2 min read
The National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency has issued NCCIA Gambling Summons for a group of high-profile social media creators over alleged promotion of illegal online gambling and unlicensed trading platforms. The agency has asked Mudassar Hassan Muhammad Anas Ali, Iqra Kanwal, and Muhammad Husnain Shah to appear at the NCCIA Lahore office on September 2 as part of a criminal probe.
Officials say the accused are charged with marketing illicit gambling apps, encouraging youth to invest in offshore and unregulated sites, and structuring a scheme to defraud the public by inducing investments in unregistered platforms. The agency warned that failure to appear could be treated as an admission of guilt or as a waiver of the right to mount a defence.
Investigations point to a platform called World 777 that allegedly financed influencer marketing campaigns to draw thousands of users into risky gambling activity. Authorities believe the campaigns used glamour and social proof to normalise unregulated betting and to push in-app purchases and deposits. Officials estimate that billions of rupees exit the country each month through such unregulated sites, creating a shadow economy and causing financial harm to vulnerable users
The probe has widened to include a roster of other public figures who appeared in promotional material or who supported campaigns linked to betting apps. Regulators have also blocked multiple illegal apps and have signalled more enforcement steps that may include arrests, asset tracing, and coordination with financial authorities to halt illicit flows.
