Pakistan’s National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) has restricted 46 mobile applications. These apps were linked to illegal gambling, unlicensed trading, and serious privacy breaches. It marks one of the country’s most extensive digital crackdowns to date.
The agency said the apps posed a clear danger to citizens. They promoted addictive behavior, exposed players to fraud, and harvested personal data without consent. Among the banned names are popular betting and casino platforms like Dafabet, 22Bet, Plinko, Rabona, and a lot more.
Officials warned that the rise of such platforms threatens personal security and undermines the integrity of Pakistan’s financial system. Many blocked apps offered not only gambling but also unregulated forex and binary trading. Authorities said these services enabled illegal fund transfers, scams, and high-risk speculation, while offering no protection to inexperienced users.
Some applications secretly collected sensitive personal information, such as mobile identifiers and SIM details, investigators found. This raised the risk of identity theft and long-term fraud.
NCCIA spokesperson said that the combination of financial exploitation and privacy violations makes these platforms doubly dangerous.
The government instructed the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to enforce the ban nationwide. It also advised citizens to uninstall any restricted apps already on their devices. Investigators found that some applications secretly collected sensitive personal data, including mobile identifiers and SIM details. This created a risk of identity theft and long-term fraud.
Operating in legal grey areas depending on national regulations, the crackdown highlights a wider challenge in South Asia. Aggressive marketing and easy access through smartphones have driven their popularity.
In Pakistan, where gambling is mostly illegal and forex trading requires approval, these platforms grew rapidly. Regulators see this as a loophole they are determined to close.
