Adding to the expansive list of prohibited things in Afghanistan, the Taliban announced on Sunday that the game of chess is prohibited until further notice. 

The fundamental Islamist terror group — which seized power in 2021 — cited concerns over chess being a source of gambling as the reasoning behind the strict new measure.

Atal Mashwani, a spokesperson for the Taliban's Sports Directorate, said that chess is "considered a means of gambling" in Islamic sharia law, according to the BBC.

The Taliban spokesperson noted that "religious considerations" need to be addressed before Afghans can resume playing the game. "Until these considerations are addressed, the sport of chess is suspended in Afghanistan," he reportedly told AFP news agency.

The move to suspend chess indefinitely comes just months after the group banned mixed martial arts (MMA), saying the sport was not compatible with sharia law and incorporates too much violence.

The Taliban has been widely criticized for its harsh imposition of sharia law and the eradication of freedoms in Afghanistan.

In August of 2024, the group enacted a number of strict laws targeting women, making it illegal for them to appear in public without fully veiling their bodies and faces, according to the CBC. The terror group also banned women from reading aloud or singing in public.

The latest ban on chess underscores the Taliban's relentless campaign to suppress cultural and recreational freedoms, tightening their authoritarian grip on Afghan society under the guise of religious enforcement.

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