Pakistan (~230 million population, >97% Muslim) maintains a near-absolute constitutional and statutory prohibition on all forms of gambling. The federal Prevention of Gambling Act 1977 extends to the whole country and overrides other laws, reinforced by the Pakistan Penal Code and constitutional Islamic injunctions (Articles 31, 227, 37(g)). No gambling regulator, licence, or state lottery exists. A significant illegal offshore market — concentrated on cricket — persists, creating AML and payment-facilitation exposure rather than a commercially accessible market. This is a closed, hostile jurisdiction: a legal/AML risk signal, not an entry opportunity.
Jurisdictions › Islamic Republic of Pakistan › Overview
Islamic Republic of Pakistan · Question 01 of 11
Overview: What kind of market is this?
Unfavourable · Confirmed · AI-generated · Back to full Islamic Republic of Pakistan report →
Key section parameters
| Jurisdiction | Islamic Republic of Pakistan (PK) |
|---|---|
| Regulator | Recorded in register |
| Favourability | Unfavourable |
| Confidence | Confirmed |
| Review status | AI-generated |
| Last collected | 18 Oct 2026 |
Summary answer
Pakistan (~230 million population, >97% Muslim) maintains a near-absolute constitutional and statutory prohibition on all forms of gambling. The federal Prevention of Gambling Act 1977 extends to the whole country and overrides other laws, reinforced by the Pakistan Penal Code and constitutional Isl…
Key headwinds & conditions
- Absolute constitutional and statutory prohibition with no licence pathway
- PTA site-blocking under PECA 2016 Section 37
- Payment-rail monitoring pressure (SBP/FMU; mobile-money directives)
- Elevated post-FATF-grey-list AML posture