ONLINE gaming applications are getting increasingly popular in Pakistan, with people of all ages playing various games on such apps while spending real money.

Hundreds of games in various genres are available on these apps that actually promote betting rather than gaming. The algorithms of these apps are designed by creative programmers to manipulate laymen with the aim of extracting money.

People looking for short-term profits end up losing thousands of rupees. This has a terrible impact on the minds of individuals, leading to anxiety and depression.

Following the loss of money, they gamble with even larger amounts in the hope of recovering the lost monry, but that leads to even further losses.

With easy access to cellphones and the internet, online gaming has increased rapidly. There are a variety of games, but sports-based themes are the most popular among them. With no checks and balances on these apps, thousands of people fall victim to them, losing a lot of money.

These apps invest millions of rupees in advertising and marketing. People, especially the young and gullible ones, are active on social media platforms, and are lured by these marketing strategies and advertisements. Although these apps are illegal in many countries, they still operate. Their addiction is worse compared to social media addiction, as such apps manipulate people to lose money by choice.

Sadly, endorsement of these apps by celebrities is another factor contributing to their promotion among the youth. They earn a good sum of money from adver-

tisements while making their loyal audience addicted to gambling. Stricter monitoring and tighter control over these apps is the duty of the government.

The Prevention of Gambling Act 1977 strictly prohibits any form of gambling except state-offered lotteries. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) is responsible for keeping an eye on illegal online activities, including online gambling and betting apps.

The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) is accountable for due monitoring and blocking access to such websites and apps. By working collectively, all these government agencies can play a robust role in tackling this issue.

Hassan Raza
Larkana

Published in Dawn, December 18th, 2024