From On-site to Online
The term “gambling” refers to risking money on an event or platform of uncertainty, with the possibility of gaining an increased return. It includes betting, slot machines, casino games, lotteries, and bingo. These are available both physically and online. It is a human practice that exists in different cultures and regions; its acceptance varies from culture to culture. Currently, it is widely and openly practiced in many countries and nations, and it has become a notable cultural activity. At the same time, in many countries, such as Pakistan, online gambling is considered an organized crime.
According to the study, the legalization of gambling has been observed in more than 80% of countries worldwide. WHO estimates that 1.2% of the world’s total population has a gambling disorder, and the harm caused by this disorder is rapidly growing worldwide. The global gambling industry generated US$536 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow by 7% in 2024. Many analysts estimate that the global gambling revenue will reach US$700 billion by 2028.
Gambling, which was once done conventionally, has now been shifted online through computers, mobile phones, and the internet. Technological advancements have caused the boom of online gambling in developing countries, especially Pakistan. According to the Remote Gambling Association 2010, there were around 2,500 e-gambling sites worldwide, owned by 600 organizations. In the last decade, the explosive growth of these platforms has been observed, especially during the time of COVID-19.
Pakistan’s Struggle With Gambling
Pakistan, being an Islamic country, sees e-gambling as against its culture and religion and often calls it a “social disease.” It is regulated by the “Prevention of Gambling Act 1977” and the “Pakistan Penal Code 294-a.” Due to multiple technological advancements, it has been regulated by sections 13, 14, and 25 of the Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2016. The 1973 Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Article 37(g), clearly states the prevention of gambling. Therefore, e-gambling is assuredly a crime in Pakistan’s context.
Despite legal bans in Pakistan, this market is growing, and the country is struggling to regulate it, posing potential risks. The Netherlands-based iGaming strategy consultant has reported that Pakistan generated US$350 million in gross gaming revenue in 2025 and is expected to grow to $380 million in 2026. Moreover, in Pakistan – home to 116 million internet users in 2025 – around 80% of online gambling activity occurs via mobile phones.
Various factors contribute to the growth of online gambling, including legal loopholes, the absence of effective law enforcement and regulatory oversight, corruption, bureaucratic hurdles, inadequate cybercrime monitoring tools, VPN use, crypto payments, and social media influencers. These factors have enabled gambling operators to function with impunity.
Gambling Risks
Online gambling has serious risks not only for the gamblers but also for society and the country as well, due to its linkages with the political and economic institutions of the state. It has serious impacts on individuals, families, communities within Pakistan’s borders, and numerous other nations worldwide. It creates a complex threat to the financial stability and social welfare of the country.
In Pakistan, this causes cybercrimes, financial fraud, illegal transfer of funds, and money laundering, which destroy the country’s financial integrity through loss of foreign exchange funds, loss of tax revenue, growth of the informal economy, and increased household poverty. E-gambling platforms use easy user deposit mechanisms that are widely used to fund gambling accounts, such as Easypaisa and JazzCash, to increase accessibility to all users. It often involves organized criminal networks operating across borders, making it difficult to regulate.
In the past, many gambling, betting, and casino platforms were promoted by the Pakistan Super League (PSL), but with the passage of time, the government banned these platforms. Recently, NCCIA has declared 46 unregulated online gambling, casinos, and forex trading applications as illegal and banned them. These include Aviator Game, Chicken Road, 1xBet, Betway, Dafabet, 22Bet, Melbet, Parimatch, Bet365, Plinko, 10Cric, Rabona, Casumo, BetWinner, 888Starz, and Thunderpick, while many trading platforms such as Binomo, IQ Option, Pocket Option, Deriv, Olymp Trade, OctaFX, and Quotex have also been declared illegal due to the high risk of financial exploitation. These applications take unauthorized access to users’ CNIC, SIM, personal, and account details, causing serious privacy concerns.
There is no global agreement for its regulation. Many providers offer unregulated gambling products daily. This is a call for urgent action to regulate online gambling. Without effective prevention measures, online gambling may undermine progress toward achieving SDGs 3, 10, and 16. If timely action is not taken, this could become a far bigger national problem than drugs.
Increasing Rate of Gambling Addiction
From the societal perspective, this e-gambling is linked with growing rates of addiction, especially among the youth, affecting their mental and physical health and social relationships—becoming a public health issue. The World Health Organization (WHO) recognizes gambling disorder as a serious threat to public health, which could be more harmful than drugs. Globally, 5.5% of women and 11.9% of men experience some level of harm caused by gambling. A person who is intensely involved in gambling at high-risk affects an average of 6 other non-gamblers.
Addiction to e-gambling has various side effects, including social isolation, social anxiety, financial hardships, relationship breakdown, family violence, mental illness, and suicide. It has created social gaps and shifts in social activities that create a potential environment for criminal acts, which is why the government should seriously deal with this problem. The Swedish research study estimates that people with gambling disorder are 15 times more likely to die by suicide compared to the general population, while in Victoria, Australia, 4.2% of suicides were found to be related to gambling.
How Social Media Promotes Gambling
Social media also plays a crucial role in the growth of e-gambling. Pakistan has 66.9 million active social media users aged 18 and above, which constitutes 26.4% of the total population. Heavy promotion of online gambling through social media poses serious risks for normalizing gambling among children and young boys and girls in Pakistan. Influencers are the powerful players within the digital marketing domain. But when they involve themselves in promoting illegal activities such as online gambling, that creates serious legal and ethical concerns.
Many well-known influencers and content creators are being sponsored by these betting platforms to do marketing on social media. They are brand ambassadors of these online gambling platforms. Influencers have various marketing tactics; firstly, they portray these platforms as a legitimate source of earning money. Secondly, they showcase their luxury lifestyle and attribute it to the profit earned through these platforms. By doing this, influencers earn by promoting, while the public loses.
Policy Recommendations
The government must take legal interventions, such as a ban on advertising and promotion of gambling platforms; strict regulation and enforcement are required to prevent and reduce the harm caused by gambling. E-gambling has serious risks related to social, political, and economic issues, and there should be a global agreement for the regulation of gambling. Pakistan must establish new diagnostic centers for gambling disorder. Investigate operators and agents involved in promoting online gambling and take legal action against them.
The government must launch public awareness campaigns to educate the public about the dangers of online gambling and the legal consequences of participating in it. Strengthen regulatory frameworks and existing laws to effectively address online gambling and associated risks.
Online gambling is not an individual problem now; it has emerged as a policy challenge with social, economic, legal, and public health implications. Despite legal bans, technological growth, digital payment systems, weak enforcement, and influencer culture on social media have contributed to the growth of unregulated online gambling in Pakistan. Without timely action, online gambling will continue to exploit the vulnerable population, especially young boys and girls. Addressing this challenge requires a national strategy that protects citizens from the harms of online gambling in this digital age.
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The views and opinions expressed in this article/paper are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Paradigm Shift.
Nazar Muhammad is a graduate of Governance and Public Policy from NUML, Islamabad. He is passionate about addressing social, political, and economic challenges through evidence-based and impactful policy solutions, with a particular interest in sustainable development, governance, and public policy. Currently, he is serving as an intern at Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) Pakistan.
