History of casino gambling in Pakistan
For centuries, gambling has been woven into Pakistani culture. Dice games, card games, and other forms of gambling were among the popular games played by the poor and rich alike. However, gambling has not always been legal in Pakistan.
When Pakistan claimed independence in 1947, the ruling government moved to ban all gambling activities with the Gambling Ordinance Act in 1977. This was done as part of a collective effort to reduce the Country's corruption rate. At that time, a lot of illegal activities were connected with gambling, which prompted the enactment of the law to protect citizens from falling victims.
Furthermore, in 2008, more amendments were made to the law, allowing more forms of gambling like lottery and horse racing. Still, many people were against it as it contributed to the moral decadence in the Country.
In recent times, laws on gambling and related activities remain ambiguous and stringent in Pakistan as many still believe that gambling is against the teachings of the Quran, which was the primary reason gambling was banned in the first place. However, despite these strict rules and punishment, which may include a one-year-long prison sentence, Pakistanis still engage in illegal online gambling today, exploiting loopholes in the law.
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