Modern individuals tend to be wasteful in many aspects of life, including the use of their time. For a believer, time is one of the most valuable blessings and should not be wasted. A hadith states:
“There are two blessings which many people lose: health and free time.” (Bukhari, Riqaq, 1, 60)
Therefore, one should keep a distance from activities that may lead to wasting time.
In addition, types of transactions and games that may result in unjust transfer of wealth between individuals (which can also be considered a form of waste), such as gambling and games of chance, are prohibited in Islam. Strong warnings have also been made against games that may directly or indirectly lead to such prohibited acts.
Backgammon and dice games fall into this context: if they are played as gambling or in a manner that leads to gambling, they are considered haram. However, if they are played without staking money or material gain and do not lead to wasting time, neglecting religious duties, or causing hostility between individuals, they are not regarded as haram. Nevertheless, due to their resemblance to gambling and the potential risks involved, they can at least be considered makruh (discouraged).
On the other hand, dice-based games that are not associated with gambling, do not resemble it, and are played, for example, to spend time with children—without leading to time waste—may be considered permissible to some extent. This is provided that they do not subconsciously encourage gambling tendencies and are not turned into a habit. It should be remembered that play is a natural need for children, and this need should be met within appropriate limits.