Islamic Sharia law. The alcohol store, therefore, is widely viewed not as a policy reversal, but as a controlled experiment testing limited, tightly regulated access.
“Everything about the process is designed to minimise visibility and control risk,” said one foreign resident familiar with the operation. “It’s clearly not about normalising alcohol—it’s about managing an existing reality.”
Security at the store is stringent. Customers undergo eligibility checks, physical frisking, and identity verification before entry. Mobile phones and cameras are banned inside, and staff reportedly inspect eyewear to ensure visitors are not wearing smart glasses. The store itself resembles a duty-free outlet, though its ownership and supply chain remain officially undisclosed.
Who can buy—and at what cost
The newly eligible group includes holders of Saudi Arabia’s Premium Residency, a special permit introduced to lure global talent, investors, and entrepreneurs. Unlike traditional residency visas, it does not require a Saudi sponsor and allows holders to own property, establish businesses, and sponsor family members. However, qualification requires high income levels or substantial investment.
While diplomats purchasing alcohol remain tax-exempt, Premium Residency holders are not. Customers exiting the store told the Associated Press that prices are “sharply elevated,” reflecting both taxation and the exclusivity of legal access. The selection, they said, is relatively well-stocked, though beer and wine options are more limited compared with spirits.
“All things considered, it’s better than the alternatives,” said one customer, speaking on condition of anonymity because of lingering stigma around alcohol consumption in the kingdom.
Life without legal alcohol—until now
For decades, Saudis and expatriates seeking alcohol have relied on workarounds. Many travel to Bahrain, where alcohol is legal for both Muslims and non-Muslims. On weekends and public holidays, Bahrain sees a steady influx of visitors from Saudi Arabia and across the Gulf, making it a popular and culturally accepted escape. Others opt for the more expensive option of flying to Dubai.
Those unwilling or unable to travel often turn to smuggled alcohol—frequently sold at exorbitant prices—or to homemade brews, which carry serious health risks due to unsafe production methods. In recent years, a parallel trend has also emerged: the rise of alcohol-free alternatives. At concerts and major festivals in Saudi Arabia, alcohol-free beer stalls routinely draw long lines, especially among young Saudis eager to capture the social “aesthetic” of drinking without breaking the law.
Reform with limits
The alcohol store expansion comes amid broader social changes. Saudi Arabia has reopened cinemas, lifted the ban on women driving, and hosted large-scale international music and entertainment events. Yet these reforms coexist with strict political controls. Public dissent remains criminalised, and penalties can be severe.
“Social liberalisation is moving faster than political openness,” said a regional analyst. “The government is comfortable loosening lifestyle restrictions while maintaining tight control over speech and opposition.”
Alcohol remains strictly prohibited for the general public, and authorities have made clear that there are no plans to legalise its sale beyond the narrow categories currently allowed.
A ban rooted in history
Saudi Arabia’s alcohol prohibition dates back to 1951, when King Abdulaziz, the kingdom’s founding monarch, banned its sale following a tragic incident in which one of his sons, Prince Mishari, fatally shot British vice consul Cyril Ousman while intoxicated in Jeddah.
More than seven decades later, the quiet expansion of access to alcohol—limited, discreet, and tightly policed—underscores how far Saudi Arabia has moved, and how carefully it continues to navigate change.
