Gambling Apps in Pakistan Could Face Complete Ban After Latest Court Case

So, here’s the deal: Chaudhry Tabir ul Haq—he’s from Islamabad—just went to the Islamabad High Court, waving around Article 199 of the Constitution. He’s basically saying, “Hey, someone do something about all these sketchy gambling apps like Betway, 1xBet, Bet365, and whatever else is floating around online.” Apparently, these apps are running wild in Pakistan, using sneaky ads and digital payment tricks to reel people in, and, honestly, nobody’s stopping them.

He’s not messing around, either. He filed this whole thing through Barrister Imran Rashid and Advocate Waheed Ur Rehman Qureshi, and he straight-up called out a bunch of heavy-hitters: the Ministry of Interior, PTA, FIA, State Bank, and PEMRA. So yeah, he’s basically dragging every major federal watchdog into the mix and telling them to wake up and do their jobs.

So get this—the petition basically calls out gambling sites for playing the system, right? These operators are sneaking around the rules, using popular apps like Easypaisa, JazzCash, and SadaPay to mask illegal betting as just another boring money transfer. It’s like, “Oh, nothing to see here, just sending cash to my buddy”—except, yeah, it’s totally shady.

People are saying this isn’t just breaking a few little rules; it’s a full-on violation of Islamic principles and a bunch of laws—think the Public Gambling Act from way back in 1867, the Pakistan Penal Code, and the Anti-Money Laundering Act, 2010. And, to make things spicier, it opens the door for all sorts of money laundering and scammy business on a huge scale.

The petition straight-up drags PTA for not using its PECA 2016 powers to shut these sites down. And the SBP and FIA? They’re basically getting roasted for just chilling in the background while illegal cash flows run wild.

The petitioner doesn’t stop there—he’s waving around the Constitution (Articles 2-A, 3, 37(g), 227, if you wanna get technical) and demanding the courts step in. They want gambling apps axed, online ads for betting banned, and financial companies to actually, you know, do their job and keep an eye on things.

And the whole thing isn’t just about money, either. The petition’s got receipts on the psychological, social, and economic mess these platforms are dumping on young people and vulnerable folks. If nobody steps up? Well, Pakistan’s rep with international watchdogs—like FATF—could take a serious nosedive, especially with all the talk about cross-border money laundering and crypto shenanigans. Wild stuff, honestly.