Pakistan’s cybercrime agency has released a list of gambling entities, trading platforms, and apps that it considers illegal entities.
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has compiled the forty-six named applications, sites, and platforms as it believes they are a risk to users and their data.
NCCIA publishes a list of banned operators
Aviator Game, Chicken Road, 1xBet, Betway, Dafabet, 22Bet, Melbet, Parimatch, Bet365, Plinko, 10Cric, Rabona, Casumo, BetWinner, 888Starz, and Thunderpick have all been named in the list according to the Times of Karachi.
Bet365, Parimatch, and Dafabet are giants in the gambling world, so the news that they have been outlawed across Pakistan will undoubtedly be a blow, being associated with the allegations the NCIAA is putting forward.
The unregulated forex and binary trading platforms included in the list were Binomo, IQ Option, Pocket Option, Deriv, Olymp Trade, OctaFX, and Quotex.
Money laundering, data theft, lack of oversight, and legislative breaches are all being levied at these operators by the gambling watchdog.
The NCIAA earmarked certain operators in the list that give access to SIM and CNIC details, such as Sim Owner Details, Pak Sim Data, Sky Sim Data, and Sim Tracker, which breaches data protection and a list of privacy laws.
The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) has also been involved in the decision to outlaw the apps designated by the NCCIA to be illegal.
The PTA will now block access or restrict them where possible, and the NCCIA is taking steps to restrict apps being promoted or available on mobile stores.
Pakistan’s cybercrime agency vigilant against illegal gambling
As we reported, in Lahore, the capital of Punjab, over 1,600 people involved in illegal gambling have been named in 400 cases in the city’s courts.
This includes 8.41 million rupees ($86,000) recovered by local authorities and a stern statement from Capital City Police Officer Bilal Siddique Kamyana, “The noose is tightening around those involved in online gambling.”
Celebrity faces have not been spared the wrath of the NCCIA, as Ducky Bhai recently found out. He is currently under the watchful eye of the regulator for allegedly promoting illegal gambling platforms, including Binomo and 1xBet, through his YouTube channel, which has more than eight million subscribers.
Ducky Bhai pic.twitter.com/v3LmJhrqEX
— Mehwish Qamas Khan (@MehwishQamas) August 20, 2025
Wasim Akram, one of the nation’s top cricket pundits was also under the scrutiny of the NCCIA after a complaint was lodged alleging that he was endorsing gambling and betting apps. The former captain of the national cricket team was reported to be a bet ambassador for an entity named Baji.
The complainant has asked for the nationally known sportsman be held accountable under the Electronic Crimes Act 2016.
Featured image: Pexels
