What is the Pakistani bloggers gambling scandal?

A major scandal has rocked Pakistan’s digital space as popular YouTuber Saad ur Rehman, widely known as Ducky Bhai, was arrested by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) at the Lahore airport.

Authorities say Ducky Bhai worked as the “country manager” for an illegal gambling app. He reportedly promoted several betting platforms, including Binomo, 1xBet, Bet365, and B9 Game, through his YouTube channel.

Investigators claim he earned millions of rupees from these apps while promoting at least 12 gambling platforms. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had called him for questioning multiple times, but after failing to appear, his name was placed on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). He was finally arrested while trying to leave the country.

A case was officially filed by the state at midnight on August 17 under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016. Charges include electronic forgery, electronic fraud, spamming, and spoofing, along with sections of the Pakistan Penal Code for cheating and unlawful prize offers.

Sources suggest that some Pakistani cricketers might also be linked to the scandal, though the NCCIA has not released their names.

Earlier this year, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) issued notices to the FIA, SBP, PTA, and PEMRA after Barrister Imran Rashid warned about the rising threat of online gambling in Pakistan. He explained how these apps use digital wallets to avoid banking regulations, leading to money laundering and fraud. Rashid also asked the court to ban gambling apps, block their ads on social media, and tighten financial laws.

What is Online Gambling?

Online gambling, also called iGaming, refers to gambling activities conducted over the internet. It includes online casinos, sports betting, and virtual poker. Players use real money to bet through websites and mobile apps, making it a fast-growing but highly controversial industry in Pakistan.