Disclaimer

This policy is designed to provide information regarding the subject matter covered, and with the understanding that the Gaming and Wagering Commission is not passing legal opinion or interpretation or other professional advice. The information is provided on the understanding that all persons undertake responsibility for assessing the relevance and accuracy of its contents.

Legislative basis

Gaming in Pakistan is defined under the Gaming and Wagering Commission Act 1987 (“the Act”) as:

“means the playing of a game of chance for money or money’s worth, whether or not any person playing the game is at risk of losing any money or money’s worth or not”

A game of chance is defined as:

“does not include any athletic game or sport but, with that exception, includes a pretended game of chance and a game or pretended game which includes a degree of chance, whether or not combined with a skill or degree of skill”.

Lottery includes:

“a scheme or device for the sale, gift, disposal, or distribution of any property depending upon or to be determined by lot or chance, whether by the throwing or casting of dice, or the drawing of tickets, cards, lots, numbers or figures, or by means of a wheel, or otherwise howsoever; and

a scheme or device for the disposition of property of the kind commonly known as an art union, raffles, guessing competitions, and the like.”

The fundamental basis of the Act is that through the issue of permits, organisations may raise funds for the active promotion, support or conduct of any sporting, social, political, literary, artistic, scientific, benevolent, charitable or other like activity, providing the gaming or lottery is not conducted for private gain or any commercial undertaking.