• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The Treasury's recent moves in the bond and currency markets add up to 'soft-form financial repression' to lower debt costs, economist warns

2

Venezuela abandoning the bolivar and adopting the U.S. dollar would be the biggest currency switch since the advent of the euro, Hanke says

3

Despite a $45 million net worth, Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar still works tough, 16-hour days—he repeats this mantra when he's overwhelmed

1

The Treasury's recent moves in the bond and currency markets add up to 'soft-form financial repression' to lower debt costs, economist warns

2

Venezuela abandoning the bolivar and adopting the U.S. dollar would be the biggest currency switch since the advent of the euro, Hanke says

3

Despite a $45 million net worth, Big Bang Theory star Kunal Nayyar still works tough, 16-hour days—he repeats this mantra when he's overwhelmed
TechThe Mobile Executive

Here’s One Country Where Pokémon Go Is Definitely Not Welcome

By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
David Meyer
David Meyer
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 20, 2016, 9:56 AM ET
Life In The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Photograph by Jordan Pix — Getty Images
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

The hit game Pokémon Go won’t be rolling out in Saudi Arabia anytime soon after religious authorities there renewed a 15-year-old fatwa against the game.

Yes, Pokémon Go only just became available, but the wider Pokémon phenomenon dates back two decades. In 2001, the kingdom’s Council of Senior Scholars banned the card game for involving gambling, using polytheistic symbols, and promoting the theory of evolution.

According to the English language Saudi newspaper Arab News, the council has renewed the fatwa on the basis that “the current version of the game is the same as the old one.”

Get Data Sheet, Fortune’s technology newsletter.

The news of the ban came out alongside reports of three Saudi men being arrested at King Abdullah airport in Jeddah after playing Pokémon Go on their smartphones there.

The game uses cameras on smartphones to superimpose cartoon creatures over images of the real world. According to Saudi news site Almowaten, the men were taken for interrogation on Monday evening for using their cameras in a restricted area of the airport.

Saudi Arabia isn’t the only country where people have gotten into trouble for playing the game where they shouldn’t. On Tuesday, Indonesian police said they had arrested a French player for wandering onto a military complex in Cirebon.

For more on Pokémon Go, watch:

The man, Romain Pierre, was released hours later after the police realized he had “unintentionally entered the complex as he was hunting Pokémon while jogging.”

Indonesia has also ordered its police to avoid playing the game while on duty, decrying it as distracting. The ban will soon be extended to military personnel as the authorities are worried about the security risks it may pose.

The game, run by Google spin-out Niantic Labs and The Pokémon Company, has not officially rolled out in Indonesia. However, as in Saudi Arabia and many other parts of the world, people there have found unofficial means to get it onto their smartphones.

About the Author
By David Meyer
LinkedIn icon
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in Tech


Most Popular

Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

    Latest in Tech


    Most Popular

    © 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
    FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.